Rather simple question that can have a bit more nuance under the surface.
So before this question can be answered, one must establish what dictates a "dead console." Basically, from what I gather, a console is dead when it has reached a point where it cannot ever be considered a commercial success. A point-of-no-return, if you will. In this respect, the Vita pretty much speaks for itself.
Imo, the answer to the title question is multifaceted. One major poison for it is the majority of its library's content. What each console needs is a great set of exclusives and the ability to stand on its own. The Vita has neither of those. Its library is mainly console ports with some exclusives thrown in. The exclusives available aren't even head-over-heels good enough to justify buying a Vita just to play them. The PSP had that.
People fervently defend this console because it's an impressively-built handheld, but what they really don't understand is that it's a game console first and foremost; history has shown us that the gaming world doesn't give the slightest bit of shit about power in the end (even though fanboys like to make a schlong-swinging contest out of it). Nintendo made bank with the Wii. MS dug a $6 billion hole with the X360 that was already deep from the Xbox, and Sony just failed in all ways (their saving grace was life support, because they sure as hell couldn't pull their weight). So no one really cares that the Vita is a beautifully-designed system; it ain't got the games. Judging from the current state of things, it will never have the games.
So yeah, what do you think killed it?
So before this question can be answered, one must establish what dictates a "dead console." Basically, from what I gather, a console is dead when it has reached a point where it cannot ever be considered a commercial success. A point-of-no-return, if you will. In this respect, the Vita pretty much speaks for itself.
Imo, the answer to the title question is multifaceted. One major poison for it is the majority of its library's content. What each console needs is a great set of exclusives and the ability to stand on its own. The Vita has neither of those. Its library is mainly console ports with some exclusives thrown in. The exclusives available aren't even head-over-heels good enough to justify buying a Vita just to play them. The PSP had that.
People fervently defend this console because it's an impressively-built handheld, but what they really don't understand is that it's a game console first and foremost; history has shown us that the gaming world doesn't give the slightest bit of shit about power in the end (even though fanboys like to make a schlong-swinging contest out of it). Nintendo made bank with the Wii. MS dug a $6 billion hole with the X360 that was already deep from the Xbox, and Sony just failed in all ways (their saving grace was life support, because they sure as hell couldn't pull their weight). So no one really cares that the Vita is a beautifully-designed system; it ain't got the games. Judging from the current state of things, it will never have the games.
So yeah, what do you think killed it?