Yahoo: "Goodbye Sony PSP, We Barely Knew Ye"

[ninja dog]

Things are looking really bad for Sony. I wonder how much more of this Sony can take. If bad things like this keep happening to Sony, Sony might just lose its mind and go crazy, knowing it had wagered so much and lost even more.

http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/goodbye-sony-psp/1276225

[dcfox]

Sony can still save the PSP brand it's just a mystery to me why they're not taking steps to do so.

[mykevermin]

They still sell a helluva lot of consoles, but for some strange reason, not very much software at all.

I'm very skeptical that that many people pirate their PSP software (more than the other current consoles, though, is highly likely).

Is it simply the most popular portable porno device other than the laptop, then?

[slidecage]

i say sony takes this ONLINE downloads only by summer... Walk into a store today and you will be very lucky to see any space set aside for the psp games.

Cousin works at Best buy (just got the job before thanksgiving) and talk there is the PSP section will be just pushed to an end cap by summer or even removed.

O well. I still have around 30 nice RPG games for the PSP and really dont care if they make any more games for it

[Rig]

The people I know with PSP's don't buy many games (2-3, tops) and they also don't pirate or anything of the sort.

[ninja dog]

Sony still makes a small profit from every PSP they sell. As long as they do, they are happy it's selling well.


any data to back up that they're happy or are you projecting your own happiness about this fact?

and your game list is not exciting...prinny? really? really? they'll be lucky if that cracks 70k.

[mykevermin]

Sony still makes a small profit from every PSP they sell. As long as they do, they are happy it's selling well. However, most handheld games just don't sell all that well in general in the states, unless it's a cheap budget game, Mario, or Pokemon usually.

However, some PSP games actually performed well, such as Crisis Core selling 301.6K in the month of release (sold 104K-141K in April) and God of War: CoO sold 340.5K.

http://vgsales.wikia.com/wiki/NPD_March_2008

The sales should be substantially higher given the PSP install base.

People are buying the console, but that's about it. That's the system's problem.

[Blackout]

I agree with the article. I had the PSP since the first year it came out but sold it this summer. Sony just dropped the ball. They aren't doing anything with it. There were some great games, but it just felt the system was dead. It seems like now all the PSN games are becoming PSP games...which is a joke. PSP should be killing DS, but it isn't. It's done really well for Sony's first handheld, but I just gave up on it. It feels like Sony did too.



Yeah, like PSP is going anywhere. :roll:

It isn't. And that's the problem. It sells good and all that, but it isn't going anywhere. To me, PSP officially lost all steam right after God of War came out.

[slidecage]

The people I know with PSP's don't buy many games (2-3, tops) and they also don't pirate or anything of the sort.

this is very true. i probally paid cash for maybe 1 or 2 PSP games the entire 2008 compair to 7 to 10 Ds games. I mostly just traded for them



Also i play the PSP very little compair to the ds. I just like Ds more for some reason.....

Same sort of game type

Dungeon maker 2 psp played it less then 2 hours bored with it

Master of monster lair DS played it over 40 hours and still play it.

some reason i just do not care for the psp much...(i think cause the background blurs alot on some of the RPG games on the psp

[hiccupleftovers]

All the people I know who own a PSP do it for pirating/modding/etc. Hell, even I would since the only game I really play for it is Tekken 5 DR since Sony fucked with my PS3 (CC issue...long story). If anyone wants to help me out ;) just send a PM>......

[hiccupleftovers]

Dissidia is #1 in Japan, sells nearly half a million copies

http://www.pspfanboy.com/2008/12/29/dissidia-is-1-in-japan-sells-nearly-half-a-million-copies/

LocoRoco 2 for PSP Rolling to North America Soon!

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2008/12/24/locoroco-2-for-psp-rolling-to-north-america-soon/


http://www.pspfanboy.com/2008/12/27/whole-slew-of-downloadable-psp-and-psone-titles-coming-from-ca/

NIS America is bringing Prinny stateside in early 2009:
http://prinnies.com/

New Videos to Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep:
http://ps3life.nl/nieuws/2139-nog-meer-psp-trailer-liefde-van-square-enix-in-kingdom-hearts/

Yeah, like PSP is going anywhere. :roll: It may not have the most game releases, but definitely has quality releases this year and is still getting new games announced constantly for it in Japan (and PSP is region free oh course). A platform is ONLY dead when there's ZERO support for it and the manufacturer ends it.

Sad. Disillusionment and denial.:D:cry:

[doho7744]

Sony never really got behind it. They never gave the PSP an identity. They marketed as a multi media jack-of-all-trades player, and when the movie sales went ftl dropped'em. There was no sort of add on support. Where are the keyboards dammit. How can I use this thing on the intrawebs without a keyboard.
Just a real half assed Sony product.

I have a PSP and a DS and the PSP just sits.

[Dr Mario Kart]

LocoRoco 2 - 5,100 units sold in Japan opening week (Famitsu)
Prinny - 18,000 opening week.

Known Lifetime PSP Software Sales Japan (famitsu) [258 games]

PSP - Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G 2.447.173
PSP - Monster Hunter Freedom 2 1.713.405
PSP - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII 797.029
PSP - Monster Hunter Freedom 668.964
PSP - Phantasy Star Portable 628.371
PSP - Dissidia: Final Fantasy 504.000
PSP - Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 399.257
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops 358.277
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam 331.000
PSP - Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions 301.796
PSP - Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu Nou Chikara Trainer Portable 297.816
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable (PSP the Best) 290.904
PSP - Dynasty Warriors 286.274
PSP - SD Gundam G Generation Portable 278.702
PSP - Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 3 275.268
PSP - Ridge Racers 273.521
PSP - Minna no Golf Portable (PSP The Best) 270.907
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus 264.041
PSP - Minna no Golf Portable 2 256.926
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 244.462
PSP - Gundam Battle Universe 242.742
PSP - Gundam Battle Chronicle 227.259
PSP - Tales of The World: Radiant Mythology 214.128
PSP - Star Ocean 1: First Departure 204.996
PSP - Tales of Eternia 193.541
PSP - Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 189.940
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren no Yabou - Axis no Kyoui 171.787
PSP - Talkman 169.633
PSP - Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth 168.515
PSP - LocoRoco 154.816
PSP - Super Robot Wars A Portable 152.756
PSP - Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 150.431
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed : Rengou Vs. Z.A.F.T. Portable 145.549
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) 145.000
PSP - Macross Ace Frontier 144.929
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable (PSP the Best)(reprint) 142.417
PSP - Tales of Destiny 2 142.301
PSP - Star Ocean: Second Evolution 141.218
PSP - Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 140.863
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida 137.102
PSP - Warriors Orochi 136.346
PSP - Mahjong Kakutou Club 134.572
PSP - Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 130.919
PSP - Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters 127.724
PSP - Ape Escape Academy 127.679
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories 126.517
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida Or 2 125.862
PSP - Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition 124.839
PSP - Derby Stallion P 123.227
PSP - Metal Gear Acid 118.553
PSP - Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu Portable 2 118.126
PSP - Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception 116.176
PSP - Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten 115.349
PSP - Gundam Battle Royale 114.861
PSP - Tekken: Dark Resurrection 114.734
PSP - Ape Escape: On the Loose 113.443
PSP - Tales of Phantasia: Full Voice Edition 112.367
PSP - Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable 110.823
PSP - Samurai Warriors: State of War 109.324
PSP - Maplus: Portable Navi 108.848
PSP - Kashiramoji D: Street Stage 104.503
PSP - The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch 103.834
PSP - Go! Sudoku 103.590
PSP - Doko Demo Issho 103.205
PSP - Musou Orichi 103.000
PSP - Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road 97.739
PSP - Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable: Mushi Mushi Hakase to Teppen-yama no Himitsu!! 96.651
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX: Tag Force 3 90.000
PSP - Nouryoku Trainer Portable 2 89.430
PSP - Super Robot Taisen MX Portable 87.342
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 86.613
PSP - Kenka Banchou 3: Zenkoku Seiha 84.000
PSP - Jeanne D'Arc 83.847
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 83.044
PSP - Me and My Katamari 82.406
PSP - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku 81.815
PSP - Warriors Orochi 2 81.000
PSP - PoPoLoCrois 79.756
PSP - Namco Museum 79.572
PSP - Sony Computer Science Kenkyuusho Kenmogi Kenichirou Hakase Kanshuu - Nou ni Kaikan: Aha Taiken! 79.557
PSP - Final Fantasy II 78.057
PSP - Echochrome 77.743
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 5 77.466
PSP - Valhalla Knights 2 76.547
PSP - Puyo Pop Fever 76.507
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 3 76.340
PSP - Tales of Rebirth 75.301
PSP - Gundam Battle Tactics 73.275
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2 72.662
PSP - Tenchu: Time of the Assassins 70.942
PSP - Derby Time 70.668
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 2 69.733
PSP - Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors 69.496
PSP - Ridge Racers 2 69.295
PSP - Fate/Tiger Colosseum 68.677
PSP - Valhalla Knights 67.966
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd 67.344
PSP - Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Ossu! Banchou Portable 67.041
PSP - Saru Get You: SaruSaru Daisakusen 64.023
PSP - Saru Get You: Pipo Saru Racer 63.563
PSP - Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono 61.803
PSP - Taiko no Tatsujin Portable 59.925
PSP - Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 59.070
PSP - Taiko no Tatsujin Portable 2 58.782
PSP - Mahjong Kakutou Club (PSP The Best) 56.940
PSP - Jissen Pachislot Hisshouhou Hokuto no Ken Portable 56.550
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki SC 56.515
PSP - Tales of Eternia (PSP The Best) 55.632
PSP - Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 53.268
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren no Yabou- Zeon no Keifu 52.887
PSP - Wild Arms: Crossfire 52.090
PSP - Metal Gear Acid 2 50.943
PSP - Jissen Pachislot Hisshouhou! Hokuto no Ken SE Portable 50.445
PSP - WTF 50.417
PSP - Street Supremacy 49.907
PSP - Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten (PSP the Best) 49.083
PSP - Ape Academy 2 49.072
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 47.761
PSP - Dokodemo Issho: Let’s Gakkou! 46.011
PSP - Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins 45.810
PSP - Armored Core: Formula Front 45.561
PSP - Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory 45.305
PSP - Shinseiki Evangelion 2: Tsukurareshi Sekai - Another Cases 44.922
PSP - Ridge Racers (PSP the Best) 44.546
PSP - Dragoneer's Aria 44.407
PSP - Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! Battle Arena 43.968
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories 42.071
PSP - Coded Arms 41.504
PSP - Silent Hill: Origins 41.358
PSP - Fate/Tiger Colosseum Upper 40.864
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 9: Ubiquitous Evolution (PSP The Best) 39.679
PSP - Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl 39.574
PSP - Minna no Chizu 39.447
PSP - Samurai Dou Portable 39.243
PSP - Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower 38.576
PSP - Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops. + Deluxe Pack 38.429
PSP - Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness 38.080
PSP - Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable (PSP the Best) 38.016
PSP - Lumines 37.349
PSP - Castlevania Dracula X 36.011
PSP - Patapon 2: Don-Chaka 35.000
PSP - Metal Slug Anthology 34.799
PSP - Derby Time 2006 34.446
PSP - Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner 33.639
PSP - Higurashi Daybreak Portable 33.000
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki FC 32.712
PSP - Brave Story: New Traveler 32.703
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 10: Ubiquitous Evolution (PSP The Best) 32.639
PSP - Need for Speed Underground Rivals 32.503
PSP - Talkman Euro 32.487
PSP - The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion 32.159
PSP - Quiz Kidou Senshi Gundam: Toi Senshi DX 32.158
PSP - Dora-Slot: Shuyaku wa Zenigata 31.987
PSP - Guilty Gear XX #Reload 31.910
PSP - God of War: Chains of Olympus 31.626
PSP - Bleach: Soul Carnival 30.925
PSP - Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Yoshimune Portable 30.673
PSP - Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP the Best) 30.331
PSP - Soukyuu no Fafner 30.172
PSP - Magna Carta Portable 30.145
PSP - Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (PSP the Best) 29.337
PSP - Clannad 29.052
PSP - Simple 2500 Series Portable Vol. 1: The Table Game 28.915
PSP - Sangokushi V 28.818
PSP - Gensou Suikoden I + II 28.271
PSP - Patapon 28.067
PSP - Need for Speed Most Wanted 5-1-0 27.151
PSP - Minna no Golf Jou Vol. 1 25.417
PSP - Namco Museum Vol.2 24.934
PSP - To LoveRu Trouble: Doki Doki! Rinkaigakkou-Hen 24.870
PSP - Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon 24.655
PSP - Hajime no Ippo Portable: Victorious Spirits 24.643
PSP - Kingdom of Paradise 24.402
PSP - Wangan Midnight Portable 24.308
PSP - Generation of Chaos 24.067
PSP - Puyo Puyo! 23.936
PSP - Virtua Tennis: World Tour 23.907
PSP - Capcom Classics Collection (Best Price!) 23.844
PSP - Breath of Fire III 23.448
PSP - Planetarium Creator Ohira Takayuki Kanshuu: Home Star Portable 23.261
PSP - Twelve: Sengoku Fengshenden 22.860
PSP - Mana-Khemia: Gakuen no Renkinjutsushi-tachi Portable Plus 22.654
PSP - Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist 22.570
PSP - Medal of Honor Heroes 22.489
PSP - Princess Crown 22.466
PSP - Wipeout Pure 22.455
PSP - Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded 22.151
PSP - Yggdra Union 21.989
PSP - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 21.753
PSP - Kamaitachi no Yoru 2 Tokubetsu Hen 21.451
PSP - Sakura Taisen 1 & 2 21.314
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel 21.219
PSP - Machi: Unmei no Kousaten 21.021
PSP - Bounty Hounds 20.940
PSP - Portable Island: Tenohira Resort 20.914
PSP - Minna no Golf Jou Vol. 2 20.779
PSP - Metal Gear 20th Anniversary: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops 20.776
PSP - Smash Court Tennis 3 20.631
PSP - Guilty Gear Judgment 20.254
PSP - Bomberman 20.159
PSP - Comic Party Portable 20.112
PSP - Crazy Taxi: Double Punch 18.054
PSP - Prinny: Ore ga Shujinkou de Iinsuka? 18.000
PSP - World Neverland 2-in-1 Portable 16.106
PSP - Nihon no Asoko de 16.000
PSP - Tengai Makyou Collection (PC Engine Best Collection) 13.992
PSP - Vantage Master Portable 12.000
PSP - Clank & Ratchet: Maru Hi Mission * Ignition 10.000
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki Set 10.000
PSP - Winning Post 6 8.630
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida. (PSP the Best) 7.887
PSP - Zwei!! 7.700
PSP - Garnet Chronicle: Kouki no Maseki 6.490
PSP - Coded Soul 6.100
PSP - Sengoku Efuda Yuugi: Hototogisu Ran 5.657
PSP - Galaxy Fraulein Collenction (PC Engine Best Collection) 5.500
PSP - Moe Moe 2-ji Taisen [Ryoku] Deluxe 5.400
PSP - LocoRoco 2 5.100
PSP - Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus 4.900
PSP - Need for Speed ProStreet 4.800
PSP - Need for Speed Undercover 4.800
PSP - Hiiro no Kakera Portable 4.400
PSP - NBA Live 09 4.300
PSP - Umihara Kawase Portable 4.000
PSP - Memories Off 2nd 4.000
PSP - Memories Off 3.800
PSP - FIFA 09 3.800
PSP - Sega Rally Revo 3.500
PSP - Memories Off Sorekara 3.500
PSP - Neo Angelique Special 3.500
PSP - Bumpy Trot: Vehicle Battle Tournament 3.300
PSP - Tyumon Shiyouze! Oretachi no Sekai 3.300
PSP - Suigetsu Portable 3.100
PSP - My Stylist 3.000
PSP - Omoide ni Kawaru-Kun: Memories Off 2.900
PSP - Tomb Raider: Anniversary 2.700
PSP - Moeru Mahjong: Moejong! 2.700
PSP - Future GPX Cyber Formula VS 2.600
PSP - Infinite Loop: Kojjou ga Miseta Yume 2.600
PSP - Hayarigami 2 Portable: Keishichou Kaijiken File 2.100
PSP - Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica 0-4 Hanashi Full Pack 2.000
PSP - Solfege: Sweet Harmony 2.000
PSP - Ikuze! Gen-San: Yuuyake Daiku Monogatari 1.900
PSP - Daisenryaku: Dai Toua Kouboushi - Tora Tora Tora Ware Kishuu Ni Seikou Seri 1.900
PSP - Soldier Collection (PC Engine Best Collection) 1.900
PSP - Puyo-Puyo! (Special Price) 1.800
PSP - Mystereet Portable: the Challenge of Yasogami Kaoru 1.700
PSP - Daisenryaku VII: Exceed 1.700
PSP - SD Gundam G Generation Portable (PSP the Best) 1.600
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (BEST) 1.500
PSP - Crimson Room Rebirth 1.400
PSP - Rockman Rockman (Best Price!) 1.300
PSP - Sunsoft Collection 1.100
PSP - Tengai Makyou: Dai Yon no Mokushiroku (Hudson the Best) 760
PSP - HimeHibi: Princess Days Portable 660
PSP - Rei shiki Kanjo sentoki 2 600
PSP - Princess Maker PSP Pack 540
PSP - SSX on Tour Portable (EA Best Hits) 520

[Renaissance 2K]

You have to wonder if Sony would have done the same thing with the PS3 if Bluray failed. They seem to need some sort of media muscle behind every console they release. UMD is the first one (in the video game world, at least) that didn't catch on, and look what happened...

I still love my PSP, but most of my game collection for it is fairly lightweight titles, and I won't deny that I've used it more as a movie player than a game machine (and if I ever get off my butt and rip my music collection to my PS3, Remote Play sounds fantastic). Still, it had a huge amount of potential that seems to have been forgotten now.

[ninja dog]

You have to wonder if Sony would have done the same thing with the PS3 if Bluray failed. They seem to need some sort of media muscle behind every console they release. UMD is the first one (in the video game world, at least) that didn't catch on, and look what happened...

I still love my PSP, but most of my game collection for it is fairly lightweight titles, and I won't deny that I've used it more as a movie player than a game machine (and if I ever get off my butt and rip my music collection to my PS3, Remote Play sounds fantastic). Still, it had a huge amount of potential that seems to have been forgotten now.

They keep trying to recreate the DVD + PS2 combo....which was a unique situation (the world was ready to move on from VHS.)

[Thomas96]

I don't like playing PS2 games on my PSP, when the PSP is set up like a SNES controller (w/ one analog extra) It makes good games have bad controls. I wanted to enjoy the Konami FPS - Coded Arms, but I couldn't get into it, because of the controls. I'd like to see a new PSP come out, with a better design.

[Malik112099]

WTF?


The PSP is a far more capable hardware platform than the DS. It's a phone, a portable music player, a pocket-sized movie device, a mobile web browser, and when paired with a Playstation 3, a remarkably capable remote control for the system, capable of streaming music and movies from a PS3 over the Internet to wherever you happen to be.

[dcfox]

WTF?
It has skype.

[Blackout]

I think they're talking about that skype feature.

[Brak]

any data to back up that they're happy or are you projecting your own happiness about this fact?
The Mana Knight isn't happy. :lol:

[Rei no Otaku]

*shrugs* I play my PSP more than my DS, and I don't pirate.

[mykevermin]

You're comparing a game that 'bombed' to games that have sold poorly relative to the PSP's user base, but are still amongst the top-selling PSP titles out there. THAT is my point.

[anubis20]

The last US game i bought was crisis core, i have bought about 6 japanese games since

[mitch079]

Eh if it goes belly up, maybe I'll pick one up on clearance and get Crisis Core and a couple of other games.

[YoshiFan1]

I don't play PSP much anymore. DS has more games that interest me but I still think the hardware itself is great.

I think the system needs a new GTA game, I was hoping for San Andreas Stories or even a new original title. I know when I was playing Liberty and Vice City Stories I didn't really play any other portable games at that time because I was so focused on those 2 games.

[vic_x51]

i love the psp, i use every feature. I'd pick it over a ds, iphone, or ipod any day. I feel that it won't die, if at worse sony would release a psp2. The psp is still the best handheld to ever compete against nitendo. enough said.

[Chacrana]

I haven't seen any numbers sufficient to convince me that the PSP or its games are selling well enough to finance the cost of producing those PSP systems and games. I also haven't seen charts or bar graphs. I have no reason to believe that Sony will survive past 2010, given their current projections. If that stuff does exist, I sure haven't seen it.

[mykevermin]

Bigger gimmick: Chacrana or Mana Knight? Discuss.

[jer7583]

iPod touch/phone-

Eating the psp's market day by day.

If it wasn't for custom firmware, I wouldn't have one.

[Sarang01]

I love my PSP frankly and don't want a bunch of games that use the touch screen as a gimmick.

Until the iPhone or whatever gets Nihon Falcom on board and anthologies as well by companies like Capcom and Konami I don't fucking care. Until then I'll pick up Twinbee Portable, Salamander Portable and Parodius Portable. Also I need to bag both Capcom Anthologies. I own like 8 PSP games, probably a good deal are imports however.
There have been some good games released here but there have been some GREAT games released overseas, even if some are reissues.
edit: I appreciate the article. It reminds me my PSP needs some love in the game buying. Don't you baby? hugs his PSP. I also don't consider the PSP a movie watching machine. Frankly the screen isn't big enough. About the ONLY thing that would be good enough for me in that respect would be the biggest size of the Dish Pocket or a widescreen Tablet. Past that I want those 3D glasses that use to sell for like $600 and replicated the 100' screen from 6' away or whatever.

[Tsukento]

Square Enix is just getting started with awesome PSP support (and IMO, their best support is on PSP unless you are big into DQ series).
DS has a crazy high userbase and DQIV bombed badly in the states. What's your point here?
PSP
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Dissidia: Final Fantasy (Japan Only for now)
Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable (Japan Only)
Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Final Fantasy XIII Agito (No release date)
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (Japan Only; No US release date)
Star Ocean: First Departure
Star Ocean: Second Evolution (Coming to US soon)
The 3rd Birthday (No release date)
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth

Let's take a look at this list. Seven Final Fantasy titles. One new prequel, one new title, one never released outside of Japan, one game following another game's story, and three remakes. Two of those remakes have been released on several consoles and handhelds.

Now let's look at the others. Kingdom Hearts is a prequel that isn't even close to being out yet and has hardly any info out regarding it. Both Star Oceans are remakes, with one not available outside of Japan just yet. The 3rd Birthday is a spin-off to Parasite Eve and absolutely NOTHING is known about it aside from the fact that it's being made. Valkyrie Profile is basically a port of the Japanese PlayStation game, with none of the enhancements the US version had.

So all together, that's...

- 6 Final Fantasy
- 2 Star Ocean
- 1 Dragon Quest
- 1 Kingdom Hearts
- 1 Parasite Eve
- 1 Valkyrie Profile games.

Now we look at the DS.

Children of Mana
Chrono Trigger
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Starry Sky (Not out any time soon)
Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (Coming to US soon)
Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Reverie (Coming soon)
Egg Monster Hero (Japan Only)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon DS (Japan Only)
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales
Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales 2: The Witch, the Girl, and the Five Heroes (Japan Only)
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
Front Mission
Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness (Japan Only)
Heroes of Mana
Itadaki Street DS (Japan Only)
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Nanashi no Game
Sigma Harmonics (Japan Only)
Soul Eater: Plot of Medusa (Japan Only)
The World Ends With You
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
Yosumin DS

Alright, now let's look at this.

- 9 Final Fantasy titles (Mario Hoops 3-on-3 crosses with Final Fantasy)
- 7 Dragon Quest games (Itadaki Street DS is DQ crossed together with Nintendo)
- 2 Front Mission games
- 2 Mana games
- 2 Mario games
- 1 Hanjuku Hero game (Egg Monster Hero is a spin-off)
- 1 Chrono game
- 1 Kingdom Hearts game
- 1 Itadaki Street game (part of a Japan-only series)
- 1 Valkyrie Profile game
- 1 Soul Eater game (part of a licensed series)

Leaving 3 titles of completely original content from SE. Now let's get rid of the Japan-only games since what happens in Japan doesn't mean shit for America and games that aren't out yet. Let's focus on what's out RIGHT NOW.

- 7 Final Fantasy titles
- 3 Dragon Quest games
- 2 Mana games
- 1 Chrono game
- 1 Front Mission game
- 1 Mario game
- 1 original title (TWEWY)

Now let's compare this with the PSP. Same rules applied.

- 4 Final Fantasy games
- 1 Star Ocean game
- 1 Valkyrie Profile game

Let's go one step further. Let's not count any ports or remakes.

DS
-5 Final Fantasy games
-2 Dragon Quest games
-2 Mana games
-1 Mario game
-1 original game

PSP
-1 Final Fantasy game

So let's see your quote again.

Square Enix is just getting started with awesome PSP support (and IMO, their best support is on PSP unless you are big into DQ series).
There are a total of 7 FF titles released in the US on the DS. 5 of them are brand new and exclusive to the handheld. PSP has only seen 1 new one in the US. 2 Dragon Quest games were made exclusively for the DS and were released here.

If you're going to count Japan in along with the games to be released, that's 9 Final Fantasy titles on the DS and 7 on the PSP. Dragon Quest falls two short of the amount FF has on the DS.

So now we have PSP with 6 franchises from Square Enix and 9 for the DS (not counting Mario Hoops and Soul Eater since they aren't officially owned by SE).

9 is a bigger number than 6, last I checked. And if you wanna consider "best support" going into making remakes and ports, then the DS still outdoes the PSP in that area.

You're basing all of your hope on how well things go over in Japan and on games that aren't even out yet, let alone have any info about them available.

The PSP has come under heavy fire several times with retailers ever since it first came, ranging from threats to pull UMD movies and all PSP related material if Sony didn't get their act together because retailers had heavy amounts of inventory piling up in their stores. The PSP has been having difficulty getting ANY games to reach the top 10 sales of each month in the US. Hell, the last big game I can remember getting advertised heavily for the PSP was God of War.

We don't care if the PSP and its games sell well in Japan. If you live in Japan, fine. But if you live in America, Japanese sales don't mean a damned thing. Yeah, Monster Hunter's a big hit over in Japan. Whoop-dee-do. It doesn't sell for shit here.

Main point: Quit spinning everything to make it seem like there's nothing wrong. PSP may be doing fine in Japan, but it's doing very poorly everywhere else. Hardware sells, software doesn't. Developers have backed out on the PSP. Most people have relied on the PSP to be the multimedia device, as opposed to be the gaming device exclusive for PSP games.

[Sarang01]

Ok now let's be fair. The remakes of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy 2 probably looked the best they've ever looked, at least by the screenshots I've seen. I still need to pick them up.
Oh btw Left For Dead?! Are you fucking kidding me? What a disappointment. Finding it had no fucking plot was a huge disappointment for me. I thought it was suppose to be from Romero and everything with an actual plot.
Chac for crying out loud drop that terrible fucking avatar. That movie was CGI vomit. Way too much, just overkill. I'm surprised you didn't stab your eyes out watching it.

[jer7583]

just stop it already!

Nobody should spend that much time arguing with mana knight! Just call him insane and be done with it!

[captainfrizo]

Something tells me that Tsukento may not be aware that TMK could possibly be the biggest Sony-fanboy ever and any attempt to point out any possible problem with their gaming platforms will be met with spin, spin, and more spin to "prove" his opinion.

[Tsukento]

Oh btw Left For Dead?! Are you fucking kidding me? What a disappointment. Finding it had no fucking plot was a huge disappointment for me. I thought it was suppose to be from Romero and everything with an actual plot.
It's only a disappointment because you expected it to be something it wasn't.

The reason people love it? You get to play as zombies and kill the uninfected humans. Just about every other game involving zombies has you playing as just the humans.

Something tells me that Tsukento may not be aware that TMK could possibly be the biggest Sony-fanboy ever and any attempt to point out any possible problem with their gaming platforms will be met with spin, spin, and more spin to "prove" his opinion.
Oh I know. In fact, he had me blocked at one point because I called him out a few times for his blatant hard-on for Sony.

[Vinny]

Am I the only one who's getting the feeling that ripping on Sony is becoming the cool thing to do? Just like the N64 two gens ago and GameCube last gen.

[Rusty Ghia]

The author of the article actually complained that, compared to the iPhone, the PSP had too many buttons!

Again, he complained that it had too many buttons. I cannot fathom this. The fucking iPhone doesn't have any buttons whatsoever and he believes this a virtue?!

[jer7583]

People don't rip on Sony because it's cool, they rip on them because they have made stupid decision after stupid decision for about 4 years on now and people are disappointed.

[Sarang01]

It's only a disappointment because you expected it to be something it wasn't.

The reason people love it? You get to play as zombies and kill the uninfected humans. Just about every other game involving zombies has you playing as just the humans.


Oh I know. In fact, he had me blocked at one point because I called him out a few times for his blatant hard-on for Sony.

I remember hearing it was from Romero and everyone was psyched. After that it was dead or looking for a publisher. I figured that it being from Romero it would have a great or even a decent plot, not just gameplay, gameplay and gameplay. If a movie director, especially a renowned one, is part of a game I expect a solid plot if not a good one as well.
Vinny bring back the kitty! That was SOOOOOOOOOOOO you! :D It was fucking awesome. I'm starting to forget what it looked like. :(

[captainfrizo]

Oh I know. In fact, he had me blocked at one point because I called him out a few times for his blatant hard-on for Sony.

Damn. That's rather pathetic.

[Tsukento]

If a movie director, especially a renowned one, is part of a game I expect a solid plot if not a good one as well.
Would that include Boom Blox?

[MarkMan]

I rip on Sony because I want them to succeed.

^_^

lol, someones post got flipped/owned!

[Sarang01]

I rip on Sony because I want them to succeed.

^_^

lol, someones post got flipped/owned!

You're right I forgot to add the constructive in the Constructive Criticism as much as I could've. Sony can still blitz the 360 around the RROD and scratched discs, right around price drop time in March. Selling devs. on Lossless and explaining how they can save development time on it by implementing PCM on the PS3 game from the get go. Apparently having Lossless is less of a strain on system resources then including it compressed. I guess it taxes RAM when decompressing on the fly.
Also just to make more money they need to get "Afrika" in schools. This is a quick way to make more money.

Markman, you and me one day, Saber vs. whomever you pick on "Fate: Stay/Night".

edit: Tsu that's an exception. It's a puzzler. In most other genres most of the time a lack of plot is not acceptable but puzzlers can have compelling enough gameplay that it doesn't need one. Puzzlers always are infinitely different each game so always stay compelling if you manage to make a good one. I mean Tetris wasn't number one on the games list a while back for no reason. In fact I'd argue it should still be there.

[jer7583]

I rip on Sony because I want them to succeed.

^_^

lol, someones post got flipped/owned!

Right?

I remember being so hyped that first christmas I got a Playstation and FFVII, and the many hours I spent on MGS, Tekken, Ridge Racer, and many other games.

And waiting in lines launch day to get a Playstation 2 and just thinking it was the most awesome thing ever seeing Tekken Tag and SSX on it.

I wish that hype was there for their third system, because having good systems is always a good thing. Unfortunately that launch came and went without me caring. And even when I did get one, I sold it a few months later because I wasn't playing anything on it.

[coolsteel]

Last psp game I bought was Crisis Core, I looked at the upcoming release list back then and I don't even remember seeing anything at the time that wasn't a port of something. I'm still amazed none of the Gundam games (of which there are 7or 8 and counting) have made it over here nor have the Bleach fighting games. Would be really easy money for all involved.

[kube00]

Lets rip on the Gamecube and the N64 some more, I had a thread someplace about the n64 vs the psx.

Never owned a psp and I dont' want to, just like I never wanted a DS, no use for it.

[Thomas96]

If Sony is making a profit on PSP sales, then its not going anywhere. I wouldn't release another PSP before another DS is made. Let Nintendo lead the way, look and see where they're going and then follow suit later on.

[QiG]

Regardless of your console preference, Sony is much bigger than the PSP/PS3/PS2 and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. kthxbye

[mykevermin]

No way. Kotaku reported that Sony lost a trillion dollars because jer7583 hates the PS3 so much, and they're filing for bankruptcy this morning. Even the government hates the PS3 and won't give them a bailout. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) said "PS2 BC or no money!"

[Spoon_si]

I still love my PSP, launch model too..

but yes, it doesn't get play anymore.. 6-months & counting

only own 2 games.. lumines & Crisis Core, will pick up star ocean when it drops in price.

[naes]

Oh btw Left For Dead?! Are you fucking kidding me? What a disappointment. Finding it had no fucking plot was a huge disappointment for me.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2118/bushdoingitwrongfc4.jpg

[pete5883]

Valkyrie Profile is basically a port of the Japanese PlayStation game, with none of the enhancements the US version had.


What are these changes? This is the first I'm hearing of them.

[Ather]

I guess the author missed one very big point: People aren't into what the PSP offers. They like what the DS offers. And Wii is so popular over Ps3 because it's cheap, not pricey. Sony bet everything on two things: Blu Ray, and a ten year system. There was no guarantee for either. Blue Ray one, but there's no guarantee of how long the PS3 will last, especially when the folks at Sony were planning the PS4 when 3 came out. And the PSP seemed doomed from the start. Nobody wants to watch movie son such tiny screens. Wide screen HD TV's are all the rage. It's why Nintendo's GBA Video series never caught on. Nobody really wants to watch stuff on a tiny screen.

[Renaissance 2K]

I remember people praising the screen when the PSP was released. It was enormous compared to what other handhelds offered, and the unit itself was much more manageable than a portable DVD player or a laptop.

The issue with movies was (a) people didn't want to pay full price for a lower-quality DVD that could only be played in PSPs, and (b) Sony didn't make it very easy for Joe Q. Gamer to rip their own movies to PSP. Understandably so, since the thought of ripping movies makes film distributors pull a David Banner. They'd much rather squeeze another $20 out of you to buy the film in a new format.

I think the widescreen TVs comment is a little out of place. When I first bought my PSP, nobody I knew had a widescreen TV. And you can't bring a widescreen TV with you on a plane.

Also, Game Boy Video didn't catch on because the content and the visual quality sucked. Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats, and Sonic the Hedgehog? That's some Triple-A entertainment right there.

If anything at launch doomed the PSP, it was the price and the lack of a second analog stick. Everything else, they did a pretty damn good job of handling. Once Sony became aware of how widespread piracy was, they simply focused on the addition of other non-gaming features (in a pitiful attempt to draw people away from custom firmware) like Skype and Google integration. It left us gamers in the dust, though.

[Snake2715]

The PSP is too many things my portable music device will do the music and movies better and has a 30gb hd to go with it. no first party memory sticks to buy at stupid price points.

It should have stayed a strict game system. I just dumped mine on ebay a few days before xmas... still waiting to get paid. I hope she doesnt read the news...

[ninja dog]

Would that include Boom Blox?

:lol: you mean you didn't cry at the ending? "Look at this purple block....that could have been 3 more. This yellow block...6 more. My Wii....10 more."

[Malik112099]

Until the iPhone or whatever gets Nihon Falcom on board and anthologies as well by companies like Capcom and Konami I don't fucking care.

Konami already said Metal Gear is coming to the iPhone.

http://kotaku.com/5112011/konami-confirms-iphone-metal-gear




If Sony is making a profit on PSP sales, then its not going anywhere. I wouldn't release another PSP before another DS is made. Let Nintendo lead the way, look and see where they're going and then follow suit later on.

Nintendo DSi

[hiccupleftovers]

People don't rip on Sony because it's cool, they rip on them because they have made stupid decision after stupid decision for about 4 years on now and people are disappointed.

Yup, this. Anyone remember the best thing Sony's done this generation, that crab thing?:lol::applause:

[torifile]

I have a PSP and I own exactly zero games for it. I don't play it at all. The only reason I still have it is because I've got a nice hard plastic case for it, rip DVDs to a memory stick and I can lock all the buttons for my son to watch on the road. More durable and convenient than a portable DVD player. I may at some point, pick up a cheap used game or 2 but right now? Nah. I'm set with my 360 and DS.

[Malik112099]

Yup, this. Anyone remember the best thing Sony's done this generation, that crab thing?:lol::applause:


Hit the weak point for massive damage!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJElsNaC6yQ

[Malik112099]

I like my PSP...I got the God of War version and enjoyed Chains of Olympus.

I currently own:

Wipeout Pure
GTA: LCS
GTA: VCS
Hot Shots Golf 2
Ratchet & Clank
Daxter


yeah....it is lacking a little bit in the game department (ok, a lot) but I still get plenty of enjoyment out of it...especially when traveling.

If only I could get fucking remote play to work properly though

[ninja dog]

Yup, this. Anyone remember the best thing Sony's done this generation, that crab thing?:lol::applause:


E3 2006 really was the high point of the gen.

*car goes around track for the 100th time*

*car honks, people jump back*

[Droenixjpn]

I love how in the article they decide to try and bash on the DS.

I can see why they don't have many software sales, it's because people can easily pirate them with homebrew that is pretty simple to do.

[dmaul1114]

The only objective problem I have with the PSP is that neither the d-pad or analog nub are very good.

Subjectively, I've just not had interest in buying one as I don't have much need for portables, especially one that plays PS2 style games. I mainly play portables at home, and I'd rather play those type of games on a console on the 50" TV. I'll sometimes play my DS just because I can play some 2D games and what not that are pretty much non-existent on the consoles. But I see the appeal of basically having a portable PS2 for people who do need the portability and play it outside the house often--or have roommates/wives/girlfriends etc. who hog the TV with the consoles.

[manthing]

The only objective problem I have with the DS is that neither the d-pad or analog nub are very good.



The DS has an analog nub? Since when?

:-s


Also, I think the DS d-pad>>>>>>PSP d-pad

[dmaul1114]

Brain fart, was talking about the PSP and how the analog nub and the d-pad both suck. Edited my post.

[manthing]

I know, just bringing some levity to this thread.

And FYI: Ever since I got an iPhone, BOTH my ds and psp have sat basically unused.


The iPhone/Touch are the real threat to the DS/PSP

[ninja dog]

In terms of quality, the few games I tried were novel, but I don't think all-touch controls will ever feel right on a screen that small.

In terms of ubiquity, price, ease of purchase, amount of games, I'm pretty sure the touch/iphone will soundly beat the next Nintendo and Sony handhelds.

[xycury]

I know, just bringing some levity to this thread.

And FYI: Ever since I got an iPhone, BOTH my ds and psp have sat basically unused.


The iPhone/Touch are the real threat to the DS/PSP

you mean the games that go with it? or the fact that what you have is a bit more than what either the DS or the PSP was meant to be?

In terms of quality, the few games I tried were novel, but I don't think all-touch controls will ever feel right on a screen that small.

In terms of ubiquity, price, ease of purchase, amount of games, I'm pretty sure the touch/iphone will soundly beat the next Nintendo and Sony handhelds.

Quality over quantity?

sure there are some.. some games that big names will make... Enix and Konami... but I really don't think that Elf bowling will trump the DS/PSP game for game.

[dmaul1114]

In terms of ubiquity, price, ease of purchase, amount of games, I'm pretty sure the touch/iphone will soundly beat the next Nintendo and Sony handhelds.

Yeah, plus developers will love the digital distribution on the iTouch/iPhone since they can get straight profit. No making a physcial copy and shipping it. No losing sales to used games. Less piracy etc.

But of course I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Sony and/or Nintendo to make their next portable download only as well.

[pochaccoheaven]

In terms of quality, the few games I tried were novel, but I don't think all-touch controls will ever feel right on a screen that small.

In terms of ubiquity, price, ease of purchase, amount of games, I'm pretty sure the touch/iphone will soundly beat the next Nintendo and Sony handhelds.

no. ipod touch is a pda and iphone is well a phone. the ipod touch is a pda and people will use it as a pda and it will defeat nintendo and sony in terms of specs but not in terms of games. no one uses a phone and use it as a dedicated handheld game machine. if all these things are to make you think they will beat the ds, then how come the pda from the past didn't beat the gba.

the ds is a handheld game machine and is meant to be used as a game machine and people buy it to play games. people don't buy an iphone or ipod touch to play handheld games, they buy them to use what they were meant to be.

"...Where's the touchscreen? What are all these buttons for? What on earth is the point of this useless analog nub of a joystick?..." if you apply this quote to wii's motion controls and the 360/ps3 old way of playing games, it sounds funny. this is an indication of what is coming in the future.

[KingBroly]

I don't play my PSP much, but it's a pretty poor written article with many factual inaccuracies.

GTA being previously exclusively on handhelds to PSP? What? GTA's were released on the GBA.

[dmaul1114]

no one uses a phone and use it as a dedicated handheld game machine.

No serious gamer is going to.

But someone who would have bought a DS to play something like Brain Age may not if they can play something similar on their phone or iPod. Or someone that just wants to play Tetris every once in a while in a waiting room would probably be fine with just downloading the game etc.

I don't see them being serious gaming platforms and killing Nintendos handhelds etc. But they can take sells away by keeping non-gamers, casual gamers etc. from buying portable gaming machines.

[mykevermin]

Here's the strange thing: I want an iPhone, but I could give two shits about gaming on it.

But I've used Apple computers for over two decades, so perhaps I'm just accustomed to not gaming on Apple machines. ;)

[chwisch87]

IDK, i really do like my PSP and wish it had more third party support. I have both a DS and a PSP and outside of games like Zelda and a few others, the DS just feels dated to me. With the PSP at least the graphics are something to be said of ... recent? I usually take my DS and PSP on vacation with me and my PSP is really usually all that gets played. The only major third party I see supporting the PSP is Square and I have been loving crisis core for the PSP.

Lets face the facts, Sony has made an excellent showing in a market that has always been dominated by nintendo. When people think about handhelds, they jump to nintendo right a way. Nintendo also has established IP's like pokemon that you can only play on a DS (pretty much).

Sony needs to get new IP's on the PSP, not just PS3/PS2 franchise hand me downs. That would probably go a long way in helping PSP sales. Sony needs a game that people know well and associate with the PSP, much like pokemon is associated with nintendo handhelds.

Sony also needs to enter some third party partnerships and publish games for the PSP with third parties developing them.

Of course what is really going on here is that Sony is using its publishing houses to only develop for the PS3. Sony feels as though the PS3 needs as many exclusives as it can get right now so development attention is being shifted a way from the PSP.

[dallow]

:lol: you mean you didn't cry at the ending? "Look at this purple block....that could have been 3 more. This yellow block...6 more. My Wii....10 more."I laughed. :)

I know, just bringing some levity to this thread.
And FYI: Ever since I got an iPhone, BOTH my ds and psp have sat basically unused.

The iPhone/Touch are the real threat to the DS/PSPReally? But those games really suck and it crashes often unless I wait 2-3 minutes for a restart.
And I'm sure I've played the best of the best.

We'll see though when more big hitters actually start to hit the system. I still think it's too weak/slow to handle what PSP and DS can do.

[randomthinker]

Gloom and doom reporting is popular -- this article is just overhyping a bad month. The DS has always sold more. It appeals to a wider audience than the PSP. The PSP has some amazing games and some great capabilities. Has it all been taken advantage of to its fullest extent? No. But I'm going to go play some God of War PSP. :P

[nectarsis1]

I personally LOVE both my psp, AND DS. One thing that bugs me is all the "psp is a port machine" talk. The DS does have a LOT more games, but a LOT of ports also (plus a TON of crap to weed thru).

Both systems have fun games ( I have more than 30+ psp games, and prob the same amount for the DS).

I go where GAMES i like are. Fanboy system choices, and bashing the "competition" is just not for me.

[manthing]

Really? But those games really suck and it crashes often unless I wait 2-3 minutes for a restart.
And I'm sure I've played the best of the best.

We'll see though when more big hitters actually start to hit the system. I still think it's too weak/slow to handle what PSP and DS can do.


Break it from jail and you'll see.

[dallow]

Break it from jail and you'll see.
I did, what are you playing?

Shitty Doom port?

I mean, the SCUMM games are great, but well, there are only so many.

[chwisch87]

Gloom and doom reporting is popular -- this article is just overhyping a bad month. The DS has always sold more. It appeals to a wider audience than the PSP. The PSP has some amazing games and some great capabilities. Has it all been taken advantage of to its fullest extent? No. But I'm going to go play some God of War PSP. :P

There were also no major PSP releases for the fall ... something Sony seriously overlooked.

[Tsukento]

What are these changes? This is the first I'm hearing of them.
From Wikipedia:

Several improvements were made to the English release of Valkyrie Profile, including more cinematics and the ability to adjust all characters' armor instead of just the active party as well as being informed when changing Lenneth's weapon from sword to bow. Some editing occurred during translation, but visible blood, drinking, and sexual comments remain. Badrach's smoking was cut out but the animation of him smoking after a successful battle remains, minus the cigarette. Lezard Valeth's teleportation circle was changed from a pink pentagram to a purple circle though this was left unchanged in the Playstation Portable version. The names of Frei, the elder sister, and Freya, the younger, were reversed from Norse mythology and from the Japanese version (though in the former, Frei is the elder brother).

The iPhone/Touch are the real threat to the DS/PSP
Unless you have the money to afford either or are a spoiled brat, there's absolutely no way either of those will actually become a threat to the DS.

Nintendo handhelds always manage to stay at the top for a reason: They're cheap and easy to use.

Expecting the iPhone or iTouch to become a top contender in the handheld department is like expecting the Mac to become a competent gaming platform.

[epobirs]

I remember hearing it was from Romero and everyone was psyched. After that it was dead or looking for a publisher. I figured that it being from Romero it would have a great or even a decent plot, not just gameplay, gameplay and gameplay. If a movie director, especially a renowned one, is part of a game I expect a solid plot if not a good one as well.
Vinny bring back the kitty! That was SOOOOOOOOOOOO you! :D It was fucking awesome. I'm starting to forget what it looked like. :(

Lets be clear here. You associate George Romero with plot?

Your cause for disappointment is obvious.

[epobirs]

I remember people praising the screen when the PSP was released. It was enormous compared to what other handhelds offered, and the unit itself was much more manageable than a portable DVD player or a laptop.

The issue with movies was (a) people didn't want to pay full price for a lower-quality DVD that could only be played in PSPs, and (b) Sony didn't make it very easy for Joe Q. Gamer to rip their own movies to PSP. Understandably so, since the thought of ripping movies makes film distributors pull a David Banner. They'd much rather squeeze another $20 out of you to buy the film in a new format.

I think the widescreen TVs comment is a little out of place. When I first bought my PSP, nobody I knew had a widescreen TV. And you can't bring a widescreen TV with you on a plane.

Also, Game Boy Video didn't catch on because the content and the visual quality sucked. Spongebob Squarepants, Rugrats, and Sonic the Hedgehog? That's some Triple-A entertainment right there.

If anything at launch doomed the PSP, it was the price and the lack of a second analog stick. Everything else, they did a pretty damn good job of handling. Once Sony became aware of how widespread piracy was, they simply focused on the addition of other non-gaming features (in a pitiful attempt to draw people away from custom firmware) like Skype and Google integration. It left us gamers in the dust, though.


Correction: Sony made it very easy for people to rip their own content to the PSP. (DVD copy protection was not something that could be blamed on Sony in this context.) Where they screwed up was in not allowing use of the full screen resolution. Not being able to get the full use of the hardware you paid for was not a big enticement.

Content was not the issue in the GBA Video product. The target audience was small children and the content they prefer on TV. Those titles were exactly the right choices for the demographic in question.

The real problem was that mask ROM simply was not cheap enough to be competitive with other venues for the same content. At the same time those GBA Video products were being produced, millions of new minivans and family oriented SUVs were being sold with built-in DVD playback systems. Millions more portable DVD players and automotive DVD kits were also sold. This meant consumers could use the same discs (or copies) the kids used at home instead of repurchasing the same content on cartridge.

By the time mask ROM pricing and density had improved enough to allow the product to be sold for a competitive price, the platform was no longer the mainstream choice of the target audience. The DS upped the quality requirements to the extent that the amount of ROM required put the cost barrier back in place.

Mask ROM simply isn't a good medium for non-exclusive content.

So the failure of the GBA Video product was actually down to the same primary complaint as UMD movies on the PSP: People didn't want to pay twice for content they'd already purchased on DVD. UMD might have had a chance if the price had been reasonable, say, $9.99 for a feature film and higher for collected content like a Family Guy season. This could have been doable if Sony had focused on older titles with strong popularity that were already in profits. UMD profits, however slim, would be gravy at that point. Pushing for day and date releases alongside the DVD versions of recent theatrical releases was not viable due to the much higher profit margins demanded by the studios.

[Tsukento]

There is another problem with UMD. The Universal part is incredibly false. There's nothing universal about it when it can only be played on with a PSP. The full price of something that was a stripped down DVD that could only play on a PSP was what ultimately harmed the format.

[epobirs]

LocoRoco 2 - 5,100 units sold in Japan opening week (Famitsu)
Prinny - 18,000 opening week.

Known Lifetime PSP Software Sales Japan (famitsu) [258 games]

PSP - Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G 2.447.173
PSP - Monster Hunter Freedom 2 1.713.405
PSP - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII 797.029
PSP - Monster Hunter Freedom 668.964
PSP - Phantasy Star Portable 628.371
PSP - Dissidia: Final Fantasy 504.000
PSP - Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 399.257
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops 358.277
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam 331.000
PSP - Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions 301.796
PSP - Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju Kanshuu Nou Chikara Trainer Portable 297.816
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable (PSP the Best) 290.904
PSP - Dynasty Warriors 286.274
PSP - SD Gundam G Generation Portable 278.702
PSP - Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 3 275.268
PSP - Ridge Racers 273.521
PSP - Minna no Golf Portable (PSP The Best) 270.907
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus 264.041
PSP - Minna no Golf Portable 2 256.926
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 244.462
PSP - Gundam Battle Universe 242.742
PSP - Gundam Battle Chronicle 227.259
PSP - Tales of The World: Radiant Mythology 214.128
PSP - Star Ocean 1: First Departure 204.996
PSP - Tales of Eternia 193.541
PSP - Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 189.940
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren no Yabou - Axis no Kyoui 171.787
PSP - Talkman 169.633
PSP - Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth 168.515
PSP - LocoRoco 154.816
PSP - Super Robot Wars A Portable 152.756
PSP - Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 150.431
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed : Rengou Vs. Z.A.F.T. Portable 145.549
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) 145.000
PSP - Macross Ace Frontier 144.929
PSP - Monster Hunter Portable (PSP the Best)(reprint) 142.417
PSP - Tales of Destiny 2 142.301
PSP - Star Ocean: Second Evolution 141.218
PSP - Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 140.863
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida 137.102
PSP - Warriors Orochi 136.346
PSP - Mahjong Kakutou Club 134.572
PSP - Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 130.919
PSP - Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters 127.724
PSP - Ape Escape Academy 127.679
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories 126.517
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida Or 2 125.862
PSP - Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition 124.839
PSP - Derby Stallion P 123.227
PSP - Metal Gear Acid 118.553
PSP - Jikkyou Power Pro Yakyuu Portable 2 118.126
PSP - Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception 116.176
PSP - Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten 115.349
PSP - Gundam Battle Royale 114.861
PSP - Tekken: Dark Resurrection 114.734
PSP - Ape Escape: On the Loose 113.443
PSP - Tales of Phantasia: Full Voice Edition 112.367
PSP - Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable 110.823
PSP - Samurai Warriors: State of War 109.324
PSP - Maplus: Portable Navi 108.848
PSP - Kashiramoji D: Street Stage 104.503
PSP - The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch 103.834
PSP - Go! Sudoku 103.590
PSP - Doko Demo Issho 103.205
PSP - Musou Orichi 103.000
PSP - Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road 97.739
PSP - Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable: Mushi Mushi Hakase to Teppen-yama no Himitsu!! 96.651
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX: Tag Force 3 90.000
PSP - Nouryoku Trainer Portable 2 89.430
PSP - Super Robot Taisen MX Portable 87.342
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 86.613
PSP - Kenka Banchou 3: Zenkoku Seiha 84.000
PSP - Jeanne D'Arc 83.847
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 4 83.044
PSP - Me and My Katamari 82.406
PSP - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku 81.815
PSP - Warriors Orochi 2 81.000
PSP - PoPoLoCrois 79.756
PSP - Namco Museum 79.572
PSP - Sony Computer Science Kenkyuusho Kenmogi Kenichirou Hakase Kanshuu - Nou ni Kaikan: Aha Taiken! 79.557
PSP - Final Fantasy II 78.057
PSP - Echochrome 77.743
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 5 77.466
PSP - Valhalla Knights 2 76.547
PSP - Puyo Pop Fever 76.507
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 3 76.340
PSP - Tales of Rebirth 75.301
PSP - Gundam Battle Tactics 73.275
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 2 72.662
PSP - Tenchu: Time of the Assassins 70.942
PSP - Derby Time 70.668
PSP - Bleach: Heat the Soul 2 69.733
PSP - Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch - Lost Colors 69.496
PSP - Ridge Racers 2 69.295
PSP - Fate/Tiger Colosseum 68.677
PSP - Valhalla Knights 67.966
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki the 3rd 67.344
PSP - Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Ossu! Banchou Portable 67.041
PSP - Saru Get You: SaruSaru Daisakusen 64.023
PSP - Saru Get You: Pipo Saru Racer 63.563
PSP - Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono 61.803
PSP - Taiko no Tatsujin Portable 59.925
PSP - Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 59.070
PSP - Taiko no Tatsujin Portable 2 58.782
PSP - Mahjong Kakutou Club (PSP The Best) 56.940
PSP - Jissen Pachislot Hisshouhou Hokuto no Ken Portable 56.550
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki SC 56.515
PSP - Tales of Eternia (PSP The Best) 55.632
PSP - Dynasty Warriors Vol. 2 53.268
PSP - Kidou Senshi Gundam: Giren no Yabou- Zeon no Keifu 52.887
PSP - Wild Arms: Crossfire 52.090
PSP - Metal Gear Acid 2 50.943
PSP - Jissen Pachislot Hisshouhou! Hokuto no Ken SE Portable 50.445
PSP - WTF 50.417
PSP - Street Supremacy 49.907
PSP - Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten (PSP the Best) 49.083
PSP - Ape Academy 2 49.072
PSP - Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force 47.761
PSP - Dokodemo Issho: Let’s Gakkou! 46.011
PSP - Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins 45.810
PSP - Armored Core: Formula Front 45.561
PSP - Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory 45.305
PSP - Shinseiki Evangelion 2: Tsukurareshi Sekai - Another Cases 44.922
PSP - Ridge Racers (PSP the Best) 44.546
PSP - Dragoneer's Aria 44.407
PSP - Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! Battle Arena 43.968
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories 42.071
PSP - Coded Arms 41.504
PSP - Silent Hill: Origins 41.358
PSP - Fate/Tiger Colosseum Upper 40.864
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 9: Ubiquitous Evolution (PSP The Best) 39.679
PSP - Harvest Moon: Boy & Girl 39.574
PSP - Minna no Chizu 39.447
PSP - Samurai Dou Portable 39.243
PSP - Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower 38.576
PSP - Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops. + Deluxe Pack 38.429
PSP - Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness 38.080
PSP - Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable (PSP the Best) 38.016
PSP - Lumines 37.349
PSP - Castlevania Dracula X 36.011
PSP - Patapon 2: Don-Chaka 35.000
PSP - Metal Slug Anthology 34.799
PSP - Derby Time 2006 34.446
PSP - Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner 33.639
PSP - Higurashi Daybreak Portable 33.000
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki FC 32.712
PSP - Brave Story: New Traveler 32.703
PSP - World Soccer Winning Eleven 10: Ubiquitous Evolution (PSP The Best) 32.639
PSP - Need for Speed Underground Rivals 32.503
PSP - Talkman Euro 32.487
PSP - The Legend of Heroes: A Tear of Vermillion 32.159
PSP - Quiz Kidou Senshi Gundam: Toi Senshi DX 32.158
PSP - Dora-Slot: Shuyaku wa Zenigata 31.987
PSP - Guilty Gear XX #Reload 31.910
PSP - God of War: Chains of Olympus 31.626
PSP - Bleach: Soul Carnival 30.925
PSP - Daito Giken Koushiki Pachi-Slot Simulator: Yoshimune Portable 30.673
PSP - Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP the Best) 30.331
PSP - Soukyuu no Fafner 30.172
PSP - Magna Carta Portable 30.145
PSP - Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (PSP the Best) 29.337
PSP - Clannad 29.052
PSP - Simple 2500 Series Portable Vol. 1: The Table Game 28.915
PSP - Sangokushi V 28.818
PSP - Gensou Suikoden I + II 28.271
PSP - Patapon 28.067
PSP - Need for Speed Most Wanted 5-1-0 27.151
PSP - Minna no Golf Jou Vol. 1 25.417
PSP - Namco Museum Vol.2 24.934
PSP - To LoveRu Trouble: Doki Doki! Rinkaigakkou-Hen 24.870
PSP - Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon 24.655
PSP - Hajime no Ippo Portable: Victorious Spirits 24.643
PSP - Kingdom of Paradise 24.402
PSP - Wangan Midnight Portable 24.308
PSP - Generation of Chaos 24.067
PSP - Puyo Puyo! 23.936
PSP - Virtua Tennis: World Tour 23.907
PSP - Capcom Classics Collection (Best Price!) 23.844
PSP - Breath of Fire III 23.448
PSP - Planetarium Creator Ohira Takayuki Kanshuu: Home Star Portable 23.261
PSP - Twelve: Sengoku Fengshenden 22.860
PSP - Mana-Khemia: Gakuen no Renkinjutsushi-tachi Portable Plus 22.654
PSP - Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist 22.570
PSP - Medal of Honor Heroes 22.489
PSP - Princess Crown 22.466
PSP - Wipeout Pure 22.455
PSP - Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded 22.151
PSP - Yggdra Union 21.989
PSP - Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 21.753
PSP - Kamaitachi no Yoru 2 Tokubetsu Hen 21.451
PSP - Sakura Taisen 1 & 2 21.314
PSP - Metal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novel 21.219
PSP - Machi: Unmei no Kousaten 21.021
PSP - Bounty Hounds 20.940
PSP - Portable Island: Tenohira Resort 20.914
PSP - Minna no Golf Jou Vol. 2 20.779
PSP - Metal Gear 20th Anniversary: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops 20.776
PSP - Smash Court Tennis 3 20.631
PSP - Guilty Gear Judgment 20.254
PSP - Bomberman 20.159
PSP - Comic Party Portable 20.112
PSP - Crazy Taxi: Double Punch 18.054
PSP - Prinny: Ore ga Shujinkou de Iinsuka? 18.000
PSP - World Neverland 2-in-1 Portable 16.106
PSP - Nihon no Asoko de 16.000
PSP - Tengai Makyou Collection (PC Engine Best Collection) 13.992
PSP - Vantage Master Portable 12.000
PSP - Clank & Ratchet: Maru Hi Mission * Ignition 10.000
PSP - Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki Set 10.000
PSP - Winning Post 6 8.630
PSP - Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaikida. (PSP the Best) 7.887
PSP - Zwei!! 7.700
PSP - Garnet Chronicle: Kouki no Maseki 6.490
PSP - Coded Soul 6.100
PSP - Sengoku Efuda Yuugi: Hototogisu Ran 5.657
PSP - Galaxy Fraulein Collenction (PC Engine Best Collection) 5.500
PSP - Moe Moe 2-ji Taisen [Ryoku] Deluxe 5.400
PSP - LocoRoco 2 5.100
PSP - Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus 4.900
PSP - Need for Speed ProStreet 4.800
PSP - Need for Speed Undercover 4.800
PSP - Hiiro no Kakera Portable 4.400
PSP - NBA Live 09 4.300
PSP - Umihara Kawase Portable 4.000
PSP - Memories Off 2nd 4.000
PSP - Memories Off 3.800
PSP - FIFA 09 3.800
PSP - Sega Rally Revo 3.500
PSP - Memories Off Sorekara 3.500
PSP - Neo Angelique Special 3.500
PSP - Bumpy Trot: Vehicle Battle Tournament 3.300
PSP - Tyumon Shiyouze! Oretachi no Sekai 3.300
PSP - Suigetsu Portable 3.100
PSP - My Stylist 3.000
PSP - Omoide ni Kawaru-Kun: Memories Off 2.900
PSP - Tomb Raider: Anniversary 2.700
PSP - Moeru Mahjong: Moejong! 2.700
PSP - Future GPX Cyber Formula VS 2.600
PSP - Infinite Loop: Kojjou ga Miseta Yume 2.600
PSP - Hayarigami 2 Portable: Keishichou Kaijiken File 2.100
PSP - Shinkyouku Soukai Polyphonica 0-4 Hanashi Full Pack 2.000
PSP - Solfege: Sweet Harmony 2.000
PSP - Ikuze! Gen-San: Yuuyake Daiku Monogatari 1.900
PSP - Daisenryaku: Dai Toua Kouboushi - Tora Tora Tora Ware Kishuu Ni Seikou Seri 1.900
PSP - Soldier Collection (PC Engine Best Collection) 1.900
PSP - Puyo-Puyo! (Special Price) 1.800
PSP - Mystereet Portable: the Challenge of Yasogami Kaoru 1.700
PSP - Daisenryaku VII: Exceed 1.700
PSP - SD Gundam G Generation Portable (PSP the Best) 1.600
PSP - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (BEST) 1.500
PSP - Crimson Room Rebirth 1.400
PSP - Rockman Rockman (Best Price!) 1.300
PSP - Sunsoft Collection 1.100
PSP - Tengai Makyou: Dai Yon no Mokushiroku (Hudson the Best) 760
PSP - HimeHibi: Princess Days Portable 660
PSP - Rei shiki Kanjo sentoki 2 600
PSP - Princess Maker PSP Pack 540
PSP - SSX on Tour Portable (EA Best Hits) 520

This is the whole story, right here. Little else matters if you can't move software. At this far into its existence, for the PSP to have only two (both from the same franchise) titles exceed a million sales in Japan is a very dire prospect for any developer looking to invest serious capital in original content.

Piracy cannot be blamed. Consider the money machine that is the DS. Has any major platform had easier access to illicit game copies being used? Give me $250 and a week with a good broadband connection and I'll be able to produce a DS with a set of discs containing every single DS game released to date and enough flash memory to store a major portion of those games.

Yet the DS moves immense amounts of software.

Platform identity is a factor. The DS is a better portable than its predecessors because it offers functions that drive developers to be creative. A DS version of a multi-platform can can be truly distinct and worthy on its own merits. On the PSP, despite excellent general capability, has the problem of not offering much to distinguish its ports other than portability.

It's a shame but the plan just hasn't worked out on the scale Sony wanted. The PSP has done good things for me. I have about 50 games and plan to get at least two dozen more from the existing titles. But considering that my average purchase price for those games was $10, this isn't much help for Sony.

Regarding the iPod touch and iPhone: these are not a threat to Nintendo, mainly because they have a very strong base among those young to be very unlikely to own Apple hardware, and even less likely to make online purchases. There is also the spread in cost of entry. I strongly suspect that if Nintendo saw a real threat from Apple, an accelerometer would be standard in the DSi to counter the primary feature the DS lacks. (This can just as easily be done in an SD card if the need becomes great.)

The Apple platform is a threat to the PSP, though, largely because it heavily targets the same demographics as Sony seeks for its device. The Apple gear has a higher cost of entry and lacks some amenities for many types of gameplay (like an input beyond shaking that doesn't block the screen you're touching) but it has a huge advantage in that its gaming functionality is latent. It helps a great deal in social interaction. A PSP is unmistakably a game system, even if it has other capabilities. An iPhone or iPod has a more more neutral appearance. There is far less potential social stigma when meeting new people if you have a fancy phone or audio player. Your gaming interests aren't declared unless you actually run a game in their presence.

[Sarang01]

Frankly I would love Culdcept on the PSP but since it's coming on the DS it's a definite buy for me. The game is great. It's full on crack, no wonder the Japanese love it.
It's too bad that Apple platform isn't widescreen however. X-(

[epobirs]

There is another problem with UMD. The Universal part is incredibly false. There's nothing universal about it when it can only be played on with a PSP. The full price of something that was a stripped down DVD that could only play on a PSP was what ultimately harmed the format.

Yes, 'universal' made a big presumption about adoption in other venues.

When USB was named, five of the biggest players in the PC industry were already onboard, pretty much insuring it would be adopted for at least its original intent, which was connecting mice, keyboards and other low speed devices. It wasn't until fairly late in the process they decided to add the 12 Mb mode to the 1.0 spec, largely because the cost was minimal and it was bound to be useful.

But the UMD name is a minor quibble. It could be called anything without altering the failure of Sony's business model for the medium. It could just as easily have been Micro-DVD (although that would have run into licensing issues with the DVD Forum) and still have been a loser if nobody else wanted to use it with a pricing scheme that appealed to consumers.

[epobirs]

Frankly I would love Culdcept on the PSP but since it's coming on the DS it's a definite buy for me. The game is great. It's full on crack, no wonder the Japanese love it.
It's too bad that Apple platform isn't widescreen however. X-(

Do you own a TV? Have you seen Apple's ads for the iPhone and iPod Touch? Do you know what the phrase 'landscape mode' means?

[Thomas96]

If Sony is making a profit on PSP sales, then its not going anywhere. I wouldn't release another PSP before another DS is made. Let Nintendo lead the way, look and see where they're going and then follow suit later on.



I was right! DSi has been released, and now Sony coming out with PSP2. Not too bad.

[benjamouth]

The people I know with PSP's don't buy many games (2-3, tops) and they also don't pirate or anything of the sort.

Yeah thats pretty much my situation, I don't buy many games for it (in comparison to how many 360 games I buy) but I don't pirate games either, neither of my PSP's are running CFW.

I maybe buy 6-8 games per year and usually I only buy cheap games and I never buy newly released PSP games. Mostly I use my PSP for watching movies when I'm away from home and occasionally some light gaming.

I do have about 50 PSP games mind you.

[Jesus_S_Preston]

Why do we bump December 08 threads?

[ninja dog]

I rescind my trolling...PSP is actually going to have a decent year.

[camoor]

There is another problem with UMD. The Universal part is incredibly false. There's nothing universal about it when it can only be played on with a PSP. The full price of something that was a stripped down DVD that could only play on a PSP was what ultimately harmed the format.

This is the entire problem with Sony portable products after the walkman. Ever since Sony got into the content business they've been all about proprietary formats that are hell on consumers. I try not to buy Sony portable products anymore because I get sick of guessing whether I'll be able to play MP3s, MPEGs, JPEGs, etc, I did buy a Sony camera because it was super cheap but even that fucker has a Sony proprietary memory card - give me a break, Sony!

They do make a quality console though - I have to give them that. When it comes to consoles, if you have the money, you can't go wrong buying Sony.

[ninja dog]

They do make a quality console though - I have to give them that. When it comes to consoles, if you have the money, you can't go wrong buying Sony.


You could buy the PS3...some would construe that as "going wrong"

[The Crotch]

So, um. Looking over the corpse of this thread... did someone delete a bunch of TMK posts?

[camoor]

You could buy the PS3...some would construe that as "going wrong"

It's a quality built console with some solid titles coming down the pike.

All my friends with Wiis don't play it unless they have guests, and all my friends with 360s have been RRODed at least once, I'd rather avoid being part of either crowd.

[Japakneez]

sony needs to make a smaller and sturdier device. games and movies via online download.

[SuxoR]

I remember when the PSP came out, my Sony fan boy friend bought it and showed it off at school and I was impressed it's sleep and pretty powerful (at least back then) for a hand held and I loved the extra stuff it could do but I've always had my gripes with it

The UMD is a horrible format IMO it's loud and cumbersome very unattractive for a sexy device that is already kinda big

The system is a bit expensive, well it used to be anyway the games that are on it are just ports and I always dreamed about having deep long games on a hand held but it doesn't deliver.

I hope Sony can learn from their mistakes and start giving this device the attention it deserves.

[Dr Mario Kart]

A download only handheld is going to be at a massive disadvantage unless it has its own connection/data plan like a phone does, if its not a phone itself.

PSP has enough problems without limited its potential userbase to people who have broadband connections.

[pochaccoheaven]

Sony can still save the PSP brand it's just a mystery to me why they're not taking steps to do so.

does this answer your question,

"...But then, set the PSP next to the iPhone or iPod Touch, the year's other big winner in portable gaming, and the PSP's hardware design suddenly looks old hat. Where's the touchscreen? What are all these buttons for? What on earth is the point of this useless analog nub of a joystick? And why, in an age when flash memory is so cheap it practically comes in Cheerios boxes, are we still stuck with a huge, bulky, slow, and noisy optical drive? If you're going to compete by offering a powerful hardware platform, you actually need to outperform the competition. As the iPhone steps into the portable gaming ring, it's already got the PSP on the ropes.
Guess what, Sony: Apple already made the Walkman of the 21st century, and you missed the boat." by mike smith

rofl! the psp is a multimedia device, so it isn't competing against nintendo it's competing against other multimedia devices like the ipod and the itouch. and the people on this board who are supporting it don't even realize that it's a multimedia device going against apple and other multimedia devices. you people are still in 2000 while everyone else are going forward.

[chronojin]

I have had a few PSP's since they came out, most recently the Madden 09 blue one. I keep thinking "yeah Sony's gonna come thru with some support" but i always find myself going back to the DS.

Sony has dropped the ball and its a damn shame.

[xycury]

does this answer your question,

"...But then, set the PSP next to the iPhone or iPod Touch, the year's other big winner in portable gaming, and the PSP's hardware design suddenly looks old hat. Where's the touchscreen? What are all these buttons for? What on earth is the point of this useless analog nub of a joystick? And why, in an age when flash memory is so cheap it practically comes in Cheerios boxes, are we still stuck with a huge, bulky, slow, and noisy optical drive? If you're going to compete by offering a powerful hardware platform, you actually need to outperform the competition. As the iPhone steps into the portable gaming ring, it's already got the PSP on the ropes.
Guess what, Sony: Apple already made the Walkman of the 21st century, and you missed the boat." by mike smith

rofl! the psp is a multimedia device, so it isn't competing against nintendo it's competing against other multimedia devices like the ipod and the itouch. and the people on this board who are supporting it don't even realize that it's a multimedia device going against apple and other multimedia devices. you people are still in 2000 while everyone else are going forward.

The problem with that is that they will lose an entire gaming sector, their current holders of PSP.

The reason I'm getting one is to play psp games. not music or movies, I call that extra.


If they want to compete with Apple, they will lose games because those kinds of people don't want to play a portable MGS or a new Atlus title or even a Killzone port... they want to play widescreen fucking peggle.

Apple's "gaming device" is what all of Cag makes fun of the Wii... casual gamers no 1st party hits, crapware shovelware, it's gathering dust.

Seriously I'm not going to waste my time playing the new Solitaire, when there are so much better options to play on the DS or PSP.

If Sony thinks they need to ... fine. But I'll consider it selling out and taking the psp away from gaming.

Gaming is a huge part of ENTERTAINMENT. Not waste 10 seconds because of your gnat like attention span so you need to play the Itouch's version of solitaire.

Gamestop's profits harden that fact.

[Monsta Mack]

Someone post that wonderful Altered Beast Rise from the Grave pic!

Anyways I am more interested in a PSP this year then ever (I had one and sold one at launch due to lack of games) because of the potential promises this year

- Persona 1 enhanced version. Sold my PS1 copy for $93 on eBay in anticipation
- Little Big Planet PSP
- Motorstorm
- Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Sony is going to make "PSP fans happy" this E3, so that means even more games this year? Or the PSP2 ? *shrugs*
- With the announcement of the PSP2 if it isn't backwards I expect PSP1 games to be cheap! But...
- ... games are already getting cheap! My two most wanted games of last year (Crisis Core and God of War) and now $20 greatest hits, and with the recent price drops and games sales most good PSP games are $20 or less. Not to mention games will get only cheaper, so It's a good time to own a PSP imho.

[dmaul1114]

Seriously I'm not going to waste my time playing the new Solitaire, when there are so much better options to play on the DS or PSP.

If Sony thinks they need to ... fine. But I'll consider it selling out and taking the psp away from gaming.

Gaming is a huge part of ENTERTAINMENT. Not waste 10 seconds because of your gnat like attention span so you need to play the Itouch's version of solitaire.

Gamestop's profits harden that fact.

Well I think the thing is that most people just don't need a portable gaming device. I'm not into games enough that I'm going to lug my DS everywhere (been ages since anything I wanted to play came out on it anyway) and be able to pull it out when I have 10 or 15 minutes to kill in a waiting room etc. Even on long trips I know just do work on my laptop or read on my Kindle.

With the iPod/iPhone you have something you carry everywhere as it's your phone and/or music player, and you have the bonus that it plays some simple games if you need to kill a few minutes unexpectedly or whatever.

So it really is differnet markets like you say--with hardcore gamers who want to game as much as possible every day having use of a PSP or DS and the multimedia devices just being simple diversion.

I just don't have the disdain for those diversion, since I'm not a hardcore gamer anymore and will never buy another portable gaming device. But may play tetris or something on a cellphone from time to time when stuck somewhere with nothing to do for a few minutes.

Others want to have games with them everywhere, or need one as they have a wife/kids who hoard the TV and consoles etc.

So there's room for both types of devices out there, and Sony just needs to decide which they want to go after. Do they want to challenge Nintendo who's long been invincible in the portable gaming market? Or do they want to challenge Apple who's kind of the multimedia portable devices?

My personal opinion is that either is a lost cause for them and they're probably better off scrapping their portable market and trying to right the console ship where they were once kind and now stuck in third place.

[xycury]

Someone post that wonderful Altered Beast Rise from the Grave pic!

Anyways I am more interested in a PSP this year then ever (I had one and sold one at launch due to lack of games) because of the potential promises this year

- Persona 1 enhanced version. Sold my PS1 copy for $93 on eBay in anticipation
- Little Big Planet PSP
- Motorstorm
- Dissidia Final Fantasy
- Sony is going to make "PSP fans happy" this E3, so that means even more games this year? Or the PSP2 ? *shrugs*
- With the announcement of the PSP2 if it isn't backwards I expect PSP1 games to be cheap! But...
- ... games are already getting cheap! My two most wanted games of last year (Crisis Core and God of War) and now $20 greatest hits, and with the recent price drops and games sales most good PSP games are $20 or less. Not to mention games will get only cheaper, so It's a good time to own a PSP imho.

I'm actually looking for a PSP to play games. yes games. not movies or music, just games.

I think it has some quality exclusive titles and have intrested me over the years.

With this years game day sales, I've picked out some titles, but no handheld :cry:

I really don't care if the PSP2 goes UMDless but that will stop me from buying one, and only if that new downloadable content is available on the 1000/2000/3000 models.

It's to the point that the DSi would remove it's slot 1 and have no options to play DS titles. Makes me really worried where the future is going with this handheld.

snip

Totally agree. I think Sony wants to challenge Apple but that's going to be far too difficult. They aren't winning the handheld market, with the DSi now, and DS so firmly planted, lack of titles, all that it had going for it was movies and hacking the damn thing for emulators.

It's right now going to be where the ps3 is... geez.

[batman1939]

I got the PSP for free for being employee of month, got about 10 games and 10 umd movies all for $10 or under except for FFCC. But I rather buy a umd movie that I have on DVD for $5 than ripping it and filling my memory card. I love that you can download PSone games to PS3 then onto PSP, not the greatest selection but hopefully more soon. And I wish DSi would do this I would love to take my Wii VC games on to my Dsi, but knowing Nintendo I'm going to have to pay for Super Mario Bros. again for the fifth time :bomb:

[Maklershed]

Sony can still save the PSP brand it's just a mystery to me why they're not taking steps to do so.


I hear that. I'm hungry for some new PSP games but there's nothing coming out. :(

[manthing]

They still release retail games on the PSP?

:-s

[dallow]

I hope so. (of course they do), because PSP cases are the best looking game cases ever made.

That being said, I hope for DD only future for PSP2/DS2.

[dmaul1114]

That being said, I hope for DD only future for PSP2/DS2.

Seriously? You're one of the few I've ever heard tout that.

DD only and I'm out of the picture as games I can't resell aren't something I'd spend money on since I never replay games and get the vast majority of my games from Goozex.

[dallow]

Good. ;)

But seriously, yes.

[dmaul1114]

Good. ;)

Don't worry, DD or not the 360 is probably the last console I'll buy, so I'll be out of CAGs hair in a few years most likely either way!. :D


But seriously, yes.

Why do you hope that? Simple convenience? Just curious.

I'm ok with some types of digial content. i.e. I have no problems with buying some DRM'd books for my Kindle as they're cheap and I only buy stuff I'll read once so I don't care if I can't read it years down the road if Amazon goes under (and besides it's easy to strip the DRM anyway for those so inclined). I just view it more as a rental and paying to avoid the hassle of going to the library (which doesn't have a lot of what I read anyway).

But I can't do it with games since costs are much higher that spending $5-10 for an ebook. Combine that with games just not being worth much to me since they're a good bit down my hobby list and I need to be able to get games for next to no cost like through Goozex and other ways of trading/reselling or I'm just not going to bother.

[dallow]

Heh, I didn't mean "good" in that way. :)
Just that a DD only future would be good for devs and possibly lead to savings for us with less overhead.

I don't know if we're even ready for a DD only world with handheld games, but with retailers like Amazon now selling DD content via codes, it could work out.

[Dr Mario Kart]

I think I might be able to get behind DD if you can lock the license onto a SD card (proprietary or otherwise) so that it could be playable on all systems, plus making available pdfs of manuals and case inserts to print, as well as cases.

An upper cost tier for the discerning physical copy enthusiast, if you will.

[dmaul1114]

Heh, I didn't mean "good" in that way. :)
Just that a DD only future would be good for devs and possibly lead to savings for us with less overhead.


Savings wouldn't get passed on to us, not enough to make it worthwhile.

Look at digital music. Albums go for $9.99. Most can be had for CD at or around that price release week or in sells.

eBooks, they're cheaper than hardback, but the ones for stuff in paper back cost about the same ($6-7 typically).

It's just a way for publishers to make more profits by charging the same (or close to it) for something that costs them less as they don't have to manufacture and ship physical products. As well as killing rentals and the used game market.

All gamers get is the instant gratification convenience of DD, and that's not worth losing resell, or the ability to take the game to a friends, etc. etc. IMO.

[dallow]

I think I might be able to get behind DD if you can lock the license onto a SD card (proprietary or otherwise) so that it could be playable on all systems, plus making available pdfs of manuals and case inserts to print, as well as cases.

An upper cost tier for the discerning physical copy enthusiast, if you will.I like this idea a lot.

Savings wouldn't get passed on to us, not enough to make it worthwhile.

Look at digital music. Albums go for $9.99. Most can be had for CD at or around that price release week or in sells.

eBooks, they're cheaper than hardback, but the ones for stuff in paper back cost about the same ($6-7 typically).

It's just a way for publishers to make more profits by charging the same (or close to it) for something that costs them less as they don't have to manufacture and ship physical products. As well as killing rentals and the used game market.

All gamers get is the instant gratification convenience of DD, and that's not worth losing resell, or the ability to take the game to a friends, etc. etc. IMO.Ah, more than likely, yeah.
I'm just for killing the used market and having some effective anti-piracy measures made. :P
I do buy used games from time to time, but the majority are new.

I can only start a DD only collection when they remove the option of a physical copy.
Until then, I have to have a disc version.
I even bought World of Goo on disc.

[dmaul1114]

Seems a bit silly to want to see the used game market killed. We're getting more good games than ever (unless your someone like DMK that doesn't like modern games) so it's not hurting developers and giving us less options IMO.

So I see no harm in it being out there for those of us who aren't into gaming enough to pay new game prices, or to buy a game that we can't resell/trade even though we'll never play it again etc.

[Thomas96]

I think I'm going to point out one issue...
this is reference the UMDs... Most people don't talk about the quality of the UMD cases. The UMD was total crap... after so long they'd just fall apart leaving the disc open, and almost unplayable. The first issue is that that clear plastic piece (w/ the UMD sticker) would start to sink in, and then you'd have to push it up into place. This would continue, until the entire top UMD plastic piece would eventually disconnect from the white casing. Now, the white casing which was cheap and flimsy would basically break down.

The UMD games were not built very well, to be portable. They didn't have the durability of a cartridge. for the PSP2 I don't think that UMD should be dismissed from the console; although I loathe the UMD format, I think the PSP2 needs it solely for Backwards Compatibility. If Sony was smart, what they could do is set up a program that will allow a game to be ripped from the original PSP and be transferred to the PSP2. I don't know how Sony can set up the security, but the goal of my idea is just to allow those that have PSP games be able to play those games on the PSP2 without having to go back to using UMDs, and having to rebuy those same games in digital format. The UMD format needs to be put to rest.

[Thomas96]

Seems a bit silly to want to see the used game market killed. We're getting more good games than ever (unless your someone like DMK that doesn't like modern games) so it's not hurting developers and giving us less options IMO.

So I see no harm in it being out there for those of us who aren't into gaming enough to pay new game prices, or to buy a game that we can't resell/trade even though we'll never play it again etc.

Retailers need something to sell and that's one of the cons of getting rid of UMDs,. The Iphone and Ipod touch - has games and apps that you can't buy retail. But its not a problem because retailers can still make a lot of money off accessories. I think it might be a win win situation, if Sony can just start sellling PSP2 games via the PSN, and retailers can sell the PSN money cards. If you can get those PSN money cards at a discount then you get games at a discount. Also, developers still get more games sold and there's no losses from the used market. Its more of a tradeoff - the used market option for buying PSN money cards cheap. Instead of saving on the used games, you save money from buying the money cards at a cheaper rate. I figure if all the PSP2 users have to use them, then maybe they may be put on sale from time to time.

[kidu]

They still release retail games on the PSP?

:-s

Yep, and there are a boatload coming soon. Motorstorm, Rock Band, LBP, Assassin's Creed, Persona 1....

*I am also personally excited that the PSP version of Madden '10 is going to have a play creator function. I'll drop $25-$30 on it just for that feature alone.

[dallow]

Seems a bit silly to want to see the used game market killed. We're getting more good games than ever (unless your someone like DMK that doesn't like modern games) so it's not hurting developers and giving us less options IMO.

So I see no harm in it being out there for those of us who aren't into gaming enough to pay new game prices, or to buy a game that we can't resell/trade even though we'll never play it again etc.
Just handhelds.

[dmaul1114]

Yes, but by supporting it for handhelds, you support it for everything. If they go DD only and have success on handhelds, you can be sure they'll go that way on consoles they next go around as well.

[dallow]

I wouldn't mind.
But it has to start with handhelds.
We're still 2 generations away from DD on consoles anyway.

[dmaul1114]

Fair enough. DD is fine for those of you that only buy new games and keep all your games after beating them.

Just sucks for the rest of us.

[dallow]

That's true. But perhaps there will be some kind of digital rental system created.

[dmaul1114]

Possibly, but I'm skeptical as there's more money to be made in just selling digital games than having rental or subscription systems.

I still wouldn't be up for it as I'm sure it would cost me more than what I spend on games now. Gears 2 was all I bought new last year (and I got it for $45 in a deal, and paid for that with gift certificates from my credit card rewards) with the other 5 or 6 games I picked up being from Goozex.

But I'll concede a rental system would at least be much better than a purely sales DD assuming the prices are reasonable.

[Halo05]

There's no way in hell I'd keep up with modern videogames if they switched strictly to DD. I'd just spend my days replaying old Sega-system games and trying to complete my 32x collection.

[GuilewasNK]

They still release retail games on the PSP?

:-s

Yep, I just bought Samurai Shodown Anthology this week.

[pochaccoheaven]

No serious gamer is going to.

....

why don't you tell that to all the people in the video game industy who seems so apt that the iphone and the itouch is the next generation of handheld video games. look at kotaku with all those reports of developers who say the same thing. even kojima is to go so bold on making a game for the iphone.

[DarkNessBear]

I agree with the article. I had the PSP since the first year it came out but sold it this summer. Sony just dropped the ball. They aren't doing anything with it. There were some great games, but it just felt the system was dead. It seems like now all the PSN games are becoming PSP games...which is a joke. PSP should be killing DS, but it isn't. It's done really well for Sony's first handheld, but I just gave up on it. It feels like Sony did too.

Uh, why?

Does that mean 360 and PS3 should be outselling Wii?

[Thomas96]

I want to see if Sony has learned any lessons from their PS3 launch issues. This PSP2 launch is really going to be an indicator of how much they learned from the PS3 launch; its going to be interesting to see how they set the price point. I don't think I could stand looking at a 399 PSP2. I don't think I can stand a limited release PSP2 making us have to fight over units, or trying to sell them online for 3 times the price.

[Mr. Anderson]

I shudder at the thought of how bad DD will be in a couple (if not next) generations. Thinks it's bad now?

Just you wait and see.

[pete5883]

What if we don't think it's bad now?

[Ather]

I guess people just don't want a hand held device that's also "a phone, a portable music player, a pocket-sized movie device, a mobile web browser, and when paired with a Playstation 3, a remarkably capable remote control for the system, capable of streaming music and movies from a PS3 over the Internet to wherever you happen to be."

[kidu]

I love how this thread is full of speculation about the price of the PSP2....SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW EXISTS YET, MUCH LESS KNOW ANY FEATURES/SPECS. All this "I think the PSP2 will cost $199/$250/$399" is beyond retarded.

[Dr Mario Kart]

Fact: PSP 4000/PSP2 will launch at above the price of the PSP 3000 on the date the price is announced. Possibly same price if the prior model is discontinued.

Neither model needs to exist yet for this to be the case. When they get around to existing, this will be true.

This gives us a lower limit to price speculation.