Sony: 3DS won't force Vita price cut

Sony will not reduce the price of the PlayStation Vita - despite Nintendo's shock 3DS price cut.

Sony is yet to offer UK pricing for Vita, which goes on sale in Europe early next year.

It has announced Euro pricing, however: for the standard Wi-Fi you'll pay €249.99, and for the 3G plus Wi-Fi model you'll pay €299.99.

That hasn't stopped a number of UK shops slapping Vita with a price in pounds. It is expected to go for £230 and £280.

Nintendo slashed the 3DS price by around a third last month in response to disappointing sales. Some UK shops are selling it for as little as £115.

Some analysts have called on Sony to cut the price of the Vita in response - even before launch.

"Gamers are increasingly anticipating Sony to lower prices, especially after the 3DS cut," Ace Securities Co's Hideki Yasuda told Bloomberg earlier this month.

"Sony is under major pressure to cut the price of the Vita or risk a major failure."

But head of Sony worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida ruled that out in a new interview with Eurogamer.

"We are totally happy with the price we put," he said.

"Personally, I was expecting Nintendo might move their price, but I wasn't expecting them to move at this time. We didn't price Vita relative to 3DS or those other devices. We plan the value we want to put in to the Vita and the price people would perceive the value would be. Nothing changed since the announcement. We are totally happy."

Backing Yoshida's comments are analysts who believe Vita and Nintendo 3DS are not competing products.

"The customers Sony is targeting with its Vita are those willing to spend a lot of money. That's a valid strategy even if the volume's low as long as it can sustain the higher price," Nomura Holdings Inc's Shiro Mikoshiba said.