Get a PSP now or wait for PSP2?

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tcatsninfan

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First off, I just want to make it clear that this isn't a "should I get a PSP" thread because God knows that would turn into a flame war pretty quickly.

I've never had a PSP but there are a ton of games on it that I want to play. Monster Hunter. MGS Peace Walker. Patapon 1/2. Kenka Bancho. And so on.

Specifically, I'm thinking about preordering that sweet Big Boss Pack that's coming to Gamestop. I'm not crazy about the camo but I like it because it'll always remind me of MGS.

The thing is, though, that the PSP2 is bound to come out. It's been rumored for 2 years or more but there are strong indications that it'll be officially unveiled at E3 this year. The Nintendo 3DS is being officially announced there and it makes sense that Sony will try to quickly recover ground.

So the question is, do I get a PSP now or do I wait and see what the PSP2 is all about? There've been rumors that it won't support UMD, meaning the only BC it might have would be with the PSN store, but I don't know if I believe Sony would eliminate the possibility for so much BC like that.

I feel a little weird about buying a PSP and having it be outdated literally 2 weeks after I buy it, especially if I buy a bunch of PSP games that I can't turn around and use on the PSP2.

At the same time though, I don't want to miss the Big Boss pack only to find out the PSP2 won't even be announced for awhile longer.

(On a side note, I don't see why Sony wouldn't include a UMD drive in the PSP2 given how important BC is to so many gamers. It has moving parts, true, but laptops and various other things have moving parts and no one complains about them. The only logical complaint against having UMD is how much battery power it uses, but here's an idea: Sony can just include a better battery. Apple devices use lithium-polymer batteries instead of lithium-ion and they last a lot longer. Problem solved.)

So what do you guys think, buy the Big Boss pack or wait and see what happens with the PSP2?
 
I'm in the same position you're in to some extent. I too want a PSP, but I'm waiting to see what Sony reveals at E3 before I make a move.

Honestly, I'd say just wait until after E3 and then make your move. For all we know, the PSP2 might not even use UMDs.
 
Well, we all saw what happened to BC with the PS3. And Sony recently released the PSP Go that offered no UMD BC and is even still missing quite a few UMD based games on its store.

So I really don't think PSP2 is going to take UMDs, that's pretty much guaranteed. Most likely they'll have those PSP games up for download on the PSP2.

If there's games that you badly want to play right now, I'd go for it. The upcoming bundles are great deals, the backlog of UMDs can be acquired for very cheap prices, and you still have big hitting titles coming up like Peace Walker, FFXIII:Agito, and Kingdom Hearts.

If the PSP2 come out this holiday season, then as with almost any gaming device ever released it will be overpriced, lack features that will come in later models, and come with only 1-2 decent launch titles. If you get a PSP 3000 now you'll have plenty of games to play while waiting for the PSP2 to improve itself.

Of course, you should make a list of games that you really want to play and make sure that your purchase will be worth it.
 
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Well, personally, I don't think we will see the PSP2 for a couple years (if ever).

With the DS, there has been quite a downturn in the amount of software being released in the last 6 months (at least in Japan, not NA). That hasn't really been the case with the PSP, where there actually is something of a flood of PSP software. And several key titles still don't even have dates (Agito, Resident Evil PSP, and of course MHP3).

Also, Nintendo isn't launching any other hardware in the next year or so, whereas Sony is launching Move for the PS3. Trying to launch two major products in the same time period would be a disaster, at least for Sony (which has had trouble launching one major product, lately)

Probably safe to wait until E3 and see if Sony does have a surprise, but I would really just get one now. Even if PSP2 does come out, as the above poster said, probably not worth buying right away. The PSP-1000 hardware was pretty awful in most respects, hopefully Sony won't repeat that, but you never know...
 
If you're not interested in mostly buying games on PSN, just get a PSP now. I doubt the PSP2 will support UMDs since they'd want to make a clean break from that format and will probably use a flash card format for physical games, so no direct BC for the PSP.

Even then, you might as well wait for E3 since the PSP is long overdue for a price drop (three years since it dropped to $169.99) and you may even see a PSP 4000 be announced which has been rumored for a while. There's no use buying the system when it seems like Sony's going to announce some important stuff at E3 for the system.
 
The logical part of me knows I should probably wait until E3 to see what's announced but I can't get the Big Boss pack out of my head. Think about it this way, the Big Boss pack includes all of this:

PSP-3000 System--$170
MGS Peace Walker--$40
DLC Voucher--?? $5 probably
4GB Pro Duo Card--$15 even on Amazon
PSN Downloadable Movie Voucher--?? $10 probably
MGS Carrying Case--at least $10

A total price of at least $250 if you bought it separately, all for $200.

So, even if they dropped the price of the 3000 at E3, I'd still be coming out of the deal pretty well.

Onto the PSP2: I suspect that it won't have a UMD drive but will support PSP games that were downloaded in the PSN store. Thus, if I absolutely MUST get the Big Boss pack then I could hedge my bets and refrain from buying many other games on UMD, choosing instead to download them from the PSN store.

The thing I hate about the PSN Store (and something I'll hate about the PSP2 if it's download-only) is that the prices never drop...I can get some UMD games for $10 used (shipping included) on Amazon but those same games still cost $20-40 in the store.

Also, as one of you pointed out, the first iteration of the PSP2 is probably going to suck anyway both aesthetically and financially. Even if they announced it at E3 and it came out at the end of the year I probably wouldn't be interested in buying it until 2nd gen, which would be next year sometime at the earliest. That'd give me about a year at least to enjoy the PSP-3000 in all its UMD glory...

I don't know if Sony would release a PSP-4000 but if they did there isn't a whole lot they could add to it that would make me regret buying a 3000. They wouldn't add a second analog stick because then it'd have different hardware specs than all the other PSPs--if they're going to add a 2nd analog they'll do that with the PSP2. I wouldn't care if they added better media/internet options for it either. I'm not going to use a PSP to browse the web and probably won't use it for much music either. I suppose a better battery would be nice but even that isn't crucial.
 
Oh yeah I forgot to mention this: news of this sort almost always gets leaked early, so it's entirely possible we'll get concrete info on the PSP2 a few weeks before E3. The Big Boss pack is limited edition though and I don't want to miss it, so in the next couple days I'll go ahead and reserve one.

I think you only have to put 10% down for systems so that'd be $20...worst case scenario, Sony announces the PSP2 and it's SUPER AWESOME AMAZING so I forget about the $20 and wait for the PSP2 to come out later.
 
If you've waited this long and most content is digital, why not wait until post-E3 and decide then? If a PSP2 is revealed, make your decision then.. it's not like you won't be able to find the games you want.
 
What I can see Sony doing in the PSP-4000 is finally fixing the darn screen for once and for all (the 3000 is good, but the lines do kind of bug me) and changing the memory stick it uses to sd (like the GO did).

I also am not sure even digital games will work on the PSP2. I mean, right now, the PS3 runs some PSP games (Minis) via an emulator, but barely in some cases. Since I've read that the PSP chipset is basically a dead end, a PSP2 would likely have to use different stuff and thus need to use software emulation. But would it be powerful enough? If a PS3 can barely do it, could the PSP2? Maybe in a few years, but probably not one launched this year or the next (unless it cost $600)
 
i think waiting is fine, but the psp is still selling like crazy in japan and if that keeps going i think sony will continue to ride that. most likely they are going to walk away from the go, even in japan no one cares. i wish i had the peace walker big boss, that thing looks sweetah...
 
Didn't Sony say that they would continue to revamp the psp for a ten year cyclei recall reading an interview at some point that said the psp "1" would have a ten year lifespan but would have numerous revisions/redesigns; likely every year. Since it's only 5 years old, I doubt we'd see a PSP 2 but maybe a psp Go 2000 or something like that.
 
The 10 year life cycle doesn't mean that a successor can't be released, as the PS2 and PS3 have shown when they've appeared six years after their predecessors launched. The PSP will be turning six in December.

Japan can't keep the PSP afloat forever with the way sales numbers are dropping and competing with the PS2 for worst sales each month.
 
don't worry, if they announce the psp2 at e3 this year it would be before the big boss package comes out. Then you can decide.

Edit plus psp2 = psp2 games. Don't bother speculating on something if you don't even know if its backwards compatable
 
[quote name='FriskyTanuki']Japan can't keep the PSP afloat forever with the way sales numbers are dropping and competing with the PS2 for worst sales each month.[/QUOTE]

PSP sales might not be that great in the US but in Japan the PSP is still moving and shaking.

Top 10 Software Sales, March 1 2010-March 7 2010:


  • 1. Pokemon Ranger Hikari no Kiseki (Nintendo, DS): 161,000
  • 2. .hack//Link (Namco Bandai, PSP): 60,000
  • 3. Dragon Quest IX Ultimate Hits (Square Enix, DS): 41,000
  • 4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 41,000
  • 5. Kenka Bancho 4 (Spike, PSP): 37,000
  • 6. Friend Collection (Nintendo, DS): 35,000
  • 7. Nobunga's Ambition Tendou (Koei, PS3): 33,000
  • 8. God Eater (Namco Bandai, PSP): 29,000
  • 9. Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo, Wii): 26,000
  • 10. Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition (Capcom, PS3): 24,000
3 out of 10 games were on the PSP, no PS2 in sight.

Console Sales, March 1 2010-March 7 2010:


  • PSP: 64,808
  • Wii: 33,880
  • PS3: 28,824
  • DSi LL: 23,611
  • DSi: 15,017
  • DS Lite: 4,316
  • Xbox 360: 2,794
  • PS2: 1,839
  • PSP go: 1,275
I will admit that these numbers are a little high, and that's because a .hack game came out on the PSP the week these sales figures were taken. However, the previous week saw 37,338 PSPs sold which is still an incredibly high number of consoles sold.

I think the reason the PSP still sells so well is because Sony is still supporting it. Yes, technically the PS2 is still going but they aren't really making new games for it, they're just doing ports and such.

The big question, though, is whether sales in Japan are enough to carry the PSP a little longer or if Sony is finally ready to bring out its replacement. I'm sure they're disappointed with the numbers in the US, so they may be releasing the PSP2 in the hopes of gearing it toward all the people in the US who didn't care for the PSP the first time around.
 
I was browsing the PSN store and noticed something: the largest PSP game I saw for download was something like 500-600MB. A UMD disc can hold 1.8GB of data, approximately 3 times what the PSP is currently using.

I don't know what kind of CDs the PS2 used but I assume they were regular 500MB capacity CDs. If that's the case, what's to stop Sony from making the PSP2 a handheld PS2 and continue using the UMD format?

I know Sony's trying to move toward digital distribution but I think it's going to be a very long process. The PSP Go has not sold well at all, not in the US or in Japan, and I think the main reason for that is the dependence on digital distribution. Not everyone wants it right now. It'd be great if they kept offering a physical product for the next cycle while they continue beefing up the PSN store...
 
[quote name='tcatsninfan']PSP sales might not be that great in the US but in Japan the PSP is still moving and shaking.

Top 10 Software Sales, March 1 2010-March 7 2010:


  • 1. Pokemon Ranger Hikari no Kiseki (Nintendo, DS): 161,000
  • 2. .hack//Link (Namco Bandai, PSP): 60,000
  • 3. Dragon Quest IX Ultimate Hits (Square Enix, DS): 41,000
  • 4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 41,000
  • 5. Kenka Bancho 4 (Spike, PSP): 37,000
  • 6. Friend Collection (Nintendo, DS): 35,000
  • 7. Nobunga's Ambition Tendou (Koei, PS3): 33,000
  • 8. God Eater (Namco Bandai, PSP): 29,000
  • 9. Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo, Wii): 26,000
  • 10. Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition (Capcom, PS3): 24,000
3 out of 10 games were on the PSP, no PS2 in sight.

Console Sales, March 1 2010-March 7 2010:


  • PSP: 64,808
  • Wii: 33,880
  • PS3: 28,824
  • DSi LL: 23,611
  • DSi: 15,017
  • DS Lite: 4,316
  • Xbox 360: 2,794
  • PS2: 1,839
  • PSP go: 1,275
I will admit that these numbers are a little high, and that's because a .hack game came out on the PSP the week these sales figures were taken. However, the previous week saw 37,338 PSPs sold which is still an incredibly high number of consoles sold.

I think the reason the PSP still sells so well is because Sony is still supporting it. Yes, technically the PS2 is still going but they aren't really making new games for it, they're just doing ports and such.

The big question, though, is whether sales in Japan are enough to carry the PSP a little longer or if Sony is finally ready to bring out its replacement. I'm sure they're disappointed with the numbers in the US, so they may be releasing the PSP2 in the hopes of gearing it toward all the people in the US who didn't care for the PSP the first time around.[/QUOTE]


i think it's been like that for months, i admit i only check it every couple weeks, so maybe i missed the off weeks, i have no idea what is keeping it up in japan, but it's been up for some time, the go on the other hand has been scraping the bottom for ages.

but if it was a certain game that came out that keeps the psp going, don't you think the people would buy only the game, why are all these new systems selling? are there extra features in japan, like tv mode or a browser that isn't shit, it makes no sense. hopefully though it will result in more games and the good games appearing here, however i'm not holding my breath.
 
Speaking as someone who recently purchased a psp I have to admit, I couldnt be happier. Even if a psp2 comes out its going to be years before its in a place where i'd want to buy it and then you would just get stuck in the same situation.

For me I'm very happy with my purchase and extremely happy with the amount of used cheap games and movies I'm able to find on UMD. Not to mention if you happen to have trouble finding a game that you really want to try or play on psp it could be found on the store in a pinch.

Basically what i'm saying is we dont know what the psp2 is going to be able to do we dont know what the price tag is. We dont know if its going to be backwards compatible at all or even WHEN if it will be. For me having cheap games now along with movies and music support along with the icing on the cake for me ps 1 games, really make me not regret it at all even if the psp2 is announced this year at E3.
 
[quote name='tigerpants']but if it was a certain game that came out that keeps the psp going, don't you think the people would buy only the game, why are all these new systems selling? [/QUOTE]

The new systems are selling because Japan gets a lot more bundles than the US does. Special colored systems, special accessories like game-branded carrying cases you can't get any other way, saving $$$ by buying the bundle rather than buying everything separately, etc.

It's worth noting that this happens with a bunch of consoles in Japan, not just PSPs. I'm not sure exactly why it doesn't happen as often here in the US, though in recent years they've been doing a better job with it.

That's why I think the Big Boss pack is so cool...for me, I've been thinking about getting a PSP anyway, and if I can time it in such a way that I get the special limited edition MGS one then I'm even more likely to buy one.
 
@riskzero

I like the cut of your jib. You're absolutely right about the PSP2--we don't know for sure when it's coming out, we don't know whether it'll be BC, and in all likelihood the first 1 or 2 iterations of the hardware won't be great and Sony will spend at least the first year getting everything in working order.

What games have you picked up so far?
 
[quote name='tcatsninfan']@riskzero

I like the cut of your jib. You're absolutely right about the PSP2--we don't know for sure when it's coming out, we don't know whether it'll be BC, and in all likelihood the first 1 or 2 iterations of the hardware won't be great and Sony will spend at least the first year getting everything in working order.

What games have you picked up so far?[/QUOTE]


Jeez where to start! I'm really enjoying the psp more so than my ps3 and xbox360 maybe its that I'm changing as a gamer, dunno.

Lets see *deep breathe* -

FF7 Crisis Core
Ridge Racer
God of War CoO
The Warriors
Buzz Master Quiz
Lumines 1+2
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops
Castlevania the Dracula X Chronicles
Archer Macleans Mercury
Killzone Liberation
Kingdom of Paradise
Hot Shots Golf
Twisted Metal Head On
Valkyre Profile Lenneth
Pursuit Force
Wipeout Pure
Resistance Retribution
Exit
WTF - Work Time Fun
Jeanne D'Arc
Disagea 1+2
Final Fantasy 1+2
Final Fantasy Tactics
Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars
Daxter
Star Ocean 1st departure (need 2nd still)
Silent Hill Origins
Crazy Taxi Fare Wars
Dissidia Final Fantasy
Half minute Hero
Every Extend Extra
Loco Roco 2
GTA Vice City
Prinny can I really be a hero
Persona
Lunar Silver Star Story

I love how when I was trying to decide which one ds/psp people used the argument there were no psp games, lol. I dont intend that comment to start a flame war or flame bait. It was just an observation!

What it boiled down to for me was having FF7/8 along with RE1-3 and Silent Hill all from psx at my finger tips and looking good that sold me a psp, but thats just me. I cant play any psx games on an hd tv but they look ok on the psp.

If you have any questions about some of the above games let me know! I've played most of em and can give you a general idea of my impressions.

BTW the only games I paid over 14.99 for were Lunar and Persona... everything else was under 10 bucks and all the way down to 1.99 (Kingdom of Paradise)
 
How did you get them all so cheaply? Amazon? I've noticed many of the titles there selling really cheap used, but the only places I know to get cheap games is either Amazon or Gamestop (occasionally). There's a website called Glyde.com, they have stuff listed too but the selection isn't huge.
 
[quote name='tcatsninfan']How did you get them all so cheaply? Amazon? I've noticed many of the titles there selling really cheap used, but the only places I know to get cheap games is either Amazon or Gamestop (occasionally). There's a website called Glyde.com, they have stuff listed too but the selection isn't huge.[/QUOTE]

I use Amazon, Gamestop and Ebay. I only do auctions and I've actually won quite a few for 0.99 + 3.99 shipping like the Mercury game and The Warriors.

I havent bought anything in the past week going on two because there just havent been any deals on any games I want.

Glyde is ok but the shipping bothers me, I understand why but still it just bothers me!
 
[quote name='Ed_']The Warriors is an awesome game. :cool:[/QUOTE]

Very true! I dont know why but beating the heck out of the Orphans feels so good.
 
My only hope (and I think the hope of many others) is to simply add a second analog stick. I think this one change would create more of an acceptance of the PSP (not that 60 million units sold is anything to scoff at). I enjoy the platform, I just think that change could open the door for better gaming experiences.
 
[quote name='tcatsninfan']I was browsing the PSN store and noticed something: the largest PSP game I saw for download was something like 500-600MB. A UMD disc can hold 1.8GB of data, approximately 3 times what the PSP is currently using.[/QUOTE]

There are some games bigger than 1 GB such as Final Fantasy Dissidia and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Some PSOne games are larger than a 1 GB such as Wing Commander.

[quote name='tcatsninfan']I don't know what kind of CDs the PS2 used but I assume they were regular 500MB capacity CDs. If that's the case, what's to stop Sony from making the PSP2 a handheld PS2 and continue using the UMD format? [/QUOTE]

The PS2 uses CDs (blue bottom discs) and DVDs. The early games were mostly on CD, but almost all of the games that came out in the second year and on of the PS2 were on DVD.

The PSP2 should use a blu-ray UMD to boost capacity for larger games. That way you would not have to have huge or multiple memory cards.
 
[quote name='CrimsonPaw']My only hope (and I think the hope of many others) is to simply add a second analog stick.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, although I hope that they only add the 2nd analog stick when they also update the graphics and everything else--in other words, the PSP2.

Adding a 2nd analog stick to the PSP would only splinter the user base and make things confusing...you'd have to look at the game cases really carefully to see which ones required the 2nd stick.

The 2nd stick would go a long way in making FPS and 3PS games viable on the PSP...
 
My problem with a lot of PSP games is that when I take out a game on a bus, train, or in a lobby, I want a console level of gaming satisfaction -- but not a game that was designed to be on a console.

This is a personal gripe, and I'm not saying anything is actually flawed with these games, but to give an idea of what I'm talking about consider the Daxter game. You would play this and throughout the game you'd be saying to yourself, "wow, this is so good for a hand held game!"

And that's my problem. It's good for a hand held game, and for a lot of people that's enough to impress them. But when I play Daxter, I'm only reminded of how infinitely better the Jak games are on my PS2 back home, and how severely lacking the PSP version is -- despite being an impressive feat for the PSP.

Basically, I don't want games that are half as good and settle for them merely because I'm on the go. I want games designed for my PSP, not titles that would qualify as mediocre console games.
 
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[quote name='panzerfaust']Basically, I don't want games that are half as good and settle for them merely because I'm on the go. I want games designed for my PSP, not titles that would qualify as mediocre console games.[/QUOTE]

I get what you're saying, and to be honest it's one of the reasons I've stayed away from the PSP until now. That's the single mindset I had, and I'd be lying if I said it isn't true to a certain extent. There are a bunch of PSP games that are actually crappier versions of PS2/Wii/whatever games and that's depressing. And then to make matters worse there's the problem you describe, where it seems to take less quality to make a "great" PSP game compared to a great PS3/whatever game.

I've come to realize that there are other categories of games, though:

  • PSOne Classics--Granted, you can play these on the PS3 or you can play them on the original PSX if you still have it, but they look better on the PSP screen and they still function well on the PSP.
  • PSN Store Games--This is stuff like the PixelJunk Monsters coming out in a week or two. Sure, you can play these on the PS3 but once again they still function well on the PSP and I enjoy having that versatility.
  • Games we wouldn't be able to play otherwise--There are a lot of great games that wouldn't have been made if it weren't for the PSP. Either they're too "simple" in one way or another or they're games that people would never pay $60 for. Stuff like the following:
    • Half-Minute Hero
    • MGS: Peace Walker
    • Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite
    • Kenka Bancho
    • Lumines 1 & 2
    • The GTA "Stories" games & Chinatown Wars
    • LocoRoco 1 & 2
    • The upcoming Parasite Eve game (might not be good, admittedly, but it's only on the PSP)
    • Countless RPG's
I absolutely see where you're coming from but I now realize that the PSP has its share of great games. To be honest I think there are a bunch of great PSP games that come out in Japan but never in North America/Europe. That's unfortunate but it's the way things go. Admittedly though, the PSP is definitely more focused on Japanese games so if those kinds of things aren't your cup of tea then that'd be a bit of a problem.

The PSP reminds me a bit of the Wii, in that over the life of the console I think there are some great games but on a month-to-month basis you see a bunch of shovelware, crappier versions of PS3/360 games, crappy kids' games that only exist to make a quick buck, etc. All that doesn't change the fact that there are some great games there, though.
 
I agree with tcats...I started playing through the games I've purchased through the years and am enjoying them. Right now I'm on GRAW 2 which is fun, but it's sooo easy because the enemy AI is soooo stupid. It's funny how I'm in front of a house and they're in the back; they haven't seen me yet but my UAV shows me their location and right away they yell, "Es un gringo!" ["It's a white man!"] :lol:

It's still good for mindless fun, though.
 
[quote name='tcatsninfan']
I've come to realize that there are other categories of games, though:

  • PSOne Classics--Granted, you can play these on the PS3 or you can play them on the original PSX if you still have it, but they look better on the PSP screen and they still function well on the PSP.
  • PSN Store Games--This is stuff like the PixelJunk Monsters coming out in a week or two. Sure, you can play these on the PS3 but once again they still function well on the PSP and I enjoy having that versatility.
  • Games we wouldn't be able to play otherwise--There are a lot of great games that wouldn't have been made if it weren't for the PSP. Either they're too "simple" in one way or another or they're games that people would never pay $60 for. Stuff like the following:
    • Half-Minute Hero
    • MGS: Peace Walker
    • Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite
    • Kenka Bancho
    • Lumines 1 & 2
    • The GTA "Stories" games & Chinatown Wars
    • LocoRoco 1 & 2
    • The upcoming Parasite Eve game (might not be good, admittedly, but it's only on the PSP)
    • Countless RPG's
The PSP reminds me a bit of the Wii, in that over the life of the console I think there are some great games but on a month-to-month basis you see a bunch of shovelware, crappier versions of PS3/360 games, crappy kids' games that only exist to make a quick buck, etc. All that doesn't change the fact that there are some great games there, though.[/QUOTE]

The GTA stories came out on PS2 also...

You're pretty spot on with wii comparison.
 
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