Redesigned PSP's impact on the market. (new design details)

T

Thomas96

CAGiversary!
As a fan of the PSP, I just wanted to have an area to speculate on the possible impact that the redesigned PSP may have on the market. Will it "overtake" the DS? Or will it go on by without notice..



I think most people know my stance...



disclaimer: These are just rumors nothing official as of yet [source: http://www.rumorreporter.com/?p=267]

Update:

No more rumors only facts:

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PSP%20SPEC.jpg




PSP%20CODEC.jpg
 
I vote for the latter. I like both my PSP and my DS, in fact, I probably like my PSP more but I'm in the minority from what I've seen/heard.
 
I think that would entirely plan on how they redesigned it...

If they made it clamshell, and smaller, I think it would probably do better... but I doubt it would overtake DS at this point.
 
I think its too late for the PSP to surpass the DS. The PSP has needed a cheaper, smaller model for a while now. It will definitely boost sales (along with this Fall's line up), but, as far as surpassing the DS, I just don't see it happening. That's not a bad thing though. The PSP has given Sony a foot in the door, and I think they could do very well the next round.
 
I'm not going to say that I definitely think that the PSP is going to overtake the DS in sales.. I don't want to say that there isn't enough time. The PSP is like the PS3... a new model is fine.. but it's not like Sony needs to worry about making it more powerful. I've made this point before, and I'll make it now [since it applies]; since we're no longer graphics whores and the psp can basically handle a Wii port (ex. Heatseeker) or psp games from the psp can be ported to the Wii; There's got to be plenty of time, because until Nintendo tries to push the envelope graphically w/ their products, I'd keep the current psp, and psp(redesign) and focus on making good games. If the psp 2 was coming out in 2010, it'd be silly to release it then...

Nintendo changed the market, and got customers to not care so much about graphics (supposedly), if this is really true then the psp and ps2 just got a life extention.
 
It will make the existing fanbase happy but it won't do much more than that. There still isn't a game coming out for PSP that is going to have the same impact as a Nintendogs or Animal Crossing. These are games that sold 4 million copies and moved a lot of systems too.

Sony isn't going to beat the DS so it should concentrate on making the PSP division straight out profitable and worry about the 'next gen' of handhelds.
 
I think they'd be better served by a price cut. But still, I don't think the DS is going to be beaten, it has such a headstart.
 
It will not surpass the DS...no way. However it will generate new sales and buzz for the system which is a good thing. I still don't see how something like a PSP with the rumored 8GB of flash memory can retail for less then $170. I couldn't even buy a crappy flash MP3 player for that price.

I'm in line day 1 to put a new PSP. Can't wait to see the new pictures.
 
They could release a DS with all of the PSP's power and functionality, slap the Sony label on there and still not come close to outselling the DS.
 
[quote name='javeryh']They could release a DS with all of the PSP's power and functionality, slap the Sony label on there and still not come close to outselling the DS.[/QUOTE]
You are correct, sir. Even if the PSP had come out at the same price and with the same features as the DS, Nintendo's brand recognition it built with the Gameboy and its stable of characters that appeal to younger players would have given it the edge. When you think of it that way, maybe going upscale wasn't such a bad decision for Sony to make.

But in the end, it doesn't matter one bit if the PSP can't "beat" the DS. It is the first portable to actually do well in competition with Nintendo, so I consider that a victory of sorts. As long as it does well enough to support a large library of titles and blockbuster games, I really couldn't care less that the DS sells more.
 
Honestly, as much as people bitch about the lack of a second analog stick, it's the LOADING times that kill it. For christsakes a portable should be a pick up and play. PSP is more of a sit down and play for a while vs in short bursts.

What they need to do is DROP THE fuckING UMD FORMAT. Sony has a perfectly viable alternative with the memory stick that's standard and practically nil for load times. If anything, this would ease a transition over to the newer system.

I don't give two shits about touchscreens and dual analog stick (Though an improved existing stick would do wonders)so much as they fix the loading issue. You have a system that is graphically superiour to the DS but fails in delivery on such a shitty format (UMD). Hell, I'd imagine that the battery life would be extended substancially if they went the Memory stick route.
 
This is an odd question because, who has OWNED the portable gaming market for YEARS?

Nintendo.

Anyone, no matter how much a die hard fan you, you have to give them the nod. People need toSTOP talking about over taking the DS because it AINT GOING TO HAPPEN. Not because of the lead already, but because that isn't Sony's goal.

Taking even a small % from them is a big feat. I think Sony gets a little bit of a hard time when it comes to the PSP because of their past success. Breaking into the portable gaming arena is a lot tougher then the home market so I think they should get some credit for trying a different approach.

That said, a new redesign won't do to much. At least not on a large scale. I say sells might go up, like we saw with the DS Lite. Even at the same price point because those who have been on the fence will see the great value (4GB pro duo's are still $60-90 depending on where you look so 8GB of flash built in...) they are getting plus the chance to pick up all the games they had wanted to play for a lot cheaper.

All Sony wants to do is cut out a little bit bigger slice from Nintendo's pie, and hold onto it.
 
[quote name='CappyCobra']Honestly, as much as people bitch about the lack of a second analog stick, it's the LOADING times that kill it. For christsakes a portable should be a pick up and play. PSP is more of a sit down and play for a while vs in short bursts.

What they need to do is DROP THE fuckING UMD FORMAT. Sony has a perfectly viable alternative with the memory stick that's standard and practically nil for load times. If anything, this would ease a transition over to the newer system.

I don't give two shits about touchscreens and dual analog stick (Though an improved existing stick would do wonders)so much as they fix the loading issue. You have a system that is graphically superiour to the DS but fails in delivery on such a shitty format (UMD). Hell, I'd imagine that the battery life would be extended substancially if they went the Memory stick route.[/QUOTE]
What they need to do is have more strict rules about loading times for developers. While almost every PSP game that I own is actually fine with regard to loading times, there are some games out there that should never have been approved. We know for a fact that it's possible to have nearly transparent loading time on PSP games -- even ones with impressive 3D graphics. Most of the games with terrible load times seem to be ports.

I have a feeling that using flash memory "cartridges" would be prohibitively expensive, since PSP games can be up to 1.5GB in size. And I wouldn't want to have the PSP be like an iPod (store games on a computer somehow and transfer them to internal flash memory). Not only would it make using the machine more complicated, I have no confidence in Sony's ability to make good computer software. But the biggest problem with ditching UMD would be that the new system would be completely incompatible with all of the games released up until now. Not a good idea IMHO.
 
The psp has always been a little expensive for the games it has. I know it has other features, but many other devices out there do those things better. I look at it as a game machine first. When you compare it to the much cheaper DS with its huge library of games and genuine quality of new releases it was a no brainer for most casual and even many hardcore gamers. I mean, look at the psp's commercials since its launch. The psp is for people who think they're cool. The DS is for people who know they are. If Sony can fix the serious gameplay hindering flaws of its current psp, maybe this can change.
 
[quote name='dragonreborn23']The psp is for people who think they're cool. The DS is for people who know they are. If Sony can fix the serious gameplay hindering flaws of its current psp, maybe this can change.[/QUOTE]
Oh give me a break. Let's keep this kind of thing out of this thread, OK?
 
[quote name='icruise']What they need to do is have more strict rules about loading times for developers. While almost every PSP game that I own is actually fine with regard to loading times, there are some games out there that should never have been approved. We know for a fact that it's possible to have nearly transparent loading time on PSP games -- even ones with impressive 3D graphics. Most of the games with terrible load times seem to be ports.

I have a feeling that using flash memory "cartridges" would be prohibitively expensive, since PSP games can be up to 1.5GB in size. And I wouldn't want to have the PSP be like an iPod (store games on a computer somehow and transfer them to internal flash memory). Not only would it make using the machine more complicated, I have no confidence in Sony's ability to make good computer software. But the biggest problem with ditching UMD would be that the new system would be completely incompatible with all of the games released up until now. Not a good idea IMHO.[/quote]

The cost would drop down dramatically if they produced the flash memory in bulk. You can get a 1GB mini SD for like $15 dollars so this should be feasable if they produce it in bulk. The main reason they are so expensive is that they are not the dominate format.

As for distributing the games, they would 'pre-burn' them onto the Memory Duo stick and lockout that section as writable (with a small section reserved that IS writeable for saves).

As for locking out existing games, they could just phase out the UMD and re-release them on Memory Duos. Upon insertion, the firmware would be updated allowing games to be played from them new media.
 
[quote name='dragonreborn23']The psp has always been a little expensive for the games it has. I know it has other features, but many other devices out there do those things better. I look at it as a game machine first. When you compare it to the much cheaper DS with its huge library of games and genuine quality of new releases it was a no brainer for most casual and even many hardcore gamers. I mean, look at the psp's commercials since its launch. The psp is for people who think they're cool. The DS is for people who know they are. If Sony can fix the serious gameplay hindering flaws of its current psp, maybe this can change.[/quote]

Lmfao....:lol:
 
[quote name='CappyCobra']The cost would drop down dramatically if they produced the flash memory in bulk. You can get a 1GB mini SD for like $15 dollars so this should be feasable if they produce it in bulk. The main reason they are so expensive is that they are not the dominate format.[/quote]
Maybe, but I imagine that UMDs are dirt-cheap to produce (on the order of cents) while even in bulk a 1-2GB memory stick is going to be several orders of magnitude more expensive. It's possible that a read-only version (which is really all you would need) would be cheaper to produce, though.

As for locking out existing games, they could just phase out the UMD and re-release them on Memory Duos. Upon insertion, the firmware would be updated allowing games to be played from them new media.
Click to expand...
So you're saying that they should re-release the entire PSP library on MS? And if people want to continue playing their old games on the new system they have to buy them again? Seems like HUGE investment in time, money, and resources (not to mention the ill will it would generate with current PSP owners) just to remedy something that could be fixed in quality control.
 
Sony really needs a total hardware refresh (ie. PSP2) rather than a DS Lite upgrade. The DS Lite brought sexy to the DS; the PSP alrady as that and it's not a huge selling point.

A redesign is great, but they need to focus on software, and broad-base software. The DS is selling like it because it's not just selling to people you you and me. It's selling to older folks, young kids, and brain-obsessed people in Japan. It was doing that before the Lite, and the Lite just brough about double-dips and purchases from people who didn't like the design of the Phat model. I don't think too many people are avoiding the PSP because it's design sucks.

A hardware redesign is fine, but what they really need is another boat of AAA titles to hit the system.
 
[quote name='Thomas96']As a fan of the PSP, I just wanted to have an area to speculate on the possible impact that the redesigned PSP may have on the market. Will it "overtake" the DS?[/QUOTE]

PSP overtaking the DS...that's rich!

So, the only reason that the DS outsells the PSP by at least 4-to-one most weeks is because the PSP needs a redesign? Ha. Gimme a break.

Look, nothing against the PSP (I have one and love it), but no matter how successful the PSP becomes in it's own right, there's no chance in hell that it will ever overtake the DS. None.
 
It won't take over the DS obviously but I think it will have a significant impact if the redesign has all of the rumored upgrades as well as maintaining a sleek look. I myself wanted nothing to do with the PSP yet I find myself salivating at the redesign.

[quote name='daroga']A hardware redesign is fine, but what they really need is another a boat of AAA titles to hit the system.[/quote]
ZING! ;)
 
[quote name='icruise']Maybe, but I imagine that UMDs are dirt-cheap to produce (on the order of cents) while even in bulk a 1-2GB memory stick is going to be several orders of magnitude more expensive. It's possible that a read-only version (which is really all you would need) would be cheaper to produce, though.[/quote]
I really doubt UMD's are that cheap to produce as they are not a popular format (as with CD's and DVD's which are in other consumer products.). My guess is that they would be about a dollar vs 3-4$ they could get if they produce the Memory Duo in bulk in 1.5 GB sizes (After checking pricewatch.com mini/micro 1GB SD's chime in at $12 (probably 6-8$ at cost))

So you're saying that they should re-release the entire PSP library on MS? And if people want to continue playing their old games on the new system they have to buy them again? Seems like HUGE investment in time, money, and resources (not to mention the ill will it would generate with current PSP owners) just to remedy something that could be fixed in quality control.
Click to expand...
I'm saying they should PHASE them in. Not rip the rug from under the existing base. Sony is trying to bring in new customers not pacify existing ones.

The UMD's will still work for existing users but in order to stimulate demand to the flash based media, the UMD's would be kept at thier current price with a small price advantage to the flash media.

If they did redesign the system, the could make it modular and have the UMD drive as an optional accessory to maintain compatibility. When the UMD drive is not in use, the expansion could be repurposed for an extra battery for example. This would allow for the 'mini' design everyone is speculating about and appease both sides.
 
My thoughts. I heard it's become a phone, I don't care. Now if you told me it was a WiFi phone with WPA etc. I'd be excited and buy a new PSP in a flash. Making the PSP a powerful and versatile WiFi phone as well as a PSP is enough to sell it. WiFi phones are great to have if you have friends you want to call Internationally, it will save you a fortune on calling costs with giving you the portability of a cell phone.
 
I think its possible for the PSP to "overtake" the DS, but, its about a 1,000,000:1 shot. Some of you guys are confusing wont happen, and cant happen.
 
no way it'll overtake the DS, and it has no intention to do so. Th damn thing was never supposed to be paired in the same market really. I say it'll help sales of the PSP quite a bit, but we won't see it till christmas.
 
[quote name='CappyCobra']I really doubt UMD's are that cheap to produce as they are not a popular format (as with CD's and DVD's which are in other consumer products.).[/quote]

Actually, Sony stated around the time of the PSP launch that UMDs cost the same as DVDs to produce. I don't know if that's still true (DVDs may have dropped further in price than UMDs have) but it's not a lot of money.

Do you actually have a PSP, by the way? I've found it's often the people who don't own them who complain the most about loading times and the like. Just curious.
 
[quote name='DeathDealer']Some of you guys are confusing wont happen, and cant happen.[/QUOTE]
Does it really matter, in this case?
 
Inbetween the official announcement and release of the redesign there will be a huge drop off in sales. Sony will probably try to minimize this time as much as they can. Once it releases, there will be a lot of PSP sales that month (unlike 360 Elite and more like DS Lite). The PSP will be tracking well above last years totals for the months after the release and will eventually level off into a stable amount of sales per months around Feb, I'm guessing. Though it won't overtake the DS, it should be a really good year for the PSP.
 
For what the PSP is, I really don't think it will overtake the DS. You have to consider what the PSP is designed to be compared to what the DS is designed to be.

Comparing the PSP and the DS is like comparing Dungeons and Dragons to Monopoly. It's arguable which one is more fun, but what's not arguable is that Monopoly has the broader public appeal. You can teach a 7 year old how to play Monopoly in minutes, but teach them how to play Dungeons and Dragons? Good luck. Basically, the DS is simple and fun, while the PSP is complicated and fun, but to the general public, simple will always win out.

While I'm sure Sony would like nothing better than to overtake Nintendo in the handheld market, I don't understand why it is of much importance to us as consumers. There are certain games on the PSP that will not and can never show up on the DS, and vice versa. This is independent of market share. To me it is simple, if I want a quick, generally 2-D, usually quirky experience on the go, I turn to my DS, and when I'm craving a generally deeper, longer, 3-D gaming experience I turn to my PSP.
 
[quote name='CoffeeEdge']Look, nothing against the PSP (I have one and love it), but no matter how successful the PSP becomes in it's own right, there's no chance in hell that it will ever overtake the DS. None.[/QUOTE]

I'd have to agree. Even the recent PSP price cuts didn't give a particularly big boost to sales, which is surprising.
 
[quote name='CappyCobra']I really doubt UMD's are that cheap to produce as they are not a popular format (as with CD's and DVD's which are in other consumer products.). My guess is that they would be about a dollar vs 3-4$ they could get if they produce the Memory Duo in bulk in 1.5 GB sizes (After checking pricewatch.com mini/micro 1GB SD's chime in at $12 (probably 6-8$ at cost))[/QUOTE]

Your doubts are unfounded. When the PSP and DS were announced, it was said that the DS's flash cards would be more expensive to manufacturers than the PSP's UMD. The UMD format costs more to the consumer, however, because development for games costs more. Flash formats are much more expensive to press out than optical ones.
 
I know they are both handhelds, but I really don't think they should be considered competition. I have both and play completely different game types on them. I don't feel you can really compare them fairly.

The DS will always outsell the PSP because of Nintendo's extended claim to the handheld market and thier promise to support them for long periods of time. That said, I think the redesign will improve PSP sales, but it won't cut into the DS sale at all.
 
I'll admit that its a long shot for the PSP to overtake the DS... but what's funny about the whole situation is that the PSP is almost in the same place where the DS phat was just after the psp came out. PSP was killing it.. up by a million in the US alone. But now, it's the DS Lite that's up, and the PSP is gertting its Slim(lite) version. Heck it might have video out... The PSP definitely has a better lineup of games for the remainder of the year... The psp might still be too expensive to sell like hotcakes though... but in regards to a psp 2... heck why worry about that... Sony has plenty of time to do that... work with what you have... and who cares if Nintendo releases a state of the art graphics powerhouse... handheld or console... we all about games now!
 
I think time and time again, one thing has been true. Hardware doesn't matter, software does. A redesigned PSP will have the same software.

If they price it right (like, $180 or less) and it has enough new features (built in storage, better controls). I think it'll sell extremely well for the first week, and continue doing well for a few more weeks before things go back to normal. I just can't see most PSP owners who paid over $200 for their old unit just spend more money to get a new one.
 
[quote name='daroga']Doi you have a link showing the PSP ahead by a million in th US at any point in its life?[/QUOTE]

Second'd. The assertion that the PSP was ever ahead sounds like absolute fucking bullshit. There was certainly never a time when it was ahead globally, that's for sure - from the get-go, the PSP lagged the DS in Japan. Also, it wasn't the Lite that jump-started the DS sales - it was Nintendogs, which came about 9 months earlier.
 
meh,the psp will never take over the ds. wasnt the PSP marketed as a multi facited device and the DS as something new to gamers? i think the psp was trying to hit the young adult demographic compared to the DS which was much marketed like how they did with the wii...to everyone. question is that shouldnt the numbers be based on demographic or in total?
 
They should've put more thought into games than a redesign. There's nothing wrong with the PSP the way it is now, they don't need to redesign it.

If sales are that bad that you need to re-configure what could have been done in the first place then that's not the problem. Sony should have concentrated more on the games and also lowering the price for UMD movies. Give a little to the customer and you gain a lot more through brand loyalty.
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']"The Mercury News"? Give me a break. Not once do they site their source for those numbers. Of course, leave it up to Joystiq to publish anything they can get their hands on. True or not.[/QUOTE]


well who would you reccommend....
 
[quote name='Thomas96']well who would you reccommend....[/quote]

How about the NPD for starters? Some other source besides Joystiq posting something they read from some news site no one has ever heard of.

Keep in mind, around that time (and still currently) Sony touts "shipped" numbers. Not actual sales numbers.
 
I was a hardcore PSP cynic up until fairly recently. But I must say I have observed the PSP develop into a solid system, portable or otherwise. A respectable library and this upcoming redesign have made me consider becoming a PSP owner.
 
[quote name='Maxwell31']They should've put more thought into games than a redesign. There's nothing wrong with the PSP the way it is now, they don't need to redesign it.
[/QUOTE]


Go play a fighting game or an FPS on that thing for a few hours... then tell me what you think.

Also, I'm guessing you enjoy hand cramps or are a very small Japanese girl with large breasts...
 
[quote name='Thomas96']but of course... unlike others I don't pull stats out my ass.


http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/19/psp-outsells-the-nintendo-ds-in-the-us-by-1-million/[/quote]Ah, ok. Even assuming the numbers are accurate (which I'll go along with) these were just for 2005, which negates the DS' huge launch Christmas (despite having zero for software). Which menas the PSP was probably ahead by a small margin in the US by the end of 05, but never was ahead by a million units on our little continent here.

You're just not going to see the PSP see DS Lite-like sales with a redesign, especially if its in the form of an expensive PDA-esque phone as mentioned earlier in the thread. At that point, you're hardly like to get many repeat buyers. Having just gotten a Motorola Q 3 days ago, I know I have no interest in a PSP phone, and I'm notorious for rebuying the same console for the "new, shiny!" aspect of its redesign. ;)
 
I really don't understand why people keep asking for even more functions on the PSP... I mean if we are comparing the PSP to the DS, I don't think anyone can disagree with the fact that the DS is pretty bare-bones in comparison to the PSP as far as functionality goes. Yes I know the DS can now surf the web with the new web browser and yes you could homebrew (although it's more trouble than it's worth), but do people really think piling on even more functions will make the PSP sell better?

The PSP has always killed the DS as far as ancilliary functions go, but the DS has and will continue to own the larger market share. Why? Because the mass majority of the general public does not understand and does not have the time to put into researching how to perform complicated functions when it comes to consumer electronics. The only way for the PSP to compete, is not to make itself even more complicated, but rather to "dumb" itself down. However, as PSP owners do you really want your PSP to be "dumbed down" for the sake of some market share?
 
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