PSP Go: Sony may have confused hardware for service

Malik112099

Malik112099

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It is like ars technica broke into my brain and wrote down my thoughts but with less cursing


http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/06/psp-go-sony-may-have-confused-hardware-for-service-1.ars


Sony is making waves with the PSP Go, although what many gamers are failing to realize is that the ability to buy games online and go purely digital already exists with the product they own. Everyone is talking about the hardware, when the PlayStation Network as a service is the big story... and that already works with your less expensive PSP.

Holding a PSP Go, it's hard not to fall in love with the hardware, or at least develop a little crush on it. The system feels nice and sturdy, with a beautiful screen and clear sound. It feels like what it is: an expensive piece of consumer electronics equipment. The problem—and this might be a good problem to have—is that the hardware is already largely redundant. Sony's big move to digital is where the real news lies, and what people are forgetting is that there is no need to upgrade to take advantage of what Sony is offering.
Starting with the launch of the PSP Go, all PSP games will be available both as UMD releases and purely digital downloads. The PSP Go ships with 16GB of storage and no UMD drive, making it seem like the perfect platform for gaming on the go. Of course, so is your existing PSP system. You can download a limited number of UMD games directly to your Pro Duo card right now, and when that number increases all it takes is more storage to take advantage of it. You don't need $250 worth of hardware to go digital: buy a second-hand PSP, slam in a large Pro Duo card, and there you go.
The value and audacity of what Sony will be offering has nothing to do with the hardware and everything to do with the ubiquity of downloadable games and content. Sony already offers the ability to download video from the PlayStation Network directly with your existing hardware, and that allows you to keep your larger screen and ability to play your classic games. Not to mention you can take advantage of inexpensive used games that exist on UMDs. Sure, the system is slightly bigger and doesn't support bluetooth, but you won't have to buy new cables. The value of the "classic" PSP systems has never been better.
The biggest challenge facing the PSP Go is that its price is way too high for what you get over and above the standard PSP system. Having a sliding screen is nifty, but that screen is smaller. Being purely digital is great, but there's no reason you can't simply stop using the UMD drive in your existing system. John Koller spoke about helping retailers by changing the margin structure of the PSP Go, meaning that retailers may be enjoying a higher mark-up on the hardware than they usually see when selling hardware, which also explains the higher price. The question is, what happens when Walmart decides to forgo that margin and sell the unit as a loss-leader, as it does every other piece of gaming hardware it sells? GameStop is still left out in the cold, since it can't count on your wife picking up meatloaf while you buy electronics.
This is why the PSP Go may not do well at retail: the hardware is simply a nifty redesign of a system many of us already own. It's a little smaller. It supports bluetooth. That's pretty much it. Even if the system shipped with a faster CPU or more memory, developers would never spend time and money supporting a system with such a tiny installed base; why fracture development?
Unfortunately Sony and many pundits have the PSP Go confused with the service that Sony is offering with the PlayStation Network. Your existing model will take advantage of the new digital ecosystem just fine. The value of these moves for Sony is a more direct line to consumers with both games and content, and downloads that can't be traded in or bought used. The value for consumers is ease of use and convenience. None of these things require you to upgrade to new hardware.
PSPGoE3.jpg
Take the PSP Go out of the picture entirely and it's still a very exciting time for Sony's portable platform. Sony is going to be delivering great content, online, bypassing retail completely if you decide to download your games. While the DSi may be flirting with smaller games, and the iPhone is now seeing some games take up a moderate amount of space, Sony's strategy is a clear movement to a purely digital platform. This is being kicked off with the release of the PSP's Gran Turismo game, and the LittleBigPlanet demo I saw on Koller's PSP was amazing. A new Rock Band with classic gameplay is likewise a head-turner, along with the rest of Sony's upcoming titles for the platform.
The feature set, price, and game catalog of the PSP is very hard to beat, especially if you pick up an inexpensive used system. The gaming world is once again excited about the PSP platform, and Sony is taking a strong leadership position when it comes to bringing its devices together and selling games directly to consumers. Forget about the PSP Go unless you're in love with hardware that's shiny and new... not that there's anything wrong with that.
Sony's newest PSP iteration wants to take on the iPod touch, and frankly the software and content support for Apple's media players makes the iPod line an intimidating foe; Sony's strength with the PSP has always been with gaming. The smaller screen and somewhat cramped controls of the PSP Go may actually make the system a worse platform for games, not a better one.
Existing PSP owners shouldn't feel slighted by the new hardware: the system they already have is about to get much, much better as a digital device. Sony doesn't need to launch hardware to begin its assault on retail-sold games, although it certainly got us all talking.
 
I can say for sure that I have zero interest in the PSP Go. Sony can pry the hard copies of games from my cold, dead hands.
 
Not really worth the price of admission but will the Go! finally handle WPA2?! I keep my PSP off my network because of this. The iPhone handles it, why can't the PSP or the Go!? Personally, I'm more likely to buy a 3000 over a Go! at this point.
 
While I love Ben and the Ars guys, their 800 word point could have been made in 300. Perhaps they were making a sly point about how ineffectual and redundant the Go is.

Q: How many times to they have to reiterate the same thought?

A: 5!

-Sony already offers the ability to download video [and presumably, content] from the PlayStation Network directly with your existing hardware.
-Being purely digital is great, but there's no reason you can't simply stop using the UMD drive in your existing system.
-the hardware is simply a nifty redesign of a system many of us already own. It's a little smaller. It supports bluetooth. That's pretty much it.
-Your existing model will take advantage of the new digital ecosystem just fine.
-Existing PSP owners shouldn't feel slighted by the new hardware.
 
Lets say have a regular PSP with a ton of UMD games. You buy the PSP go but what happens to the games? Are you allowed to download them for free for the Go? Can you make a smooth transistion from the PSP to the Go?
 
They're working a program so you can get digital copies of the games you own

EDIT: I don't get peoples deal with the Go. Sony is putting it out to prevent the hacks the damn near every mother with a psp has going. Every PSP out since the fat has been for the same reason. Sony has to cut down on the ability to play illegally downloaded games or developers are going to shy away more and more.

I understand not liking the price, but saying that the go is redundant or unnecessary is just stupid, those kind of comments apply to everything after the fat.
 
^^^^

GO will be cracked sooner rather than later. The only thing that could take awhile will be the CFW that would allow the pirated games to be played.
 
[quote name='basilofbkrst']They're working a program so you can get digital copies of the games you own

EDIT: I don't get peoples deal with the Go. Sony is putting it out to prevent the hacks the damn near every mother with a psp has going. Every PSP out since the fat has been for the same reason. Sony has to cut down on the ability to play illegally downloaded games or developers are going to shy away more and more.

I understand not liking the price, but saying that the go is redundant or unnecessary is just stupid, those kind of comments apply to everything after the fat.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Bluth Superfan']^^^^

GO will be cracked sooner rather than later. The only thing that could take awhile will be the CFW that would allow the pirated games to be played.[/QUOTE]


the psp-3000 hasnt really been hacked.....the Go is a PSP-300 in new skin without a umd drive...what makes you think some miracle hack will emerge on the Go that hasnt been discovered on the 3000?
 
[quote name='Malik112099']the psp-3000 hasnt really been hacked.....the Go is a PSP-300 in new skin without a umd drive...what makes you think some miracle hack will emerge on the Go that hasnt been discovered on the 3000?[/QUOTE]

Because everything gets hacked eventually... It will happen.
 
[quote name='basilofbkrst']They're working a program so you can get digital copies of the games you own

EDIT: I don't get peoples deal with the Go. Sony is putting it out to prevent the hacks the damn near every mother with a psp has going. Every PSP out since the fat has been for the same reason. Sony has to cut down on the ability to play illegally downloaded games or developers are going to shy away more and more.

I understand not liking the price, but saying that the go is redundant or unnecessary is just stupid, those kind of comments apply to everything after the fat.[/QUOTE]

But why should the consumer pay for Sony's desire to make more money? Price/overall value has a ton to do with this, so it really shouldn't be cast off as an aside. The Go really adds no new features outside of design and a bluetooth adapter. The harddrive is a non-issue because of the PSP-x000's expandable memory. The internal battery is great for Sony's anti-piracy efforts, but sucks for the consumer who might want to expand it, swap it out on long trips, or replace it when its life drains for good.
The download-only gameplay model a) is available on all other models, b) severly reduces your gaming dollar by eliminating the used PSP game market.

That last point is really where Sony is having their cake and eating it too. They're curtailing piracy, and they're also eliminating the used game market--a publisher's two biggest enemies. And they're charging the consumer $80 more for it than a model that can do all the same things (except connect with bluetooth).

So how is this not redundant and stupid?
 
I believe the good stuff for the PSP Go are not the main course of full scale PSP games, but rather, smaller apps like those from Apple/iTune. Of course, you can use your regular PSP to get them too. The smaller games are set to have limits of 100mb or less, which obviously cost a lot less than a full scale PSP game. For Apple, the games are mostly developed around the touch screen and tilting of the iPod touch or iPhone. The PSP Go has one big advantage, actual buttons (well, so do the current PSPs). I guess there's no real need to get a PSP Go if you already have a PSP, especially a lighter one (2000 or 3000).

Well, since my 1000 and 2000 are running CFW, i guess i'll use the Go for the official FW. I could just get another PSP cheap, but why blow another $100 something dollar for something i already have (hardware to hardware comparison).

Since Amazon is running this nice little trade-in deal, i'm paying $100 for the Go. Honesly, $250 is a lot of money for something you already own and doing the same exact thing.
 
CFW is the best, no mistakes about that, but you can't enjoy the games from PSN. Well, at least not yet and even if a CFW does allow you do that, the relationship of your CFW'd PSP (Go or not) to PSN is not a stable one... PSN is notorious for updates, so i don't see how you run CFW and get away with it (maybe not the games already downloaded, but what about the new ones?)

Again, the purpose of Go is to compete with iPod touch and iPhone games. Which means there will be a slew of smaller games on the PSN just tailored for the PSP (Go or not, but Sony want you to think Go). How do one enjoy those games? Running official FW of course... Even on a hacked iPhone/touch, you still need to buy the apps from iTune no?
 
[quote name='Serpentor']Redundant, YES
Stupid? NO[/QUOTE]

Charging $80 more for a redundant product that will hurt your wallet even more in the long run is stupid in itself.
 
a cfw psp is able to purchase and download from the psn, and if the purchase requires a higher fimware, this can be sidestepped without much trouble
I just wish it was easier to purchase games directly from a pc or mac, and the whole playstation account, merge with playstation underground account, manage account kills ease of use

I also will be grabbing umds if the GO destroys their values.
 
[quote name='kevlar51']Charging $80 more for a redundant product that will hurt your wallet even more in the long run is stupid in itself.[/QUOTE]

That's the thing, it's only stupid if everything about the Go is redundant. BUT you're forgetting that, the Go's gaming ability is the same as that of the current PSPs (hence redundant). The Go itself is not a redundant product. Without the PSP deals factor, $80 for the Go "upgrade" is not stupid, it's on par with the money value.

Like i've said, the Go is a trendy move, not a functional replacement. It's targeting the group of gamers Apple and DSi are taking away. The main attraction will be those tiny little games ranging from FREE to $10. It's for the devs really, devs of all ages, poor or rich, as long as they have the passion for games, the Go will let the creativity and fun continue (competition is good right?). Again, the current PSP can do all this, but it's just not trendy enough...
 
I thought the 3000 was just recently hacked about 10 or so days ago?

Regardless, the PSP Go is a nice idea and I understand that Sony hopes developers will be more confident as they beef up security and focus on direct sales. In theory this should work out for everyone who doesn't mind paying full price for great games (not so much the CAG crowd).. but if the end result is better games, then I won't complain. Only problem I see is the price that outweighs the other handheld by $80, matches the highest selling console, and outweighs the second highest selling console by $50.
 
The ridiculousness of the PSP Go has nothing AT ALL to do with the hardware.

It's a nice piece of hardware.

It has everything to do with being nearly $100 MORE than its similarly-equipped and actually more capable older brothers, the PSP-1000/2000/3000.

If this were a $149-169 piece of hardware, it would be not issue at all.

Sadly for Sony, between this and the lack of a price drop on the PS3, they're still up to their necks in stunningly foolish hubris.
 
The real issue that I see is the lack of physical media. This is a significant deviation from any other console currently on the market. (that is, if you don't count the iPhone) A lot of gamers take issue with not having physical media. I have a friend who refuses to install Steam on his computer, because he doesn't like the idea of download-only games.

At the same time, I'm not convinced that the majority of game customers are as attached to physical media as most message boards would have you believe. We live in a generation where selling games back to GameStop is commonplace. Obviously people aren't that attached to their physical discs if they just sell them to a used game store when they are done with them.

The real advantage of physical discs is the sense of permanence they give you. You have the game on a disc/cartridge. As long as you have that physical media, you have the game. Of course, there is a drawback to that system. If you ever lose that disc/cartridge, then you have lost the game. In that situation, the only way to get the game back is to buy it again.

Digital distribution has no tangible representation of the product. You aren't actually buying the game itself, you are simply buying access to it. For some people that is a scary proposition. (especially collectors, since there's nothing to collect) The advantage is that since what you acquire is intangible, it isn't really possible to lose it. The only gamble is related to the longevity of the system. As long as the digital distribution system exists, you will always have access to your purchase. The hardware is largely irrelevant and interchangeable. Even if your system gets stolen, your PSN log-in is all that really matters.
 
I love this quote from the boss at SCEE on the PSP Go's price.

"When you introduce a new piece of hardware you have the opportunity to say there is a certain premium that is associated with it, and we took that into account."


That just astonishes me that he would flat out say that, but hey people out there are going to buy it so its true.
 
I don't see why everyone is talking why it's so expensive. Yes, the price is high, and yes, the hardware is basically already out (the older PSPs). Don't forget that when new consoles are out, the prices are 'premium.' I know that this isn't a new console, by any means, but if it's priced too high, then don't buy it until you think the price is right. Not everything has to be a day one buy. I've rarely bought things on the release day.
 
The point isn't "too expensive for me."

It's "this is a stupid maneuver in this economic climate, made even more stupid by virtue of the fact that everything it offers is available in previous, far cheaper models."
 
[quote name='mykevermin']It's "this is a stupid maneuver in this economic climate, made even more stupid by virtue of the fact that everything it offers is available in previous, far cheaper models."[/QUOTE]

Save for portability and Blue Tooth functionality.

Sony keeps talking about PSPGo specific apps that I wonder if it will be exclusive to this model, or more corporate speak to get consumers interested in the system. Seems like the latter is more likely.
 
Good article. There seems to be a lot of confusion about what the PSP Go actually is. I just recently read a discussion on another website that was questioning whether Gran Turismo Portable and LittleBigPlanet Portable will be "compatible" with the older PSP models.

I don't know if Sony is smart or stupid for downplaying the current PSP and letting people believe that they need to "upgrade" to a Go, when their old PSP can already do everything the Go will be able to do.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']I don't know if Sony is smart or stupid for downplaying the current PSP and letting people believe that they need to "upgrade" to a Go, when their old PSP can already do everything the Go will be able to do.[/QUOTE]

Stupid. If they are making most of their money from software sales (and I think most people agree that this is true), then it is silly not to advertise how existing PSP owners can do this "better" through PSN, and earn Sony an even higher cut. If there are PSP owners that think they need a PSP Go to use new software, with the higher price of the Go they are likely to just forget about it altogether. That's money lost, just because Sony thinks it would be better to sell some more hardware.
 
The problem with the price is what is being acquired for it.

The PSP Go has Bluetooth, and it is more portable. Those are the primary differences that the $70 discrepancy accounts for. Bluetooth is no excuse. Everyone familiar with Bluetooth knows that the hardware for that is dirt-cheap right now. I picked up a Bluetooth adapter for my computer the other day for less than $10.

Increased portability is nice, but it isn't going to justify the price to most consumers in the current economic climate. Sony isn't going to end up competing with the iPhone, they are going to be competing against themselves. As long as the original PSP is still available on shelves, it is going to canibalize sales of the PSP Go. It does pretty much everything that the Go does, and is $70 cheaper.
 
Apple is supposed to be coming out with a 3rd generation iPod touch that has a camera and mic, frankly I will be watching to see what transpires with that.
 
Some over looked issues I find is the battery. Even if its a newer ion battery that holds charges better, its going to be the same problem I find with owning ipods. After it stops holding a charge, its practically worthless, then you end up spending a shaqfu -load for a replacement, which they end up installing. At least with the PSP's 1000-3000s you could get a replacement, pandora or not.
 
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