2018 has highest game completion rating of PS Vita's lifespan

As GameCard production for the PS Vita winds down just about everywhere but Japan, a very particular subset of players is helping sustain the handheld. Completionists appear to be embracing the Vita's easy trophy collection, effectively determining the system's top games in its twilight years.

TrueTrophies reports some interesting statistics for the Vita's lifespan, showing that since the system's release in 2012, average total completion time of game releases has gone down, while completion percentage has gone way, way up. The graph below takes into account the top 50 games released on the system for each year, based on overall player count.

Also notably, despite the overall trend of Vita releases toward visual novels, the top ten games in recent years have largely been quick, simple indie games--again reflecting the influence of completionists. Compare the top three games of the Vita's release year: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Gravity Rush, and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, with the top three from 2018: Little Adventure on the Prairie, Midnight Deluxe, and Inksplosion.

With cross-buy games allowing trophy hunters to complete two lists on two consoles with one pop, it makes sense that quick, cheap, trophy-heavy, easy games might invite the bulk of software financial success on the Vita as new releases become fewer and farther between. At any rate, for trophy hunters, it's the only handheld currently viable for such endeavors, meaning the completionist community may enable the Vita to cling to life a bit longer than expected.