PlayStation Vita's lacklustre sales have been attributed by Sony to the rise of smartphones and tablets.

Although the handheld is portable, the firm says that consumers tend to favor smart devices with multiple functions over dedicated gaming systems.



"In all honesty, higher sales would have been what we had hoped for," PlayStation UK managing director Fergal Gara told VG247.



"The market Vita entered was more complicated than it was when the console was originally thought about and designed. Games on tablets and phones have changed the marketplace and people can't carry too many things around at one time."

He added: "The truth is that the number of people that want the core experience [that Vita offers] is not as big as the number that simply want any sort of game available on the move and, because the likes of a tablet and smartphone are so multifunctional in their use, they will always be very appealing.



"Really, I think the reason it hasn't sold more is that it comes down to people thinking, 'Do I need it as well as these other things that are taking my money?'"



Following the PlayStation 4's launch in November 2013, sales of the handheld were reportedly boosted by 68% in the UK.

The PS Vita received a price drop in August and now costs €199.99 in Europe.

Meanwhile, Nintendo is enjoying success with its Nintendo 3DS, which recently surpassed 11.5 million units sold in the US alone and was the UK's best-selling gaming device of 2013.

Watch a trailer for PS Vita-exclusive title Tearaway below:

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