Following on from suggestions of a Call of Duty Vita game, I can't help but wonder if anything, even Call of Duty, can save handheld gaming. I don't mean to sound like a doomsdayer, but Sony itself doesn't seem especially keen to push Vita into a mainstream crowd, seemingly waving the white flag by aiming the product exclusively at "hardcore" gamers, leaving the "casual" users to bask in the glory that is mobile and tablet gaming.
Suggestions that such a Call of Duty title would be a "game changer" for the platform alludes, to me at least, that Sony is banking on the brand strength of an Activision FPS franchise to make its upcoming PlayStation Vita more appealing. Word that the company won't be selling the handheld in three major Australian retailers, instead opting for electronic and gaming speciality stores, makes it seem as though Sony is limiting its expectations by limiting the availability.
Strangely, some suggest that the hype isn't there for the handheld ahead of its Thursday launch, despite the fact it's launching with 23 games, a functioning digital store and plenty of games forthcoming.
If you weren't all that excited for Vita, you're not alone. Sony itself seems to be playing down the disappointments of the Japanese launch as best it can, although a better North American launch is certainly likely seeing as the the handheld's predecessor, PSP, still has a strong retail presence in Japan. Going up against that, as well as the rising 3DS, was always a tough ask for Sony's new handheld.
The existence of a Call of Duty game, and Sony's suggestion that it can be of such a big influence for the handheld, purports that the direction in the West is considerably different to that of a place like Japan, where the legs of the PSP showcase that dropping sales figures don't really mean all that much in the long run.
Even if you're not a fan of Call of Duty, you simply cannot ignore the strength and pull of the brand. It's insane, and won't slow down anytime soon, despite what some might suggest. It's smashing Xbox Live records, and is on track to outsell 2010's Black Ops, despite a lower-than-expected January sales performance.
From a branding perspective, a Call of Duty game on Vita will have a lot of cautious gamers talking and perhaps make them a little more enticed by the handheld -- especially considering its online capabilities -- more so than what popular brands did on PSP; the likes of Medal of Honor and Call of Duty just weren't as strong as brands when they were released on Vita's predecessor. Also factor in that Call of Duty: Roads to Victory only had local multiplayer, and you have a series' experience that really hasn't been fully realised in the handheld market.
Nintendo has had a few admirable Call of Duty efforts on the DS, but nothing seems as promising as a Call of Duty game on Vita, a system that is light, comfortable to hold, and made all-the-more FPS-friendly by its well-placed dual analog sticks. Throw in easy online connectivity, and Call of Duty may be just as often associated with Vita gaming as it is with multiplayer gaming on Xbox Live.
By Gaetano Prestia
What do you think about Call of Duty coming to Vita? Is a multiplayer offering on a handheld enticing, or do you prefer single-player experiences when handheld gaming? Share your thoughts below!