Analyst expects Vita to move 2.5 million units in Japan by end of March 2012

SMBC Nikko Securities analyst Kazuharu Miura has forecasted units sales of 2.5 million for Vita by the end of March 2012, and sales of software for the handheld reaching 7 million units during the same period.


According to a Bloomberg Japan report, Miura said these numbers could vary depending on the interest in software released for Vita. Sony has admitted that it will take a loss on each Vita sold.

During E3, Kaz Hirai told Bloomberg the Sony won’t see a profit on Vita for at least three years, which is pretty much standard when releasing new hardware. Sony took a loss on PS3 when it was first launched as well. However, Miura expects this loss to hit at around ¥5,000 ($65.12) per system at first, falling to ¥2,500 ($32.56) per system during the end of FY13.

By the end of Sony’s next fiscal year, ending in March 2013, Miura expects Vita to have sold 8.5 million units and software for the system to have moved 28 million units.

The report also cited Ace Securities analyst Hideki Yasuda, who seemed unsure of the handheld, as he believed the systems higher resolution specs will cause longer development times. He also expressed concern on whether enough developers will create titles for a kit that’s unproven.

Vita launches this year Japan and in early 2012 in Europe and North America. A date on the Japanese release is expected during TGS in September.