"We currently have no plans to release another version of the PSP." That's what a faceless Sony spokesperson
predictably told Gameindustry.biz after having his inbox flooded with reports of a
redesigned PSP arriving as early as March 2007. Understandably, Sony is far more interested in highlighting their handheld's new peripherals, namely a
1.3 Megapixel camera and GPS add-on. Both devices, along with a games lineup powered by
Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, are set to be given obscenely bright spotlights and elaborate displays at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show. Is that it for the unborn
PSPetite? Hardly. There's more than one way to interpret Sony's tactic of dismissal:
- This one's the least interesting -- there is no redesign in the works, leaving the PSP as the sole train departing the portable gaming ghetto.
- The folks at Sony do have plans to release a new PSP but realize that announcing an improved model, mere months before Christmas, probably isn't the greatest idea they've ever come up with (it would rank just slightly above the PSX).
- Amusingly, said plans may actually be unveiled tomorrow. Who could forget Nintendo's David Yarnton debunking a DS redesign? He was quoted as saying "That's been rumoured, I don't know for how long, but we haven't got any plans at the moment. Nothing I know of." The DS Lite was announced the very next day.
With the PSP consistently snagging second spot in the
Japanese hardware charts and the DS Lite steamrolling its way across the Earth, there's little evidence to suggest that Sony wouldn't reap the rewards of a redesigned handheld. After all, it's sure to include new firmware.
{ Sep 1st 2006 at 5:15PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karen @ Sep 1st 2006 5:42PM
The camera and GPS peripherals will be the main attraction, and a total of 16 titles will be showcased to demonstrate the strong line-up of software that will be released towards the year.
Metaly @ Sep 1st 2006 5:34PM
True or not, I was planning on getting a PSP in the next couple months and this has made me pretty wary about that. I imagine a lot of other people will also hold out on buying PSPs because of these stories. Sony's just not having a good year.
Kayzai @ Sep 1st 2006 5:35PM
If I were Sony. I would dump the PSP which is a lost cause.
When your main competitor takes all the 10, top ten chart places AND sells 6X more hardware than you in a week WITH INFERIOR TECHNOLOGY.
You should say "OH WELL, AT LEAST WE TRIED"
Sony need to be putting ALL it's energy in to digging the PS3 out of the grave the seem intent on putting it.
Failure of the PSP will mean nothing to Sony. Failure of the PS3 with mean DISASTER. Which nobody wants.
T-Bag @ Sep 1st 2006 5:40PM
Was it something I said? lmfao
darryl @ Sep 1st 2006 5:47PM
Why would they redesign the PSP so soon? They redesigned the PS2 many years after the original's release, why would the PSP be any different?
The PSP doesn't need a redesign, it's selling awesome and this fall will bring many new software titles added to it's already huge catalog. It'll be a few years before we see a new version.
I think only Nintendo is known for slapping a new coat of paint on an existing product to get existing owners to buy the same thing a second time.
GSI @ Sep 1st 2006 6:05PM
Sony should maybe tryfocusing their resources on gaming MORE original games for the PSP instead of making addons and pointless firmware updates for the internet browsers.
Dave @ Sep 1st 2006 6:07PM
Uh, by a lot of the comments I hear, the redesign for the DS was awesome, save for the weaker speakers, the hinge problems, and the big-handed folk that weren't sure how to best hold it.
A PSP redesign that adds flash memory, smaller specs, and a retractable screen cover would be quite awesome, especially coupled with all of the new software, hardware, and downloadable stuff coming out for it. Hell, even the battery life could probably be improved by now (not that I've ever had any problems with it), so to not try to entice new buyers to look at a newer PSP (a lower price tag would help, as would discounts for UMD movies. I keep hearing $10~15 dollars for a film, these days) and consider the system worth getting.
And finally, again, having some actual software out. About time. :D
Rita @ Sep 1st 2006 6:06PM
"I think only Nintendo is known for slapping a new coat of paint on an existing product to get existing owners to buy the same thing a second time."
As if some Sony fanboys aren't that loyal. :)
It would've been a good move, but it was always just a nice rumor.
Sean D. @ Sep 1st 2006 6:47PM
"I think only Nintendo is known for slapping a new coat of paint on an existing product to get existing owners to buy the same thing a second time."
Have we already forgotten about the PSOne and PS2 Slim?
glitched @ Sep 1st 2006 6:09PM
Hows this for flame bate:
The PSP was/is selling better than the 360. So if t the PSP a lost cause, what does that make the 360.
www.vgcharts.com
Psaakyrn @ Sep 1st 2006 6:13PM
to #5 darryl
Don't tell me you forgot the PSX and slim PS2, or the pink slim PS2, just a few examples of the top of my head.
Fact is, repainting works, as all 3 knows. (sure, 360 doesn't exactly do repaints, but they do sell faceplates.)
Bob Johnson @ Sep 1st 2006 6:17PM
Wow, that new model is ugly. They should just stay with the original.
j/k - funny how they had to put [this is fake] on it or somebody surely would have sad that being serious.
Zebulunite @ Sep 1st 2006 6:29PM
PSP is a lost cause? Worldwide, the PSP has sold fairly close to the number of DS systems. The 6X more hardware in a week was only in Japan, and only on the week of the DS Lite's launch (I believe last week the DS and Lite sold 2X times the PSP).
On the other hand, the Sony's PS2 has sold more than double as many consoles as the Gamecube and Xbox COMBINED, with, of course, inferior technology. By your standards, Microsoft and Nintendo should have dropped the Gamecube and Xbox even sooner than the PSP.
Certainly, the DS is doing better than the PSP. Does that mean the PSP is dead, or a lost cause? No, it does not. To say the PSP is a failure because it has sold less than the market leader is to say that the Sega Genesis, N64, Gamecube, and Xbox were all failures.
Kayzai @ Sep 1st 2006 6:21PM
"The PSP was/is selling better than the 360. So if t the PSP a lost cause, what does that make the 360.?"
A TOTALLY LOST CAUSE IN JAPAN
darryl @ Sep 1st 2006 6:24PM
@Psaakyrn:
"Don't tell me you forgot the PSX and slim PS2, or the pink slim PS2, just a few examples of the top of my head."
Nope, I even mentioned the PS2 redesign in my first post:
"They redesigned the PS2 many years after the original's release..."
H-QB @ Sep 1st 2006 6:24PM
lol @ console price point vs. handheld pricepoint
navstar @ Sep 1st 2006 6:27PM
Where did you get that PSP / Saturn controller combo mockup? It's awesome! Where can I see it by itself?
mykie @ Sep 1st 2006 6:26PM
#11 Bob Johnson
Guess you weren't here Wednesday for the original thread:
http://arcade.joystiq.com/2006/08/30/newly-designed-psp-coming-in-2007/
Every other comment "is that real? that's ugly!"
BPM? @ Sep 1st 2006 6:37PM
Darryl, I think there's a difference in the situation between the DS remodel and the PS2 remodel.
The PS2 was already the market leader, by a long shot. There was no NEED for them to make it smaller to gain more sales (of course, the PS2 slim has sold quite well).
Whereas with the DS, it was pretty much even with PSP sales, sometimes being outsold by PSP every few weeks.
And once DS Lite hit and addressed some complaints with the original model (too bulky/"ugly", screens too dark, stylus too small, etc.), it was DS mania everywhere.
Now, maybe DS would still be doing as well even without Lite's presence, due to a strong software library, but I doubt it. The Lite really pushed the DS into the limelight and made it the phenomenom it is now.
A PSP redesign would be nothing but good news if it were true.
Bloo @ Sep 1st 2006 6:34PM
"The PSP was/is selling better than the 360. So if t the PSP a lost cause, what does that make the 360."
How can you compare a $199 handheld that has been out for almost 2 years to a $399 home console that hasn't even been out a year? The fact that the PSP isn't a lost cause makes your "flame bait" even more worthless.
Zebulunite @ Sep 1st 2006 6:34PM
Sorry, #17 was directed at #2
(it would rank just slightly above the PSX).
What's wrong with combinding a game system and DVR? Sony's main mistake was that they only released the PSX in Japan (where interest in DVRs is small), rather than in the US (where the market for DVRs is much larger).
H-QB @ Sep 1st 2006 6:41PM
"17. PSP is a lost cause? Worldwide, the PSP has sold fairly close to the number of DS systems. The 6X more hardware in a week was only in Japan, and only on the week of the DS Lite's launch (I believe last week the DS and Lite sold 2X times the PSP)."
Not this arguement again XD
"On the other hand, the Sony's PS2 has sold more than double as many consoles as the Gamecube and Xbox COMBINED, with, of course, inferior technology. By your standards, Microsoft and Nintendo should have dropped the Gamecube and Xbox even sooner than the PSP."
Oh noes! Comparing a handheld to a console! lollerskating
"Certainly, the DS is doing better than the PSP. Does that mean the PSP is dead, or a lost cause? No, it does not. To say the PSP is a failure because it has sold less than the market leader is to say that the Sega Genesis, N64, Gamecube, and Xbox were all failures."
Actually, true! It doesnt mean its dead. It hasnt been many years yet to call it dead. Though, one could argue its being slapped around not unlike (lol double negative) previous handhelds that have gone up against Nintendo =O
Steve @ Sep 1st 2006 6:43PM
The Genesis had a fighting chance... everyone has been calling the N64, Gamecube, and XBox failures, actually. So yes.
Me personally, I believe the PSP hasn't failed... it's got a niche, a bigger niche than other handhelds... But we all know who's king of knowing the handheld market, and that isn't going to change any time soon. Yes, the PSP now has a better library, but it's nowhere near the DS in terms of quantity or quality. The DS is selling substantially more worldwide than the PSP is even "shipping" for the same reason the PS2 cleaned the floor with the other consoles: selection.
BTW, on an interesting note, if Zelda and Super Paper Mario sell well, and Nintendo ends up selling even 1 or 2 million more Cubes, the original XBox (which isn't selling jack shit anymore, and isn't being made anymore) may end up in "third place" this gen. If it hasn't happened already. The Cube has 22 million sold, and the XBox has 24 million shipped - and that's where the number stops. On a related note, North America is the only market the 360 is doing half-decent in (selling usually just over 200k units/month) whereas only 20k per month units in Europe, and not even 5k/month in Japan. The only company that should be wearing rose-tinted shades right now is Nintendo - wish I could've invested stock in them around 2003.
Zebulunite @ Sep 1st 2006 6:50PM
To #21
“Not this arguement again XD”
XD? I agree 100% that at least a couple million more systems than the DS, and that the DS is the handheld market leader. The facts remain, however, that worldwide they are only a few million apart (and thus there is not huge gap between the two).
“Oh noes! Comparing a handheld to a console! Lollerskating”
What's wrong with making a comparison? The situation certainly isn't exactly the same, as the technological gap between the PSP and DS is much greater than the gap between the PS2 and Xbox/Gamecube, and the DS has the touch screen, allowing a whole different class of games. My point remains that if you argue that the PSP is “dead” because it has sold a few million less than the DS, it is analogous to saying the same of the Gamecube and Xbox.
“Actually, true! It doesnt mean its dead. It hasnt been many years yet to call it dead. Though, one could argue its being slapped around not unlike (lol double negative) previous handhelds that have gone up against Nintendo =O “
I don't know about slapped around. It certainly isn't the leader, but the PSP has done significantly better than any other handheld competitor of Nintendo.
Zebulunite @ Sep 1st 2006 7:02PM
To #22
“The Genesis had a fighting chance... everyone has been calling the N64, Gamecube, and XBox failures, actually. So yes.”
Genesis was the leader for a while, and made Sega a ton of money (which it blew on the Sega CD, 32X and Saturn). While the N64 sold significantly less than the PSone, Nintendo still sold about 1/3 as many systems as the Psone. Gamecube and Xbox both sold less than the PS2. Nintendo made mony on the Gamecube throughout it's life, so at the very least it was profitable, if not the “winner”. Out of those four, the Xbox is really the only system I would consider, at least in part, a “failure” from the fact that Microsoft lost a significant amount of money over its lifetime on it. But since Microsoft's goal with the Xbox was not to make profits, but rather to establish themselves as a console maker, in that sense it was a success.
Ultimately, if a system winds up in first, but left the company in the red, has it really won? And if a system didn't best the leader in system sales, but turned a profit, is it really a failure?
“Me personally, I believe the PSP hasn't failed... it's got a niche, a bigger niche than other handhelds... But we all know who's king of knowing the handheld market, and that isn't going to change any time soon. Yes, the PSP now has a better library, but it's nowhere near the DS in terms of quantity or quality. The DS is selling substantially more worldwide than the PSP is even "shipping" for the same reason the PS2 cleaned the floor with the other consoles: selection.”
Right, and in my opinion, they complement each other. The PSP is better, on average, for 3D games and console ports, while the DS is better, on average, for more unique/innovative games and, obviously, has Nintendo games. Each one serves a niche that the other cannot match as well. If anything, I think there is more of a reason to get a PSP and DS than to get multiple current generation consoles. The PSP and DS can do things the other can't as well, while current generation consoles are pretty much capable of the same thing.
“BTW, on an interesting note, if Zelda and Super Paper Mario sell well, and Nintendo ends up selling even 1 or 2 million more Cubes, the original XBox (which isn't selling jack shit anymore, and isn't being made anymore) may end up in "third place" this gen. If it hasn't happened already. The Cube has 22 million sold, and the XBox has 24 million shipped - and that's where the number stops. On a related note, North America is the only market the 360 is doing half-decent in (selling usually just over 200k units/month) whereas only 20k per month units in Europe, and not even 5k/month in Japan. The only company that should be wearing rose-tinted shades right now is Nintendo - wish I could've invested stock in them around 2003. ”
I completely agree with you on the investment comment. Same with Apple around the same time.
As you said, the Cube while likely sell more than the Xbox in the end.
Fandel @ Sep 1st 2006 7:14PM
2: "If I were Sony. I would dump the PSP which is a lost cause."
Thankfully, you don't run an actual company. Just because the PSP is in second place, does not mean it's a total failure. By your odd logic, the N64 was a gigantic failure for Nintendo because it was a distant second in hardware sales. The GameCube was in third place, and by no means was it a huge financial failure for Nintendo.
cheekymunky @ Sep 1st 2006 7:30PM
already heard from a rep, about xmas bundle w/ 1gb mem card, atv offroad fury game, a movie, and system for 250
GSI @ Sep 1st 2006 8:13PM
-->"xmas bundle w/ 1gb mem card, atv offroad fury game, a movie, and system for 250"
Woop-de-freakin-do! It still doesn't address the fact that the PSP has enough games to even come close to what the DS can offer AND PSP's online strategy is non-existent.
is @ Sep 1st 2006 9:18PM
26. "By your odd logic"
You forgot to add that a) Nintendo still made money off the n64 by producing first-party profit-making GAMES for it and b) Compared to the playstation, n64 was a failure. It was a magnificent console which had some of the greatest games ever made on it, but it was a 'console war' failure. Anyone can see that.
See, sony fans want it both ways. They want to say they won the console wars but they ARNT losing the handheld war. Their losing BAD. I convinced 3 people to buy ds's with my copy of brain age alone. I saw three second hand psp's in the GAME store in my town. Go Fig.
Incidently, I also got around 7 people very exited in Wii, including my parents. Which really is something special.
Nintendowned.
Jonn @ Sep 1st 2006 9:18PM
#5: Can you spell "PSone" and "PStwo"?
Mmm, fanboy logic.
H-QB @ Sep 1st 2006 9:25PM
Dug up from a previous article:
DS Worldwide: Over 22,538,503
PSP Worldwide: Around 12,678,031
http://palgn.com.au/viewtopic.php?t=12180
lawl, please stop using the "almost the same amount sold" argument
Fandel @ Sep 1st 2006 9:28PM
30:"See, sony fans want it both ways. They want to say they won the console wars but they ARNT losing the handheld war. Their losing BAD. I convinced 3 people to buy ds's with my copy of brain age alone. I saw three second hand psp's in the GAME store in my town. Go Fig."
Dude, I really don't give a crap who wins the console war. I have a PSP, DS Lite, 360, PS1, PS2, GameCube, and plan to buy both a PS3 and a Wii on launch day. See, unlike some people here, I only care about the games, and to be honest, I've been playing Valkyrie Profile on the PSP a lot lately. I've also been playing Castlevania on the DS too, so go figure.
The reason why I don't waste time getting into system fanboy wars on the Internet, is because I'm too busy actually having a job so I can afford the systems I want, and not having to rely on my parents to by me a video game console.
Someone who has a job owned.
Leper Messiah @ Sep 1st 2006 10:13PM
Alright joystiq, I love you guys almost all of the time, youre my most trusted and first checked source of news, but when you guys announced the redesigned psp and didnt hint that it might not actually be true, I took that and ran with it.
Now I have god knows who calling me "failure" and like newb or something. It doesnt really hurt my feelings, but the fact that I took what you guys stated as a fact to be true and am now having to eat my words up, thats where the pain is.
So.... basically, can I have like a free joystiq t-shirt to make up for the embarrassment and self anguish? And think of how popular your site will be when people see me walking around in a joystiq t-shirt.
I have links to the forums if you need proof.
And btw, I dont actually expect this to be answered, but if it is, thatd be pretty sweet, but very unlikely.
GSI @ Sep 1st 2006 10:27PM
-->"Now I have god knows who calling me "failure" and like newb or something."
Well it is a BLOG. They aren't a professional gaming media company like IGN, GameSpy, Gamespot or 1up...it's just a blog ran by some people who post this stuff on the side.
Mallam @ Sep 1st 2006 10:37PM
GSI,
Err.. Joystiq is owned by AOL, no?. Mr Ludwig I assume is being paid to "post this stuff on the side".
Mitsuo @ Sep 1st 2006 10:55PM
I don't know if this was said or not, but I'll say it again if it was.
the PSOne and PSTwo were redesignes 4 or so YEARS into the console life. Thus most of the people that wanted a PS1 or PS2 already had one. Then they redesigned it to run better and cost less. That's what Sony did. Nintendo? They redesign their handhelds a lot eariler. GB to GBP. GBP to CGB? 2 or 3 years. GBA to GBA-SP, 2 years. And then DS to DS lite a little over a year. So you can't really be saying that Sony is also just putting a fesh coat of paint on a console. If it does, then it probably have rust marks all over it before it gets a new coat.
So with sony's current remaking trend they won't do it untill well into the PSP's LONG and PROSPIROUS life time. Hell even spock once said, "May the PSP live long and prosper and completly pwn the loser DS!" *prepares to get flogged by star treck and nintendo fanboys and thus puts up a anti-trecki/nintendo force field* MWAHAHAAHAHA
Mel @ Sep 1st 2006 11:02PM
Mitsuo, did you get any homework from Mrs Sanders today?.
bounchfx @ Sep 1st 2006 11:52PM
anyone but me remember sony saying there would be "no ports" and "lots of original games" for psp?
yeah, I used to like sony back then. I still love my ps2. but there is a definite reason I sold my psp: it's library was ass. not to say all the games were bad, some were quite good. but the fact that there was pretty much nothing new(thats halfway decent), save lumines which is my god. it was...in my opinion.. an extremely huge disapointment for all the promise it held.
syphon filter, tekken, wipeout, ridge racer, gta (which is sweet that it is on a portable), Hot shots, tony hawk 2 (lol someone say LAUNCH PORT?), Burnout (definitley sweet though), madden & friends, x-men legends, mlb, atv, twisted metal, NFSU, nfl street, sims 2, tomb raider, ssx, midnight club, juiced, dbz, and many more.
yeah, it's great if you like these games, great for you. and I guess it's the developers not sony that decide mainly what games go on the system.. but still.. I'll pass on many of these, and I got interested while writing these... how many of ign's 7-10 rated games are NEW properties/not ports(not necessarily totally new properties, ex: wipeout would count as new, but tekken wouldn't nor would gta or ridge racer. we havent exactly seen wipeout that recently). keep in mind I might make mistakes as I'm doing this semi fast, so don't give me shit about it, if you see something wrong correct it:
~30/89 (SAD, ...imo, considering more than half of those got ~7
once again, as long as the games your system has appeal to you, thats all that matters.
I am, though, very jealous that capcom has been giving psp a lot of attention with its remakes/rereleases. but lol at least thats all they are.
Zebulunite @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:12AM
@ 31
First off, I thought I saw another link disproving that thread. I could be wrong though...
But, assuming the article is true, and that the PSP has only sold around 13 million systems compared to 23 million DS systems, that does not make it “dead” at this point or a failure. To make an analogy, look at the PS2 and Gamecube. As of now, about 5X more PS2s have sold compared to Gamecubes. And yet, Nintendo has made profits this generation. Did the Gamecube sell the most? No. Did Nintendo make money off of it? Yes. For at least its first four years, was it well supported, despite the PS2 selling far more consoles? Yes. Was it a failure? In my opinion, no it was not.
As of now, the PSP has done better (at least in console sales) in its first year and a half against the DS than the Gamecube did in its first year and a half against the PS2. So as I said in an earlier post, unless the Gamecube should have been considered “dead” or a failure after its first year and a half, the PSP should not be considered dead or a failure now as well.
Rob @ Sep 2nd 2006 12:50AM
i wish every one would quit this crap about "the psp is a pointless handheld why doesn't sony just cut their losses?"
i bought my psp in june because i was really excited about a few new games coming out this fall (powerstone, metal slug) and i could not be happier. my girlfriend has a DS and while i think there are a few neat games for it i can't find a whole lot that peaks my interest. while there are tons of games that i've played for hours on my psp and a ton more that a want to buy.
my point is: its just different systems for different people.
i know all the DS fanboys are going to come back with "that was the stupidest thing ever" but i find 80% of the games for DS are for kids. as a 21 year old guy i just can't get fired up about a new pokemon game or something like that. but thats not the only reason i'm not pumped about the DS. that was just something i found when i was looking to buy a game for my girlfriend one day.
anyway, this is pretty much the longest post ever on here, thanks to whomever actually read it. as for the redesign; it worked out great for the lite, so why not right? i'm not psp "crazy" but i'd probably buy it if it looked sexy enough and had the camera built in.
Jamesology @ Sep 2nd 2006 3:21AM
It's funny how everyone keeps calling eachother fanboys but in reality you're ALL fanboys HAHHAHAHAHA! I am too, I prefer Sony, but I also own a DS Lite b/c it too has games that fit my preference. I do admit that I will never dish out cash for an XBOX; or anything MS. I rather invest in a Sega DC.
BritPod @ Sep 2nd 2006 10:49AM
#39
That example doesn't really hold, unless Sony is turning a profit with each PSP sold.. which last I heard they were losing money (this was prior to all the price cuts).
Sell fewer systems (and games) + lose money per system (bad)
Zebulunite @ Sep 2nd 2006 11:19AM
To #42
Well, like I said it was an analogy. I was focusing on systems sold since #2, which I originally responded to, mainly focused on system sales (saying that Sony should give up because the DS is 6X more systems in Japan in some of the weakly charts than the PSP). I'm not sure how exactly the PSP and DS compare so far as games sold, but certainly more DS games have sold.
I agree with you that Sony is doing worse, as they are possibly/probably losing money on each system sold, have sold less systems, and have sold less games. My point, as I'd assume you would agree, is that just because the PSP isn't doing as well as the DS does not make it “dead” a “failure” or something that should be dropped.
In any case, perhaps the better analogy would be comparing the DS to the PS2 and the PSP to the Xbox. Microsoft's goal with the Xbox wasn't to make money, but rather they wanted to establish themselves in the console market (which they of course have). Similarly, the PSP, while not as successful as the DS and possibly losing Sony money overall, has been successful in establishing Sony as a major player in the handheld market.
Brad Lee @ Sep 2nd 2006 2:27PM
@ Rob
I'm not sure what you mean by 'for kids.' If you mean that the stories and overall style of the games is more kiddy and cartoon-like, then I agree with you. But, I think most of the games on the DS can be played by anyone.
And you should give the Pokemon games a shot. They may be for kids, but I'm 21 and I've been playing Pokemon games ever since Red/Blue came out for the original Gameboy and let me tell you, they are some of the most challenging and rewarding gaming experiences you can find. I'm not talking about the spin-off games, I'm talking about the actual RPGs. The games require a lot of strategy and knowledge of pokemon types and moves to actually win. The 'elite four' in each game is especially challenging.
I wouldn't discount games just because they are 'kiddy.' The Pokemon series is simply one of the best game series ever. The amount of strategy and depth to be found in each game is unmatched by most games out there. Also, the game tends to reinvent itself with every new generation to keep from getting boring, which is something that can't be said for most game series.
As for the PSP, I'm still unsure about getting one myself. If I can find a great deal on Ebay I'll buy one, but I certainly won't buy one at full price, especially when a new version might be just right around the corner.
And I'm still unsure about the game library. I know there are some great fighting games (which the DS is severely lacking) and some great 'classics collections' (especially by capcom) that I would be interested in, but I really have no interest in console ports. Hell, I'm even getting sick of console games on consoles, let alone console games converted to a handheld. I just have that 'been there done that' syndrome. If the PSP can land more unique games like LocoRoco I might have to get one. But, as it stands right, now I'm still kinda on the fence.
BritPod @ Sep 2nd 2006 11:16PM
Well from what Sony told us at the PSP launch they did intend to blow Nintendo (at least the DS) out of the water, and let's face it, they had a good chance to because at the time many people thought Nintendo had lost it with that crazy touch screen.
While Sony took a financial gamble entering the market, it didn't take a philosophical gamble like Nintendo. So we got a better machine in terms of graphical power in a potable, but with the DS we got new ways to play games.
Both are valid, but with the more-power route comes more development costs and time. This comes into play with the 'success' of the PSP because if it costs 2-3 times the amount of money to develop a game on the PSP than the DS yet the market share is much much lower, it in turn makes developers less likely to bother.
Sony thought that simply building a machine with graphical power would win it a spot in the portable market. We got UMD movies shoved down our throat, all these expensive add ons and accessories but very little in the way of actual games.
The PSP has sold millions, with millions more in store shelves (the shipped vs sold issue), so I dont think there will be a case of the PSP being "dead", there is a market there, but I'm not sure if Sony will try it's hand in the portable market again.
Rob @ Sep 3rd 2006 12:49AM
To Brad Lee,
i'm not discounting cartoonish games i have a gamecube and i loved windwaker. and i was also heavy into the red/blue pokemon when it came out back in the day. i just grew apart from pokemon i guess.
anyway, the games i'm talking about are the games that are absolutely made for kids (all those disney games: Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Cars, Kim Possible: Global Gemini etc.). they just always seem to be the types of games i'm seeing when i go to EB.
i do enjoy some of the games on the ds but like i said, i just think the psp is better suited for me. not because "its more expensive" or something else ridiculous. it just has the games that want.
i just wish everyone would quit the whole sony bash party. what good would really come of sony crashing and burning on their consoles? sure you may get a kick out of it for a bit. but it seems like the more the merrier. i like to have choices.
what @ Sep 3rd 2006 9:22AM
I don't what you all are talking about.
Someone said that Sony should make the PSP a "lost cause".
I'm sorry but the PSP is anything but. It has sold well in a market that nintendo should have 100% of anyway.
There are a lot of games that are coming out like Sonic, Ace Combat X, Bounty Hounds, Roco Loco, Lumines 2, Gangs of London, GTA, etc . . .
The PSP is doing very well competing with the Juggernaut that is Nintendo. I don't need a DS and I am very happy with my PSP. That's all that matters isn't it?
Brad Lee @ Sep 3rd 2006 5:05PM
@ Rob
Yeah I don't play any of those "Cars, Barbie's Super Fun Adventure, The Olsen Twins: Lets Go Shopping!" games or anything like that either. The GBA had a lot of games like that too, and I think the only reason either system had a lot of those games is because both the DS and the GBA have attracted a lot of little kids, and little kids could care less about good games, they just wanna see their familiar characters.
I just get defensive whenever someone says 'kiddy' because most of the time people who use that as an excuse never actually played the games and are just calling the games kiddy due to the artistic style. For example, the Advance Wars series, from a distance, looks like a game made for kids. But, the game is actually a deep turn based strategy game that can only really be appreciated by an older audience.
If you like the PSP better than thats fine, I just didn't want to think you were discounting DS games simply because they looked 'kiddy.'