Sony: PSP has 10-year life cycle

by Ross Miller on Mar 27th 2008 1:00PM

Speaking to IGN about the PSP's three-year anniversary, Senior Marketing Manager for the system, John Koller, reconfirmed Sony's 10-year commitment to the platform. Said Koller: "We've talked about the PSP being a 10 year product, but a 10 year product in the continued lifecycle." Citing the different PSP models, Koller said the handheld "will still be a very strong portable gaming device that is centered in gaming and has a lot of multi-functional features."

Before you go scoffing at that time line, remember that the original PlayStation lasted for over a decade, with the ultra-successful PS2 still going strong after eight years. With the PS3 also given a "ten-year life cycle," we suspect that's just the modus operandi for Sony's hardware strategy.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

Source

Tags: john-koller, koller, PSP, sony

Reader Comments (64)

Actually, with tweaking and updates I would think the PSP could have a 10 year life without too many problems. If it stayed the same as it was when released no, but like the Nintendo handhelds ebing tweaked over the years, it seems viable.

Nintendo's handhelds have been upgraded regularly and significantly while managing to maintain backwards compatibility. UMDs are already on the way out; solid state memory will be cheaper to produce and distribute in the very near future and will completely destroy the battery life available on UMD devices.

So Sony had better hope they don't hold themselves to this, or they will have an even more laughable portable gaming portfolio than they do now once the successor to the DS comes out which bests the PSP in every way, or MS releases a handheld of their own. Heck, by summer the iPhone will be a gaming platform that is superior to the PSP. Adapt or die Sony; trash the PSP and start over without proprietary formats or game over.

The only reason they might try to extend the PSP's lifespan this long would be to clear off all the unsold inventory sitting on shelves.

Yeah, I got one problem for you.

The iPhone.

I don't know how many of you have had the chance to own or play with one, but it's just a brilliant device. And if they do gaming right, it's going to be scary.

Josh, when PSP launched, 1GB Memory Stick Pro Duo cost more than the PSP value pack. UMD was the format gone to simply because an affordable alternative such as static memory was not available. Period. Engineers design to fix the problem, not pie in the sky solutions. Which if you noticed, was a major fault of the PS3 initially. Despite your claim that static memory is the solution, at the time of PSP's launch, a 512MB iPod Shuffle, the only iPod to have static media, was $150.... oops, guess I just up and raped your point.

As for "laughable portfolio," grow the fuck up. What genre do you want games in, exactly? Because PSP has most pretty well covered. And most games get decent to high reviews. The PSP does have a good game library, and as a whole is actually higher averaged than PS2, NDS, GBA, 360, Wii, and PS3. Your entire arguement of it having no good games was laughable and out of date within the first year.

Well, Wong, sir, I don't know if he was specifically saying the games suck with the laughable portfolio comment, but I mostly agree with you here.

However, what I do know for sure, is that "once the successor to the DS comes out which bests the PSP in every way" is a laughable statement.

It's pretty obvious Nintendo has ZERO interest in releasing a handheld with all the different functionality and uses the PSP has. I also doubt Nintendo is going to be gung-ho about delivering insane-o graphics on their next handheld. So I think saying any DS succesor will beat the PSP in everyway is pretty asinine. I don't really care, still love the DS, I'm just not at all expecting the next Nintendo handheld to be a 'swiss army knife' by any means...

HAHAHAHA! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. Did someone here say that the iPhone, a device without a single button, which costs $400+contract, which isn't even available in my country, is going to become a dominant handheld gaming machine? HA

Oh, it was Frank, nevermind.

Hey, I just said it was viable. I don't see what it matters if the iPhone or any other device plays games as well - its still viable for Sony to update the psp over the years and have it still be a relevant device.

As long as Sony can continue to cost reduce the PSP, I agree that it could be viable for 10 years. Of course, by the 9th and 10th year it better cost $50-$75.

Do these Sony guys know any numbers other than 10? Wait, does 4D count as a number?

"Wait, does 4D count as a number?"

Yes it's 77 in decimal form.

Thanks to firmware updates this is now possible in handhelds...unlike the D...

*runs with a flameshield

Nintendo fanboys don't use guns! They use Arwings and Master Swords!

DO A BARREL ROLL!

I'm pretty sure Nintendo can keep the DS going for years as long as they release a few more SKUs in that time frame.

seriously,
didn't nintendo get the memo about firmware upda.....
oh.....
right, they like to make money.

but seriously, with the firmware updates that the PSP keeps getting, it seems viable. They have added a ridiculous amount of features through it in the last 3 years. even though you also have to keep in mind they DID technically update the hardware recently, but it was as much of a change as the DS phat to lite.

Uh.. who said anything about Nintendo, or the ds...???

I was trying to say "Duck"..as in Mega Duck/Cougar Boy..

Geez let me finish...

LOL

oh btw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console#List_of_notable_handheld_game_consoles

/thread

Why the hell would the DS need firmware updates? It plays all games and thats it.

It won't happen, Sony will want to start fresh with a new handheld and try to beat the DS2 the next time. The PS1 and PS2 have that 10 year life cycle because they dominated the market.
If I were Sony, I'd make a touchscreen, dual analog, uber strong PSP2 in 2010 and try to take the next handheld gen, because they aren't going to take this one.

I agree. Heck, sony already lost this handheld console war in its 3rd (out of "10") years. Not that it's all about console wars though...

They will probably do something like that. But they will still support the PSP1 when they do.
Sony's consoles overlap one another. I see no reason why they wont do the same thing with the PSP line.

You know, considering most people were willing to declare PSP dead before it was even unleashed and on the way out by it's first christmas, I think what Sony has done is phenominal. In fact, it outpaced GBA for a while, just not DS. I think the system has staying power and has managed what no other company has been able to in the past.... stay in the same market as a Nintendo handheld.

People really need to start giving this console some respect, it's certainly earned it.

Agreed. I can't stand the bad rap the PSP gets, and every time I hear someone say it has a laughable library I just wanna e-kick 'em in the nads.

Wierd, i remember it the opposite way. Everyone was saying that the DS would tank before it was released, and that PSP was wave of the future

I'm not trying to insult anyone, that's honestly what i heard back in the day

You aren't wrong, Mr Khan. People rewrite their memory to suit their positions. All I heard leading up to DS launch was DS sucks. And I continued to hear it until DSLite launched.

Only then did everybody laugh at PSP.

All I know is, I play mine every day. And as long as it keeps getting good games like Loco Roco & Patapon, amongst like the 30 others I want to buy, I'll still keep playing. Along with the Homebrew scene, they really do keep the system going whether its pirates or one person developers.

Right now, all I use my DS for is to play Metroid Zero Mission amongst other GBA games. Should of just kept my GBA SP :(

Thus ensuring there won't be another Nintendo handheld for another 8 years.

Yeah, but how many versions of the DS would come out in that time period? :P

just joshing ya, i love both handhelds for different reasons

With all the awesome titles it has and will have, and the multimedia functionality, I'd believe this.

Usurping the DS however...another matter entirely.

Maybe if they reposition it as an iPod-like device successfully, I can see it happening...

But not as a gaming device. The software sales alone probably would ensure that.

i dunno, the games are getting better. with the most recent revision, the battery life is better as well.
it obviously won't usurp the ds, but it's heading on the right track.

I love how Sony twists this. All a 10 year cycle means is they'll continue to sell hardware for 10 years. Games worth buying stop showing up after 7. This 10 years they like tossing around is useless for everyone but those who buy their console until after the successor shows up. Us early adopters can expect a few years less.

What's your point exactly? It's a good thing that they continue to support their old hardware when newer versions launch. How could you possibly spin that as a negative?

While it's obvious that the main developers will hop onto the next platform when it comes out, it's still nice when the older platform sticks around. I rather like that I can go pick up old PS2 games that I missed with relative ease for around 20 bucks. I'll probably pick up that MGS collection, as well. I much prefer the older platform sticking around than what happened to my Gamecube.

Speaking of Gamecube, when the hell is a Wii-themed wavebird coming out? I'd love a second, but they cost an arm and a leg now. Get on it, Nintendo! I hate the awkward classic+remote combo with a passion!

Great point Vidikron! I was thinking that myself. If there is one thing that I really do love about Sony is, the fact that they support their hardware for such a long duration. Although the Xbox was a decent machine, it was dropped like a hot pooptato only after a few years.

Either way, I know that out of my DS or PSP, I am playing my PSP more and more these days.

As far as consoles go, I am more likely to believe that MS will replace their console before Sony or Nintendo ever does (& not just because it was the first console to launch either).

They aren't supporting jack shit. You go out and buy the hardware, that's just about it. Does Sony have any major titles coming in the next three years for the PS2? No. This is just lip service. Support is going into the store and finding regular new releases over the 10 year cycle. The PS1 didn't have that, the new games died out by 2001, 6 years, not 10. If I have to go on eBay to find games, that isn't support.

Sony is just selling the hardware, not supporting it. Support is in the usage. It's great they sell hardware, but the software is what makes it go. Us early adopters are not getting 10 years of support, we're getting 6. The other 4 years are for those who are jumping on the bargain basement unit and buying used games off Craig's List.

I can still buy new Gamecube units, but Nintendo sure as hell isn't claiming to support it.

But will Sony keep this 10 year plan if Microsoft suddenly announces that it will make a hand held too?

Honestly, and I'm not trying to create flames here, I think that Microsoft needs to work out their kinks on their main system before venturing further into hardware development.

And I know they have fixed most of them by now. But I think that Microsoft knows they need to do this, too. That's why they haven't made a handheld yet: they are still the console underdogs, in a way. They're the new guy with regards to hardware.

So I would guess that a MS handheld is still a generation or so off. The next XBox will come out before one.

Interesting points to ponder Cyro and Jerk Face. To be honest, I think they might actually follow Apple's lead into 'handheld gaming'with their Zune. It seems like a corny idea, but handheld portable gaming to Apple and MS doesn't necessarily mean creating a brand new handheld gaming system as 'we know it'.

To them two, handheld gaming appears to mean a multi-purpose, multi-media device (PSP is a gaming system first believe it or not).

So it depends on what society's definition of 'handheld gaming system' is and how successfully it can be marketed by its manufacturers.

Good maybe I'll buy one in ten years...

Bullshit. It can't even browse the internet without crapping out every 3 minutes with low memory errors.

So that means we won't get a better PSP for 7 years. Guess I'll be waiting awhile to own a PSP. One that doesn't have a lame UMD drive on it.

DS:3 AAAs (9.1, 9.0, 9.0), 41 AAs from metacritic.com

PSP:1 AAA (9.3), 58 AAs from metacritic.com

hmmmm looks like PSP is the one with the most amount of quality games.

ports ftw?

PS2 ports ftw over N64 ports any time. nice try, come again.

There are like, 2 N64 ports on the DS. Everything else is original content designed for the system.

Conversely, the number of ports on the PSP makes up the lions share of its "quality titles".

Don't try to present logic to Curmeo, shit won't work.

Oh, and, I'm jumping on the 'Fuck Metacritic' bandwagon, cuz lately it's been nothing but an excuse for those who haven't played a system's games to judge 'em. Unless they're in the extreme highs or lows, shit don't matter.

Crono,

DS has as many, if not more, ports than PSP does. the thing is, since DS is so underpowered, most of the ports get really bad ratings whereas the ports on PSP get higher ratings.

and guess what? PSP STILL has more original AA games than original AA games for DS (metacritic.com).

have a nice day =)

Ok, so name me off the N64 ports. I can think of one: Mario64 DS. I allowed another because I'm pretty sure there is one.

You can't, because there aren't any. You're just a troll with no logic and sony blinders on.

Crono,

when did i claim DS ports were limited from only the N64? i only said i'd rather prefer PS2-level ports than N64-level ports, meaning i'd rather play Tiger Wood's PGA Golf on PSP than on DS, for example.

there are only two N64 ports, yet as many, if not more, ports from PS2 and other systems as compared to PSP ports.

and like i said before, there are STILL more original AA PSP games than original AA DS games, DESPITE the fact that virtually all cross platform PSP ports score much higher than the DS versions.

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Sony: PSP has 10-year life cycle

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