Home Gaming Sony forced to pay up for deceiving Vita buyers

Sony forced to pay up for deceiving Vita buyers

2 min read
43

Sadvita

The PlayStation Vita is a pretty fantastic gaming device… even if it is perhaps a little short of games. Unfortunately when Sony was marketing the thing they sold it as something quite a bit greater than it ended up being. A number of promised features were either misrepresented, or wholly absent from the console – leading the US’ Federal Trade Commission to take umbrage. As a result, Sony has to cough up to the system’s early adopters.

Major features were missing , like the touted cross-save – Where players would be able to pick up the Vita and continue playing where they left off on the PS3. It was advertised as being available for most games – and ended up only being used in a  handful of games. The adverts also failed to mention that players would have to purchase the same game for each platform in those instances.

Sony also suggested that you’d be able to play online multiplayer using the 3G version of the console, and that didn’t quite materialise either. As a result, Sony will now have to give early US adopters $25 in cash or credit, or $50 in merchandise.

“As we enter the year’s biggest shopping period, companies need to be reminded that if they make product promises to consumers — as Sony did with the ‘game changing’ features of its PS Vita — they must deliver on those pledges,” FTC director of consumer protection Jessica Rich said. “The FTC will not hesitate to act on behalf of consumers when companies or advertisers make false product claims.”

It really is a pity that much of what would have made the Vita awesome just didn’t pan out. For Sony’s part, they think the Vita is just plain awesome.

“We believe that PlayStation Vita is the most advanced and powerful handheld video game device on the market, and the ultimate companion for a PlayStation 4 system,” a Sony spokesperson told VentureBeat. “The advertising at issue in the FTC inquiry went to market more than two years ago at PS Vita’s launch in February 2012. Although we have a strong difference of opinion with the FTC as to the message that PS Vita purchasers took from that advertising, we decided to settle the FTC’s inquiry in order to focus on the PlayStation 4’s momentum into this holiday, where PlayStation Vita continues to play an important role. PlayStation has always been and will continue to be a brand built around our consumers, with a mission to deliver the best gaming experiences as our top priority. To that end, our settlement with the FTC will offer qualifying PS Vita owners the unique opportunity to get additional value and content for their handheld system.”

Last Updated: November 26, 2014

43 Comments

  1. Sir Rants A Lot is a DADDY

    November 26, 2014 at 14:07

    That’s gonna hurt

    Reply

  2. oVg Puer aeternus

    November 26, 2014 at 14:08

    “a little short of games”

    Come on, I can name a handful of Vita games from the massive Vita store that have over 300hours of gameplay. NOT INCLUDING the PS1 2 PSP store that all play just fine on the Vita.

    What a stupid thing to be paying up for. What they should be paying for are those stupid comments from their marketing that the Vita is a portable PS3. Its not. Liars.

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      November 26, 2014 at 14:27

      Yeah. got about 300 hours of play out of Tetris too *RUNS

      Reply

      • oVg Puer aeternus

        November 26, 2014 at 14:30

        bad troll.

        Reply

        • ToshZA

          November 26, 2014 at 14:31

          It’s ok. Small minds and all that. 😉

          We don’t judge. Much.

          Reply

      • Mark Vincer

        November 26, 2014 at 15:05

        You know what else can play Tetris?

        Reply

        • HvR

          November 26, 2014 at 15:55

          What phone is that. Looks like a 3310 with an erection.

          Reply

          • Mark Vincer

            November 26, 2014 at 16:01

            It is the Ericcson A2628s. My first phone. What a beauty. I miss it.

  3. ToshZA

    November 26, 2014 at 14:08

    Now they need to do this to game devs too. Looking at you OOBI.

    Reply

  4. Hammersteyn

    November 26, 2014 at 14:09

    Sweet land of liberty………

    Reply

  5. McFancypants HD 3.0

    November 26, 2014 at 14:09

    As of late, all I use my Vita for, is listening to music while on the potty.

    Reply

    • Mark Vincer

      November 26, 2014 at 14:13

      How impressive are your poos that you need a soundtrack?!

      Reply

      • oVg Puer aeternus

        November 26, 2014 at 14:20

      • McFancypants HD 3.0

        November 26, 2014 at 14:24

        Funny you should mention that.

        I wouldn’t go so far as to say it deserves a soundtrack, but a decent backtrack makes for a better potty time.

        Reply

        • Mark Vincer

          November 26, 2014 at 14:56

          Backtrack…I see what you did there

          Reply

          • McFancypants HD 3.0

            November 26, 2014 at 15:01

            I’d rather you didn’t o_O

          • Mark Vincer

            November 26, 2014 at 15:03

            I don’t know what you mean…*slowly backs away from bathroom window*

      • WitWolfy

        November 26, 2014 at 14:31

        Its the shit

        Reply

      • Codefridge

        November 28, 2014 at 07:06

        They are of legend. You havent heard of them?

        Reply

        • Mark Vincer

          November 28, 2014 at 07:59

          I have heard whispers in quiet hallways, in darkened warehouses, on dingy piers…

          Reply

    • oVg Puer aeternus

      November 26, 2014 at 14:15

      My toilet time is spent on this Japanese Parapa the Rapper. Fun as Fcuk.

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        November 26, 2014 at 14:16

        Typical Japanese toilet junkie!

        Reply

      • RinceThis

        November 26, 2014 at 14:16

        Where are the tentacles?

        Reply

        • ToshZA

          November 26, 2014 at 14:17

          My gf made a Japanese family in the Sims 4 the other day. I asked that exact same question then.

          Reply

          • oVg Puer aeternus

            November 26, 2014 at 14:26

            DLC

          • ToshZA

            November 26, 2014 at 14:27

            Wouldn’t even be surprised. XD

          • RinceThis

            November 26, 2014 at 14:29

            I HOPE about the SIMS game>? 0-O

          • ToshZA

            November 26, 2014 at 14:30

            Wait, Sims?

        • oVg Puer aeternus

          November 26, 2014 at 14:17

          Its SEGA family friendly and kicks PARAPA THE RAPAS ASS.

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            November 26, 2014 at 14:18

            You take that back!

          • ToshZA

            November 26, 2014 at 14:19

            PARAPA THE RAPTOR. I’d watch that shit.

          • Sir Rants A Lot is a DADDY

            November 26, 2014 at 14:29

            Someone call?

          • oVg Puer aeternus

            November 26, 2014 at 14:31

            What the hell happened to this game?

        • Hammersteyn

          November 26, 2014 at 14:18

          I can think of one O_o

          Reply

  6. RinceThis

    November 26, 2014 at 14:15

    Ouch.

    Reply

  7. RinceThis

    November 26, 2014 at 14:21

    Just waiting for Pieter to arrive and use this as evidence the Bone is doing better in sales than the PS4…

    Reply

  8. WitWolfy

    November 26, 2014 at 14:25

    The only thing that pissed me off about the Vita was the BS PS3 remote play promises. They’d advertise something like, “HEY JIMMY, wanna play RDR or any of your other PS3 games as your loved one is watching TV??? DONE!!!!”

    “GREATNESS AWAITS!” MY ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    They totally lied to their fanbase forgetting to mention.. “Ummm yeah… About that PS3 remote play demo we bragged about… Well almost no future PS3 games will support this feature, and it was just to show you something you’ll never be able to do… Yeah…”

    Where the only game that I owned that had this feature is the GOW HD collection.

    FFS! If you advertise it, then it better be able to do what you promise it COULD do!

    Reply

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