Pink leads trio of new PSP colors in Japan
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 1st 2006 at 1:15PM }
Sony's pulling a Nintendo. Hoping to boost holiday sales, the company will parade around three new PSP colors in Japan.
On November 22, Sony will release a pink PSP, along with matching PlayStation 2 -- also released in Europe. Pink will be followed by silver on December 14, and then by metallic blue a week later. All three colors will retail for ¥20,790 ($178) and come packaged with an AC adaptor and battery pack (no extras included).
The pink PSP will be accompanied by a series of accessories designed by popular Japanese fashion brand Samantha Thavasa, including a leather handbag with UMD and memory stick pockets (¥15,750; $135), rabbit fur strap (¥8,925;$76), heart charm strap (¥8,925; $76) and tote bag with detachable pouch (¥26,250; $224). $224?! Well fellas, we just pray that your lady isn't a fashion-forward gamer...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Inferno @ Nov 1st 2006 1:19PM
WOW! They will outsell the DS in no time now! Watch out Nintendo!
/sarcasmoff
Jason @ Nov 1st 2006 1:19PM
Why do these colors look so ugly?
Brad Mecoli @ Nov 1st 2006 1:25PM
adding extra colors isn't going to do jack when the system has a lackluster game library. They should be working on more important things than this, really. ;/
Sean @ Nov 1st 2006 1:23PM
I don't think Sony understands that the only reason the Pink DS sold so well was because Nintendo actually has a few games in its lineup that appeal to the female demographic.
The other colors may boost sales, but unlikely the pink will even move.
Dracula Jones @ Nov 1st 2006 1:26PM
How long until people start getting their rabbit fur PSP straps doused in red paint? Somewhere, Fiver's having a bad dream.
Trylks @ Nov 1st 2006 1:30PM
Sony really knows how to get into the female market, a pink PSP, yeah, now DS is going to be pwnt!!
Skwurl @ Nov 1st 2006 1:29PM
Ah, they finally figured out that the reason Nintendo is spanking the PSP is because of the different colored DS models.
Sony cracks me up.
Insomnia Bob @ Nov 1st 2006 1:32PM
I'm gonna agree with Jason here. My hatred for the PSP notwithstanding...these look like crap. Just...ugly.
David @ Nov 1st 2006 1:33PM
"I don't think Sony understands that the only reason the Pink DS sold so well was because Nintendo actually has a few games in its lineup that appeal to the female demographic.
The other colors may boost sales, but unlikely the pink will even move."
Best comment I have read in ages. Well done!
-----------------------
This is probabaly Sony re-casing existing returned 'shipped' stock because it didn't sell. You can only do 'new colour' moves when you're market leader, or at least selling well. The PSP is DEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAADDDD in Japan.
tracked @ Nov 1st 2006 1:34PM
OMG. Sony copying Nintendo? LOL. Just because the Pink DS line was scaringly big (there were grown men in there :) )doesn't mean that people will buy this.
Games matter in a console. Without any good non DS emulating,playstion 1 and 2 port games coming in to this console. DS will always have the upper hand.
The best thing Sony can do is to recreate the PSP. You know make a slimmer (iPod Nano style slim) with a the technology inside it refined to be low power consumption and cheaper. I repeat. CHEAPER!!!.
If the PSP Cost less then £100. I might buy it just for the firmware.
Hammer @ Nov 1st 2006 1:33PM
Christ those colours are bad :( The PSP looked great in black and white. Sony should have left it at that.
Intentless @ Nov 1st 2006 1:49PM
the things that would do it for me would be two analogs and a lower price point.
page @ Nov 1st 2006 1:37PM
lackluster game library?
I think not, in fact it has more highly rated games than the DS has, even got game of the year. http://www.pspfanboy.com/2006/10/29/psp-wins-best-handheld-game-award-ds-gets-family-nod/
page @ Nov 1st 2006 1:41PM
PSP is doing very well in Japan, it is the gameboy advance, sp, and micro that are deeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaddddd there.
Falsoman @ Nov 1st 2006 1:49PM
But isn't the GBA outselling the PSP on the US?
I might be wrong but i remember seing it the NPD numbers.
gamerx @ Nov 1st 2006 1:49PM
The PSP. Like an ugly hooker showing off her colors. No beauty, no brains.
kodec @ Nov 1st 2006 1:52PM
Will the inevitable bunch of stuck pixels be stuck on the same color the system's case is? That'd be a neat trick.
Colin @ Nov 1st 2006 1:53PM
I would love to see the Metal Gear Solid camo edition PSP released in the US... To me, all of these other colors kind of look like ass. It looks like these are less shiny too, probably due to complaints about fingerprints. I say keep it shiny damnit!
kodec @ Nov 1st 2006 2:02PM
"I think not, in fact it has more highly rated games than the DS has, even got game of the year."
OMG TI GOTS GAEM OF TEH YEAR FROM TEH GAME POPE HE SIAD TI WAZ BETR THIN TEH DS LOLZ!
Game of the year awards are completely useless. The PSP is an overpriced hunk of garbage, and so I am giving it my own personal GARBAGE OF THE YEAR award. Feel free to throw that in peoples' faces every chance you get, it's about as meaningful as GoTY and even has the same acronym.
gamerx @ Nov 1st 2006 2:12PM
And the GARBAGE OF THE YEAR award goes to!...
you guessed it, the PSP! *massive applaud*
URLame @ Nov 1st 2006 2:14PM
I can almost guarantee that 90% of the people that rip on the PSP's game library have either never played a PSP or have no clue what games are available. They've just jumped on the 'PSP Sucks' bandwagon. How's about thinking for yourself, sheep? I own both a PSP and a DS Lite, and I use my PSP way more than my DS. It's not even close. Maybe it's because I'm not 12 years old. Sorry, mini-games just don't cut it for me anymore.
rv65 @ Nov 1st 2006 2:28PM
The blue one looks tight.
David @ Nov 1st 2006 2:17PM
"PSP is doing very well in Japan, it is the gameboy advance, sp, and micro that are deeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaddddd there."
The last few months, the PSP has been selling at the same rate the gamecube sold for the same number of months since launch. Did it do 'very well' in Japan?
I can see you're desperate to point out that a Sony product sold more then a NIntendo product, and it's interesting that you chose an old Nintendo one versus a new Sony one. Did you know the gamecube outsold the PS1 last week?
On a worldwide scale, the PSP has been the THIRD highest selling handheld for the last year after both the DS and the GBA. It's third.
DEEEEAAAAAAAAADDDDDDD.
(Or at least as dead as SDF have always claimed the Gamecube was - and at least the GCN made money).
"lackluster game library?
I think not, in fact it has more highly rated games than the DS has, even got game of the year. http://www.pspfanboy.com/2006/10/29/psp-wins-best-handheld-game-award-ds-gets-family-nod/"
One's born every minute. The PSP had potential, but turned out to suck. It's now all but dead, and will be gone before the end of next year. Deal with it.
JetJaguar @ Nov 1st 2006 2:20PM
First, let me declare that I'm a PSP owner (and lover, fwiw)...
My problem with this is that the latest 'buzz' is that there'll be a redesigned PSP towards the middle of next year. This looks suspiciously like an attempt to shift existing unsold stock (as a previous poster noted). It reminds me a lot of the PS2 special editins: clear; silver; etc.
In my view, the 80s/90s car market and it's obsession with special editions is the clear inspiration here. Repackage the S.O.S with the an extra, but pointless, feature and then get ready to move on to another iteration.
Beyond that, I don't think it's a sign of anything, for example, a desperation to copy other manufacturers.
For me though, Sony's basic problem continues to be price... It's still too expensive for existing owners to want a second, and still too expensive for non-owners to be swayed on colour options. Perhaps a free 2GB stick might be a better incentive...?
Added to that is the size and fragility issue. It's still not quite a 'chuck-into-a-bag' product.
That said, the blue looks quite nice.
James @ Nov 1st 2006 2:38PM
Personally i think Sony should have gone with a Crystal transparent edition. The PSP dosn't pull of diffrent colours aswell as the DS.
It's ment to be a high end top of the market gadget not a toy it's like Sony making one of there giant HDtvs in cheap plastic pink :/.
James @ Nov 1st 2006 8:52PM
"I can almost guarantee that 90% of the people that rip on the PSP's game library have either never played a PSP or have no clue what games are available. They've just jumped on the 'PSP Sucks' bandwagon. How's about thinking for yourself, sheep? I own both a PSP and a DS Lite, and I use my PSP way more than my DS. It's not even close. Maybe it's because I'm not 12 years old. Sorry, mini-games just don't cut it for me anymore."
That's gotta be a joke right? Or viral marketing. You managed to fit every single Sony fanboy cliche into one short post!
Why do these obvious fanboys/Sony employees (and it is obvious - there's both a 'nintendo is kiddie' and a 'DS is a gimmick' comment in the last line) always claim they have a DS? Is it to pretend that they're not biased, even though they then go on with shamelessly biased rants?
Get over it PSP kiddies, the damn thing is dying and will probably be dropped altogether soon.
32_Footsteps @ Nov 1st 2006 2:26PM
You know, pushing all the fanboy chatter aside, give Dracula Jones full credit for pulling a Watership Down reference out of his hat. Possibly the most entertaining comment I've seen in a while on Joystiq.
Now, if only there was a tharn joke thrown in there...
john @ Nov 1st 2006 2:32PM
Good for you. I own a psp and a ds lite also. I play my ds way more. Why because the touch screen games are way more fun. To say that Mini-games just don't cut it for me anymore shows you are the sheep. How about I'm not 12 anymore refering to nintendo as kiddie. You my friend are another Loyal Sony Fanboy. Castlevania, Dual Advance Wars, Star Fox Command, Mario Kart, Kirby Canvas Curse, True Swing Golf, and The New Super Mario Brothers are just a few I enjoy on my Ds. Let's not even mention how long the PSP takes to load games compared to the DS. It's a joke!!! I spend all that money for my PSP to play games and I have to wait all day just for the damn thing to load. The only thing I use my PSP for is to watch a UMD on once in a while. With the market closing on UMD they have become even more cheaper to buy.
Kevin @ Nov 1st 2006 2:32PM
What # 24 really means is, I use my PSP more because of ROMs and a few good PSP games, but I only have maybe 2 or 3 DS games that I bought after the DS launch.
I'm kidding.
Some people just have different tastes in games I guess because the DS has some pretty kick ass titles out..
Kevin @ Nov 1st 2006 2:33PM
Oops, sorry I meant #21. My bad.
Batman6288 @ Nov 1st 2006 2:41PM
I am by no means a sony fanboy, but i do own a PSP and love the titles that are available. I probably spend at least 2 hours a day on my PSP. I had thought about buying a DS but after looking at the games available i realized i better stick to the PSP as most of the games for the DS or definitly for the younger crowd.
But i would still not buy one of these ugly colours
thirty3baboons @ Nov 1st 2006 2:44PM
Already out in UK (branded by dodgy singer p!nk) - saw one in a display case in Currys, Newcastle today.
Yoshi Likes Boys @ Nov 1st 2006 2:47PM
Ugh. Ladies, ladies. The DS is still rocking out insane amounts of great software and is an awesome system, but PSP's lackluster game library is OLD, OUTDATED SMACK. Sony has had a great last 6 months, with lots of really fun and portable-playable titles. Lots of RPG, retro, retro remakes, and freaking Katamari and Loco Roco. Give the PSP a break, it's got a big bright side now and has picked itself up from where it started.
James @ Nov 2nd 2006 10:39PM
"as most of the games for the DS or definitly for the younger crowd."
Huh? No it isn't in fact it has more titles aimed at older people :/.
Castlvania (new one coming out) Metroid, Brain Training, Club House games.
Just cause PSP has the stereotypical shit load of trashy 3rd party "grey sky" game support dosn't mean it age group is any older.
Both have a great range of titles but i would say DS has a far broader spectrum of titles.
The PSP is a bit pointless when you have a PS2, maby when it's dead and uried the PSP will start getting more original titles made from the ground up.
gamerx @ Nov 1st 2006 3:58PM
URLame,
you said it yourself, you can *almost* guarantee such a stupid claim you're making cuz you're obviously talking out of your behind. ive played friends' PSPs plenty to know how much it sucks! Lets put aside the low battery life, rediculous load times, and ghosting effect problems for a second. look at that joke of a dpad the PSP has. it could very well be the crappiest dpad in the history of videogame systems! Look at the pathetic analog nub. Its worse than a DualShock 2 analog stick for crying out loud! 1st person shooters on the PSP are DISGUSTING cuz of that single analog nub. you wanna know why every PSP FPS game has an autolock feature? cuz developers realised using a single crappy nub and face buttons for game control is just plain retarded! 1st person shooters need two proper analog sticks, otherwise they are not 1st person shooters. They become FPS games for the Special Olympics when you dont have two analog sticks to work with. Autolock in an FPS game = controls for retards.
Ever played Twisted Metal on the PSP? you cant see shit on the screen while making fast turns cuz of the ugly ghosting effect! look at the DS screens, no ghosting and no bluriness!
Give the DS a try sometime, games like Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario Kart, the Castlevania games, the Megaman series, Trauma Center, Phoneix Wright, NSMB, Tony Hawk's DownHill Jam(4 player online with in-game voice chat). I guarantee you'll get unblinded by your Sony fanboyism.
JetJaguar @ Nov 1st 2006 3:28PM
James,
Er... no. The PSP is not pointless if you have a PS2: one is portable; the other isn't.
But I would agree with your fundamental point, which - I think - is that PSP game designers/developers have not, until now, given enough thought to how PSP games should be different to their PS2 siblings. Liberty Cith Stories is a prime example. In that game, main missions were short (and not difficult enough, IMHO, to compensate for their shortness) whilst side mission were full length.
I could never figure out why a major rail shooting mission, occurring halfway through a game, should take less time then the completeing - say - the firefighter missions. (My suggestion, btw, is allowing players to save side missions to avoid having to start from scratch.) It's one of the reaons why, one year after purchase, I still haven't finished LCS.
I suspect VCS has the same problem. The story line appears to be 15 hours, but there's 50 odd of gameplay. To my mind San Andreas got the balance about right: both between the story and side-misson balance, and the importance/usefulness of completing side mission to completing the main quest.
WedgeTalon @ Nov 1st 2006 3:51PM
I'm usually a fan of blue, but holy carp, that one looks awful.
...not that I would buy that overpriced emulator anyway.
POOLSCLOSED @ Nov 1st 2006 4:20PM
The silver PSP looks pretty cool. Pink and Blue look like shit though.
Feanor @ Nov 1st 2006 4:33PM
"One's born every minute. The PSP had potential, but turned out to suck. It's now all but dead, and will be gone before the end of next year. Deal with it."
The level of ignorant hatred contained in a few short sentences is most amusing. Thanks for the chuckles, wacko.
Feanor @ Nov 1st 2006 4:33PM
"Give the DS a try sometime, games like Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario Kart, the Castlevania games, the Megaman series, Trauma Center, Phoneix Wright, NSMB, Tony Hawk's DownHill Jam(4 player online with in-game voice chat). I guarantee you'll get unblinded by your Sony fanboyism."
Maybe he just prefers games like GTA Stories, Metal Gear Solid (Acid and Portable Ops), Wipeout Pure, Pro Evolution Soccer 6, Killzone, Loco Roco, Katamari, etc. that aren't available on the DS.
Try and grow up a little, and you might realize that everybody's taste in games in different. That the PSP and DS are different machines that both have a lot of exclusives that will never appear on the other machine, and that it's quite possible to like both of them.
Jonn @ Nov 1st 2006 7:45PM
Now that it has a smaller, more durable, more compact form factor and longer battery life, it'll trounce the DS for sure!
Oh, wait.
URLame @ Nov 1st 2006 7:42PM
"Give the DS a try sometime". Did you not see where I said I have a DS Lite? I've given it a try. And despite what the others said, I'm not a Sony fanboy at all. I only bought a PS2 maybe 8 months ago and don't plan on getting a PS3 for a loooong while, if at all. I've had a PSP since launch and a DS Lite since launch. #40 got it right. Everyone's taste in games is different. For me, the PSP has the games I enjoy. Yes, it has the hardware issues that #37 pointed out, but my statement was directed at the much overused "lackluster library" comments. I own probably a dozen PSP games and there are more I'd like to get if I could afford them and had the time to play them. Take a real look at the PSP's library through an unbiased eye and while they might not fit your gaming preference, I don't know how it can honestly be called lackluster.
QuickTim3 @ Nov 2nd 2006 6:23PM
Wow Sonys copying Nintendo imagine that.
iliketuna @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:30PM
"1st person shooters need two proper analog sticks, otherwise they are not 1st person shooters. They become FPS games for the Special Olympics when you dont have two analog sticks to work with. Autolock in an FPS game = controls for retards."
sorry but this made me laugh. 1st person shooters don't need two analog sticks, they need a MOUSE AND KEYBOARD. you rookies need to stop playing wheelchair basketball aka HALO and start playing some QUAKE III.
Mr. antifanboyism @ Nov 1st 2006 11:05PM
man i can believe how many fanboys are posting and posting negative comments...
dude if you disagre with what is said on the article give a reason, throw a couple of facts why you disagree. don't just say....booo sony....booo ms.....booo nintendo....
ALH @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:23PM
D:. I've seen pink PSP in stores over here, they are not pretty. The shade they went for is UGH. They should have taken a look at the ds lites subtle candy pink before they came out with this- that one is quite tasteful, not too overbearing- and this is coming from someone who hates pink.
ackmondual @ Nov 2nd 2006 2:35PM
A pink PS2 isn't outrageous at all. They alr have pink ipods, pink RAZRs, and pink DS lites. Pink PSP and PS2 naturally follow suit
*vballlover01* @ Nov 26th 2006 10:35PM
why is the u.s. left out? when are we getting these new colors?