The PSP is my favorite portable system, but a recent announcement of a well known series getting a PSP release left me in disappointment. A Suikoden title was recently announced for the PSP and while, debatable, only half of the series has been any good, it's just that knowing how bad piracy is on the system it's almost certain we won't see it in the west.
So this is what got me to decide to post about the PSP. I wanted to post about how amazing of a system it is, but also rant about how piracy is what started the downfall of the system and eventually killed it. Because we need to be honest, even with the couple games coming out this year, the system itself is practically dead.
The PSP was released after the DS and being Sony's first handheld console, we knew it was going to be an uphill battle. Speaking of an uphill battle, people would bash the PSP for various reasons. Whether it was the load times, early released games being ports or multiconsole, UMD ejection, etc.
Now I'll agree with all the ports, but there were very few games that had some extremely long load times. The WWE games, especially, and you'd see multiple Youtube videos based on this. To be honest, these are the reasons it too me so long to actually pick up the system. After seeing the ad for Gundam Battle Royale, I preordered it from Play-Asia and picked up the PSP and Mega Man Powered Up once I received it(end of 2006.) During the next year I picked multiple games up for the system and some of the issues I was seeing about the PSP just weren't there. Sure there were those few games with massive loading issues, but the load times on the majority of PSP titles were fine.
Even though the PSP was downgradable at the time, games still sold very well for quite some time. Not only that, but while there may not have been as many releases as on the DS, you could practically pick up any game on the system and it'd either be a quality title, or atleast playable. Games were even getting greatest hits status, something that I haven't seen any PSP game rereleased as in a very long time.
Fast forward a few years with a ton of great releases for practically all genres , the multiple PSP releases, the Go flops, and now every PSP can run custom firmware and play ISO and CSO files, including the Go. PSP sales have had a major decline since. Because of this developers and publishers have went on record saying that they might not release games in the west for the PSP, one of which is Final Fantasy Type 0.
Piracy is bad to the point that I don't want to hear a PSP announcement of a game I might be interested in as I know we're not going to get it.
It's an amazing system, though, and if you haven't picked one up yet you should go do so unless you're planning on getting a Vita and don't mind all digital. While not all PSP games are available for digital download on the PSN, most are and as of now they're very affordable. Most $20 and $10, some on sale this week for $5.
If you already own a PSP then show your appreciation for this amazing system. What were your first games? When did you purchase it?