What is Sony Doing with the PSP?

[Griking]

I was just reading the latest DP Wire and saw something that made me shake my head. In the upcoming releases section there were 21 PSP movies soon to be released and zero actual games.

Between competition from the DS to people hacking the PSP to play free emulators you'd think that Sony would be pushing out as many new games as humanily possible.

I'm sure that Sony wants to bury the DS and I know that Sony must hate the PSP hacking but what are they giving PSP owners to play instead of emulators and movies to watch.

To me it seems like Sony's content with letting it become the Walkman video edition.

[DoubleJJ]

Early Buriel for the PSP possibly?

[LiquidX01]

According to EB, The next game that is scheduled to ship for the PSP is Death Jr. on August 16th. Maybe Sony is working hard on giving us PSP owners something other than ports to play? :roll:

[CartCollector]

The main reasons people think the PSP is cool is because of its features. Whenever I hear my friends saying "The PSP is SOOOOO awesome," I ask them why. They're quick to point out how it can play movies, and music, and how it looks better. They never mention quality titles.
EDIT: 200th POST! LEVEL UP!

[Gamereviewgod]

Of course there are more movies out there. It's a lot easier and quicker to put a movie on UMD than to program a game. Games will come. There's some great stuff out there now.

[digitalpress]

Yep, clearly this system is DEAD.

*goes back to Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on PSP*

[vincewy]

This might be Sony's first unsucessful system, no joke, come to Midwest and check out most stores, all the games (systems in fact) are sitting on the shelf and collecting dust.

The release of GTA will be the first barometer of checking the system's viability, if they still can't move the systems off the shelf, PSP will be in trouble.

This coming holiday season will also be interesting to watch, I'm surpirsed third party developers are still fooled by the artificial install base (look at how often it breaks and how many systems a diehard has to buy replacement units).

[EndlessChris]

You're all missing the point. The PSP had an amazing lineup of launch titles. Sony actually cared enough to wait until some games were ready for release before shoving the system out the door. Nintendo, in a big rush to get out for the holiday season, dumped their system on the market with no goddamn games whatsoever. You'd think that in six months Nintendo could release at least one killer ap, but all we have so far is a few decent but not overall appealing titles. At least Kirby and Meteos have finally come out, but it still seems too little too late. My local want pages have a dozen DS being offered for sale but only one PSP. Sure, the PSP library might not be growing exponentially in the coming months, but it's summer - summer is never an amazing time for game releases. And they already have a great library out there - Metal Gear, Wipeout, Lumines - what's the problem? I agree the whole movies thing is stupid but honestly, it's doing a lot for the PSP's image. All my friends keep remarking to me "I didn't know they were making movies for the PSP - that's pretty cool." Sony's only big problem is the pricing sucks - a scaled down featureless version of Kill Bill should not be twice the price of the DVD version with a bunch of extras.

I don't know, I really think Sony's going to pull it out. This thing is a killer ap, I love having a place to put some movies and music on the go - the games are solid and I don't have to worry about scratching the screen to hell like with my DS. The DS has some good games on the way - Advance Wars and the like - but they really should've been ready closer to launch. Then maybe I'd have some more support for the big N.

And this Nintendogs thing isn't going to give Nintendo the lead for long - it's a fad, I'll be surprised if it even has an affect in America. We're pretty much over that digital pet thing, though I could be deadly wrong.

[buttasuperb]

Yep, clearly this system is DEAD.

*goes back to Mike Tyson's Punch-Out on PSP*

hooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[PS2Hawk]

this is quiet frankly the dumbest thread so far I cam across.

I have 4 games, Wipeout, Metal Gear Acid, Ridge Racer and Hot Shots Golf, I still have to beat 3 out of 4.

I am on 13th stage of Metal Gear Acid.
I beat Ridge Racer.
Almost done with Golf.


Ports ? all I see is DS getting ports of old N64 games with stupid mini games and the useless Touch Screen.

[Muscelli]

remember somebody posting this same topic only about DS a while ago? Yeah...

[Sylentwulf]

I personally think it's the SADDEST console war ever seen.

This is like the 3d0 versus the jaguar or something.....

[le geek]

This is the same lull period that almost every console has gone through. Nothing to see here, move along! :P


Ports ? all I see is DS getting ports of old N64 games with stupid mini games and the useless Touch Screen.

Now now there are very few N64 ports for the DS. (three by my count). There are far more ports on the PSP... (granted not N64 ports)

Cheers,
Ben

[njiska]

It's definitely the war of the losers, but as it stands right now the DS has better titles coming up, the PSP has little. While i won't declare either console dead, right now the DS definitely has the fire and the PSP is doing far worse then Sony had expected.

Regardless Q4 2005 will determine the winner in this rather limp war.

[Griking]

this is quiet frankly the dumbest thread so far I cam across.

Well feel free not to contribute then if it's so beneath you.


This is the same lull period that almost every console has gone through. Nothing to see here, move along!

I agree that all consoles go thru dry spells but planning one only a few months after the console's launch doesn't make much sense to me. Isn't this the period that most companies would be doing all they can to convince people to buy the console?

And for the record, I'm not predicting the death of the PSP by posting this. I'm sure that the unit will do fairly well once it gets a foothold. I'm just wondering what its waiting for.

[dbiersdorf]

You're all missing the point. The PSP had an amazing lineup of launch titles. Sony actually cared enough to wait until some games were ready for release before shoving the system out the door. Nintendo, in a big rush to get out for the holiday season, dumped their system on the market with no goddamn games whatsoever. You'd think that in six months Nintendo could release at least one killer ap, but all we have so far is a few decent but not overall appealing titles. At least Kirby and Meteos have finally come out, but it still seems too little too late. My local want pages have a dozen DS being offered for sale but only one PSP. Sure, the PSP library might not be growing exponentially in the coming months, but it's summer - summer is never an amazing time for game releases. And they already have a great library out there - Metal Gear, Wipeout, Lumines - what's the problem? I agree the whole movies thing is stupid but honestly, it's doing a lot for the PSP's image. All my friends keep remarking to me "I didn't know they were making movies for the PSP - that's pretty cool." Sony's only big problem is the pricing sucks - a scaled down featureless version of Kill Bill should not be twice the price of the DVD version with a bunch of extras.

Nintendo got the system out on the market for profit, and it worked like a charm. I don't think they give two hoots about the average Joe complaning about their system lineup. They did their job by getting one game out at launch, with a few more the following months later. Neither system had good games at launch. Sure some were fun, but they are mostly average. Super Mario 64 DS and Feel the Magic were great games, but nothing to buy the system for. The same applies to WipEout Pure and Ridge Racers. Fun games, but are you really going to buy a system to play some racing games? The PSP beat the DS out in quanity, sure, but half of the launch titles were watered down PS2 sports titles that weren't worth the $50 admission price.

The PSP hype is over and done with, since it launched we've gotten one good game, Hot Shots Golf. The DS drought was bad and all, but hey, guess what? Nintendo had no competition, so they didn't care. Now that developers are finally getting games out the door, the DS is getting treated with a handful of great games like Bomberman, Kirby and Meteos (the DS' answer to Lumines) while the PSP continues to go through its drought. Everyone I know with a PSP is extremely bored with their games, and the majority of them are too casual of gamers to get into the emulation aspect of the system.

I think people are beginning to realize how absolutley worthless the movie UMD's are too. $20 for a movie that can only be watched on the PSP? Hey I enjoyed watching Spider-Man 2 and all, but see there's difference between that and everything on the market - it was free. Portability is nice and all, but movies are so much more appropriate on a TV, or at least a larger screen. Again, I like the idea that I have the choice if I want to buy a movie, but I'd rather just that money go towards a game, or the actual DVD instead.


I don't know, I really think Sony's going to pull it out. This thing is a killer ap, I love having a place to put some movies and music on the go - the games are solid and I don't have to worry about scratching the screen to hell like with my DS. The DS has some good games on the way - Advance Wars and the like - but they really should've been ready closer to launch. Then maybe I'd have some more support for the big N.

Scratching the screen to hell? What system are you playing? The stylus doesn't scratch the screen, the delicate PSP screen is the one to be worried about, it's extremely prone to fingerprints, dust and scratches. The clam shell design on the DS prevents all of that.

And maybe the launch titles really fit your interests, but I can't play puzzle games, and sports titles for months on end. You'll understand what I'm saying as this drought continues.


And this Nintendogs thing isn't going to give Nintendo the lead for long - it's a fad, I'll be surprised if it even has an affect in America. We're pretty much over that digital pet thing, though I could be deadly wrong.

I think you fail to understand the handheld audience. Little kids are the majority of the buyers, and they'll gobble up kid friendly stuff like dog simulators, rather then the destroy all Grand Theft Auto's. ;)

[LiquidX01]

Ports ? all I see is DS getting ports of old N64 games with stupid mini games and the useless Touch Screen.

Now now there are very few N64 ports for the DS. (three by my count). There are far more ports on the PSP... (granted not N64 ports)

Cheers,
Ben

Even though the comment was made towards me, Ben here has correctly answered it for me.

I would have never bought a PSP at launch if it didn't offer it vast array of multimedia capabilities. Seriously, I don't know what the fuck Sony was thinking by releasing all ports for their debut in the handheld market.

Just a side note about the whole "PSP is dead" issue... The PSP spanked the DS in sales over in Japan last month so I wouldn't go as far as to call it dead. Sony will get the ball rolling soon, I hope anyway.

[dbiersdorf]

Um, what? The DS has been ahead of the PSP in sales since Nintendogs was released, which was April.

[Damaramu]

The DS doesn't interest me in the slightest.

However, I am looking forward to buying a PSP, but the price tag is a bit hefty for my tastes. As it stands, I'm primarily interested in getting a PSP for emulation on the go and sticking my own movies and vid clips on a memory card.

I don't EVER see myself buying a UMD and there's maybe 1 or 2 games on the PSP that has piqued my interest.

[Damion]

Does it really matter? The DS and the PSP are very diffrent from each other. Granted there HandHelds. but does that mean My palm is Better then My PSP or DS because I use it more?

The DS and The PSP are For the most part entirely diffrent. So this argument is pretty lame if you think about it. It's like comparing apples to bananas.

I know ALL Systems at launch have some rather long dry spells. So all this "hopeful" doom and gloom for sonys handheld is pretty much Blowing smoke and only going to add to the "told you so's" down the road.

[petewhitley]

Um, what? The DS has been ahead of the PSP in sales since Nintendogs was released, which was April.

In Japan the DS and the PSP are neck-and-neck (DS 1,071,450 vs. PSP 1,000,071) for the year (thanks to Nintendogs and purty colors). In the States the PSP is absolutely killing the DS in system sales at this point, something in the 5 to 1 area for May. At any rate, both the DS and the PSP would benefit from a greater selection of games, but a lack of games several months after launch seems to be becoming the norm rather than the exception amongst hardware launches these days. I don't see many PSP owners on this board complaining however; the emu/multimedia functions and several quality titles already out are keeping most of us busy.

[Mayhem]

You're forgetting though PeteW that the DS is ahead of the PSP anyhow in overall sales in the US. And given the DS has sold over a million now in Europe and there's still another 2 months to go until the PSP is out, I can't see the PSP overtaking the DS here either.

[petewhitley]

Nintendo got the system out on the market for profit, and it worked like a charm. I don't think they give two hoots about the average Joe complaning about their system lineup. They did their job by getting one game out at launch, with a few more the following months later. Neither system had good games at launch. Sure some were fun, but they are mostly average. Super Mario 64 DS and Feel the Magic were great games, but nothing to buy the system for. The same applies to WipEout Pure and Ridge Racers. Fun games, but are you really going to buy a system to play some racing games? The PSP beat the DS out in quanity, sure, but half of the launch titles were watered down PS2 sports titles that weren't worth the $50 admission price.

The PSP hype is over and done with, since it launched we've gotten one good game, Hot Shots Golf. The DS drought was bad and all, but hey, guess what? Nintendo had no competition, so they didn't care. Now that developers are finally getting games out the door, the DS is getting treated with a handful of great games like Bomberman, Kirby and Meteos (the DS' answer to Lumines) while the PSP continues to go through its drought. Everyone I know with a PSP is extremely bored with their games, and the majority of them are too casual of gamers to get into the emulation aspect of the system.

I think people are beginning to realize how absolutley worthless the movie UMD's are too. $20 for a movie that can only be watched on the PSP? Hey I enjoyed watching Spider-Man 2 and all, but see there's difference between that and everything on the market - it was free. Portability is nice and all, but movies are so much more appropriate on a TV, or at least a larger screen. Again, I like the idea that I have the choice if I want to buy a movie, but I'd rather just that money go towards a game, or the actual DVD instead.

Scratching the screen to hell? What system are you playing? The stylus doesn't scratch the screen, the delicate PSP screen is the one to be worried about, it's extremely prone to fingerprints, dust and scratches. The clam shell design on the DS prevents all of that.

And maybe the launch titles really fit your interests, but I can't play puzzle games, and sports titles for months on end. You'll understand what I'm saying as this drought continues.

I think you fail to understand the handheld audience. Little kids are the majority of the buyers, and they'll gobble up kid friendly stuff like dog simulators, rather then the destroy all Grand Theft Auto's. ;)

Damn man, almost the entirety of your post was complete and utter hyperbole. I'd retort but it's completely unnecessary to start a flame war about these two systems again.

[CreamSoda]

I like the PSP and all but right now I hardly even play it. -_-

I know every system has it's slow points but I'm sick of all these mostly ports games.

Right now I only like Metal Gear Ac!d and Twisted Metal: Head On

[dbiersdorf]

In Japan the DS and the PSP are neck-and-neck (DS 1,071,450 vs. PSP 1,000,071) for the year (thanks to Nintendogs and purty colors). In the States the PSP is absolutely killing the DS in system sales at this point, something in the 5 to 1 area for May. At any rate, both the DS and the PSP would benefit from a greater selection of games, but a lack of games several months after launch seems to be becoming the norm rather than the exception amongst hardware launches these days. I don't see many PSP owners on this board complaining however; the emu/multimedia functions and several quality titles already out are keeping most of us busy.

For the year? Yes. But the DS is still 1,084,723 units over the PSP since they were both launched.

As for the US, in May they were pretty much neck and neck

PSP = 250,000
GBA/DS = 279,000

The DS sold around 220,000 of those, which shows that the DS has quite a bit of momentum, compared to the PSP which at that point was on its second full month of release.

[petewhitley]

You're forgetting though PeteW that the DS is ahead of the PSP anyhow in overall sales in the US. And given the DS has sold over a million now in Europe and there's still another 2 months to go until the PSP is out, I can't see the PSP overtaking the DS here either.

I predict we'll see it by Xmas in the States.

[petewhitley]

PSP = 250,000
GBA/DS = 279,000

The DS sold around 220,000 of those, which shows that the DS has quite a bit of momentum, compared to the PSP which at that point was on its second full month of release.

You've got your numbers backwards on the ratio of DS-to-GBA sales. The DS sold less than 60,000 of those systems.

[neotokeo2001]

Just a side note about the whole "PSP is dead" issue... The PSP spanked the DS in sales over in Japan last month so I wouldn't go as far as to call it dead. Sony will get the ball rolling soon, I hope anyway.

..................Sales Last Month....Total for Year
Nintendo DS............35,083..........1,071,450
PlayStation Portable..21,901..........1,000,071

Sony started the year outselling the DS by a huge margin. For the last 3-4 Months the DS has been out selling the PSP. The DS is way ahead in software sales per unit (the average number of games each DS or PSP owner has bought.)

[Gamereviewgod]

I think people are beginning to realize how absolutley worthless the movie UMD's are too. $20 for a movie that can only be watched on the PSP?

So why have all but two major movie studio's announced releases? Why are there so many new ones each week? Why have over a million UMDs been sold?

They're hot. Probably hotter than even Sony expected them to be. Do I know why? Hell no. I don't see the point either, but that comment killed your entire post.

[dbiersdorf]

PSP = 250,000
GBA/DS = 279,000

The DS sold around 220,000 of those, which shows that the DS has quite a bit of momentum, compared to the PSP which at that point was on its second full month of release.

You've got your numbers backwards on the ratio of DS-to-GBA sales. The DS sold less than 60,000 of those systems.

No, Mercury News reported that, and it's not confirmed.

[SoulBlazer]

I bought three games for my PSP with launch -- Lumines, Metal Gear Acid, and Untold Legends. None of them are ports and all are good games I'm still playing.

Combine that with all the movie and clip watching I've been doing on it, using it as a MP 3 player, and emulation, and mine gets a lot of use.

I finally picked up a used DS last week because some good games are coming out for it in the second half of this year. It came with the Metroid demo and I bought two more games for it -- Sprung and Wario Ware Touched. I'm enjoying those games a lot also, but just because the PSP can DO more for me it's being used more. Yes, I'm using the DS to replace my GBA, and playing GBA games, but each week the PSP still gets a little more use time.

You're right, right now neither system has much coming out, but some great games are planned for release, espeicly with the DS (I imagine the PSP will hit a surge of games around Christmas and next year). I'm using both systems and I'm happy with both systems. The games will come as long as we're patient.

[dbiersdorf]

So why have all but two major movie studio's announced releases? Why are there so many new ones each week? Why have over a million UMDs been sold?

They're hot. Probably hotter than even Sony expected them to be. Do I know why? Hell no. I don't see the point either, but that comment killed your entire post.

Link me to a reliable source that claims 1 million UMD sales and maybe I'll believe you.

Companies put movies out there because it's easy, and cheap. It's a quick buck.

[AlexKidd]

I don't see myself buying a psp game for quite some time. I'll probably buy another system when there's a price drop to play Ys. Right now i'm content with my psp's use as a widescreen turbo express. :)

[Lothars]

I think we will see the PSP beat the ds in sales in the next couple months

just give it time. but with Nintendogs i could see the ds selling alot for a while for that game.

[gepeto]

To me it is simple. 250.00 was way too much to ask for a handheld in the american market. The market has its limits. Parents have a hard time forking over 250.00 with no games. . Forget parents adults have issues with it. Ea's outrageous 49.00 games did not help the situation at all. I knew in my heart this would happen. I remember the 3do. When I go to the gamestores I see people salivating over the psp but when they get smacked with the price-- Game over.


I hope sony learns its lesson. You can quote me on this one $300.00 is the price limit for Ps3. If Sony releases at 399.00+ I guarantee after the launch hype, systems sale will drop faster than the virtual boy forcing sony to quickly drop price to 299.00 or lower just to stay competetive. Nintendos knock from the top came with them being greedy forcing companies to go with the cartridge format to control the dollars. They like sony was expecting the consumer to back them up. They was horribly wrong. Consumer loyalty swicthes at the drop of a dime. All the bells and whistles are good but the bottom line is we want reasonably priced games along with a reasonably priced console.

I haven't bought a pspgame since launch. I go to the store and see more umd movies than games.... VERY SAD.

I just bought a 512 memory Stick and I am currently loving playing MIke Tyson punchout Via emulator. Forget the game axe. This at least justifies my paying for it. I just hope psp drops to 149.00 and the games drop to 29.99 to 34.00. So it can cacth on.

[Gamereviewgod]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=9731

My numbers were off. I apologize. However, 200,000 is nothing to whine about, not to mention they estimate much higher, possibly half a million (as of late last month), which is where my numbers mixed up. My fault.



Companies put movies out there because it's easy, and cheap. It's a quick buck.

And they wouldn't unless they knew the buck would be made.

[LiquidX01]

Just a side note about the whole "PSP is dead" issue... The PSP spanked the DS in sales over in Japan last month so I wouldn't go as far as to call it dead. Sony will get the ball rolling soon, I hope anyway.

..................Sales Last Month....Total for Year
Nintendo DS............35,083..........1,071,450
PlayStation Portable..21,901..........1,000,071

Sony started the year outselling the DS by a huge margin. For the last 3-4 Months the DS has been out selling the PSP. The DS is way ahead in software sales per unit (the average number of games each DS or PSP owner has bought.)

Maybe...But I do remember reading somewhere that those numbers also included the different color DS's that Nintendo released. Nintendogs and those colors are really the only thing fueling those DS sales. What is Nintendo going to do when that hype dies down? Release more limited edition crap?

[petewhitley]

PSP = 250,000
GBA/DS = 279,000

The DS sold around 220,000 of those, which shows that the DS has quite a bit of momentum, compared to the PSP which at that point was on its second full month of release.

You've got your numbers backwards on the ratio of DS-to-GBA sales. The DS sold less than 60,000 of those systems.

No, Mercury News reported that, and it's not confirmed.

So the Mercury News broke it. Not a big deal, it's not confirmed by NPD because industry insiders pay for those numbers. It's been confirmed by other sources.

[Gamereviewgod]

Ah ha.. here's what I was looking for:

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/index.cfm?search=umd&section=2-3&sec_id=search&image.x=25&image.y=15

http://www.homemediaretailing.com/index.cfm?search=umd&section=2-3&sec_id=search&image.x=25&image.y=15

Five movies with a 100,000 copies each. That's from the home video industries main voice.

[boatofcar]

I just want a web browser. I couldn't care less if the system is a success, because I have an emulator that is more reliable and more portable than a Ben Heck custom job. If there are great games, so much the better, but the only reason I bought a PSP was because I knew someone would hack it up.

[Famidrive-16]

I've got a DS, but no PSP. I'm still holding out for a lower price tag (or some better games) for the PSP. I'm not too stuck with Nintendo's side either however, since I haven't touched my DS in a month, tops.

I always found it weird that Sony was facing off against the iPod, of all damn things. PSP vs. iPod? I dunno, to me that's like an all-in-one TV set versus a boombox...

[chrisbid]

what truly makes the situation sad for sony and for people like us that enjoy playing games, is that in mainstream retailers, PSP shelf space is replacing shelf space for PS2 and UMD movies are taking up a bulk of this space rather than being shelved with actual movies. so in essence, in your box type stores, sony is devouring their own sales, as even lame PS2 games have a bigger audience than the PSP.

nevermind that the reason the PSP is so expensive and has such a crappy battery is not because it is a great game machine, it is because sony insisted on convergence and the UMD format. so now we are getting choked with movies, and games are moving even further back in importance.

[Ernster]

God people grow up. You'd think people have better things to do than go to a forum and bag the competiiton. Does it make you feel more of a man by doing so :angry:

Anyway I regret buying a DS, not coz it sucks but because the main reason I bought it, is because I felt I needed to be part of a side and plus.........

its not every day you are the owner of a Nintendo console that is outselling a Sony one LOL ZING!! Baby ZING!!!!! :evil:

[Cmtz]

this is quiet frankly the dumbest thread so far I cam across.

I have 4 games, Wipeout, Metal Gear Acid, Ridge Racer and Hot Shots Golf, I still have to beat 3 out of 4.

I am on 13th stage of Metal Gear Acid.
I beat Ridge Racer.
Almost done with Golf.


Ports ? all I see is DS getting ports of old N64 games with stupid mini games and the useless Touch Screen.



Name a port besides Mario 64 and Rayman. What there's no other? All other games are new games.

[esquire]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=9731

My numbers were off. I apologize. However, 200,000 is nothing to whine about, not to mention they estimate much higher, possibly half a million (as of late last month), which is where my numbers mixed up. My fault.



Companies put movies out there because it's easy, and cheap. It's a quick buck.

And they wouldn't unless they knew the buck would be made.

Are these strictly consumer sales? I would be curious how many of these movies were sold to say Blockbuster chains for rental.

As for the whole UMD phenomena, if movies like RE Apocalypse have sold over 100,000, that really isn't all that much considering over 1 million PSPs have been sold. That's 10% (or less depending on exact figures) of all PSP owners that own one of the most popular movies out there for it. Nothing to write home about.

What I'd be more curious about is the percentage of PSP owners who own multiple UMD movies. After buying 1 or even 2, how many of these people are going back for more?

[suckerpunch5]

I have both the PSP and The DS, and I use my GBA WAY more than either of them. I have Untold Legends for PSP, and it is my favorite PSP game, but it really isnt that great. It looks nice, but the gameplay is lacking, I think.

By far, my favorite next gen handheld game is Wario Ware Touched. That game is really fun. Overall, I would say I play games more on my DS, but I use the PSP more because I put mp3's and Seinfeld episodes on the memory stick. Also, I absolutely love the UMD movies. I travel a lot, so I set my car up so I can mount the PSP on the dash, hook the sound through the stereo, and watch movies. It is great, but it isn't for gaming. Star Wars: Battlefront will be awesome on PSP versus freinds, but until then, I probably wont' game seriously on my PSP.

When Shogun: Total War, and Advanced Wars DS come out for the DS, you won't be able to pry that thing out of my hands. I think for me, in the near future, the DS is the best. Further down the line, who knows? But right now, give me my GBA, I must finish Sacred Stones!!

[GizmoGC]

For the record I own both a DS and PSP. Bought both on the day they launched. I currently own 15 DS games and 4 PSP games (and 3 UMDs). Ive owned an additional 5 DS titles that were traded in, and an additional 11 PSP titles (If not more honestly). I play my DS all the time, and my PSP now gets used mainly for emulation and some Tony Hawk/Twisted Metal/Ape Escape.

UMDs hit everyone by surprise. When the PSP launched, who knew these movies would sell so much? My reasoning for this is because of the lack of games. If you wanna show off your PSP, you buy a movie for it. I know if I only owned a PSP, I would own a few more UMDs just for the sake of making myself feel like I didn't waste $250 on a handheld.

Now, here is a list of all current PSP/DS games. Next to them says if they are a new game or a port/remix (Older game(s) combined with a few extra features).

PSP
Metal Gear Acid!- New game
THUG Remix - Port/Remix
Ridge Racers - Port/Remix
Ape Escape - Port
Lumines - New Game
Darkstalkers - Port/Remix
Twisted Metal - Port/Remix
Dead to Rights - New Gwm (?)
Midnight Club 3 - Port/Remix
Hot Shots Golf - New Game
NBA Showdown - Port/Remix
NFL Street - Port/Remix
Tiger Woods - Port/Remix
Dynasty Warriors - Port/Remix
Spiderman 2 - Port/Remix
Rengoku - New Game
Need for Speed Rivals - Port/Remix
Wipeout Pure - Port/Remix
Mercury - New Game
Untold Legends - New Game
Fifa 2005 - Port/Remix
Gretzkey - Port/Remix
MLB - Port/Remix
NBA - Port/Remix
ATV OFfroad Fury - Port/Remix
MVP Baseball - Port/Remix
Coded Arms - New Game

DS
Super Mario 64 - Port/Remix
Rayman 3 - Port/Remix
Zoo Keeper - New game
Polarium - New Game
Kirby Canvas - New Game
Ping Pals (ugh) - New Game
Sprung - New Game
Spiderman 2- Port/Remix
Yoshi Touch N Go - New Game
Golden Eye - Port/Remix
Robots - New Game (Released On GBA at the same time)
Madagascar - New Game (Released On GBA at the same time)
Retro Ataru - Port/Remix
Star Wars Episode III - (Released On GBA at the same time)
Ridge Racers - Port/Remix
Asphault GT - Port/Remix
Need for Speed 2- Port/Remix
Pokemon Dash! - New Game
Feel the Magic - New Game
Puyo Pop - Port/Remix
Mr Driller - New Game
Pac-Pix - New Game
WarioWare - New Game
World Champ. Poker - Port/Remix
Madden 2005- Port/Remix
Tiger Woods 2005- Port/Remix
Urbz - Port/Remix
Bomberman - New Game
Meteos - New Game
Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory (Port from N-Ggae) Port

[Gamereviewgod]

As for the whole UMD phenomena, if movies like RE Apocalypse have sold over 100,000, that really isn't all that much considering over 1 million PSPs have been sold. That's 10% (or less depending on exact figures) of all PSP owners that own one of the most popular movies out there for it. Nothing to write home about.


You're looking at one title. Most people probably know better than to get RE: Apocalypse. :P

Five movies have sold 100,000 copies. That's half as many people that own PSPs. Add in other titles and that's gooing to jump even more. Not to mention you can rip DVD's to it. That IS an accomplishment.

Stores and online rental places are beginning to rent them out. There are nearly 200 movies planned. That's not including a ridiculous amount of music video based UMDs. They're hot as hell. Though again, I have no idea why.

[petewhitley]

For the record I own both a DS and PSP. Bought both on the day they launched ...
Now, here is a list of all current PSP/DS games. Next to them says if they are a new game or a port/remix (Older game(s) combined with a few extra features).

PSP
Metal Gear Acid!- New game
THUG Remix - Port/Remix
Ridge Racers - Port/Remix
Ape Escape - Port
Lumines - New Game
Darkstalkers - Port/Remix
Twisted Metal - Port/Remix
Dead to Rights - New Gwm (?)
Midnight Club 3 - Port/Remix
Hot Shots Golf - New Game
NBA Showdown - Port/Remix
NFL Street - Port/Remix
Tiger Woods - Port/Remix
Dynasty Warriors - Port/Remix
Spiderman 2 - Port/Remix
Rengoku - New Game
Need for Speed Rivals - Port/Remix
Wipeout Pure - Port/Remix
Mercury - New Game
Untold Legends - New Game
Fifa 2005 - Port/Remix
Gretzkey - Port/Remix
MLB - Port/Remix
NBA - Port/Remix
ATV OFfroad Fury - Port/Remix
MVP Baseball - Port/Remix
Coded Arms - New Game

DS
Super Mario 64 - Port/Remix
Rayman 3 - Port/Remix
Zoo Keeper - New game
Polarium - New Game
Kirby Canvas - New Game
Ping Pals (ugh) - New Game
Sprung - New Game
Spiderman 2- Port/Remix
Yoshi Touch N Go - New Game
Golden Eye - Port/Remix
Robots - New Game (Released On GBA at the same time)
Madagascar - New Game (Released On GBA at the same time)
Retro Ataru - Port/Remix
Star Wars Episode III - (Released On GBA at the same time)
Ridge Racers - Port/Remix
Asphault GT - Port/Remix
Need for Speed 2- Port/Remix
Pokemon Dash! - New Game
Feel the Magic - New Game
Puyo Pop - Port/Remix
Mr Driller - New Game
Pac-Pix - New Game
WarioWare - New Game
World Champ. Poker - Port/Remix
Madden 2005- Port/Remix
Tiger Woods 2005- Port/Remix
Urbz - Port/Remix
Bomberman - New Game
Meteos - New Game
Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory (Port from N-Ggae) Port

Umm, sorry to break your bubble bub, but you've made some pretty dubious judgements on what constitutes a port/remix. At first glance, you've got a dozen titles labled just plain wrong (eg: Wipeout Pure/Port, not by any stretch of the term). You'd be best to edit your post or leave the lableing to those who have actually played the games.

[DeputyMoniker]

I was just reading the latest DP Wire and saw something that made me shake my head. In the upcoming releases section there were 21 PSP movies soon to be released and zero actual games.

Between competition from the DS to people hacking the PSP to play free emulators you'd think that Sony would be pushing out as many new games as humanily possible.

I'm sure that Sony wants to bury the DS and I know that Sony must hate the PSP hacking but what are they giving PSP owners to play instead of emulators and movies to watch.

To me it seems like Sony's content with letting it become the Walkman video edition.

Do you know what the Walkman did for Sony?? LOL
Maybe they want it to be the Trinitron Tube pocket edition. LOL
The UMD movie market isnt taking off so they made a deal with just about every major publisher to release movies on UMD. This is wave 1...expect a few more.

[zmweasel]

Now, here is a list of all current PSP/DS games. Next to them says if they are a new game or a port/remix (Older game(s) combined with a few extra features).

Let's "remix" your list and indicate the brand-new and exclusive IPs for each system--that is, games that aren't extensions of existing franchises. (This rules out many of the DS titles you categorized as "new." Canvas Curse's gameplay is excellent, no question, but the Kirby franchise is hardly new.)

PSP: Coded Arms, Lumines, Mercury, Rengoku, Untold Legends (kind of--it's really just a PSP version of a PSP Champions game).

DS: Feel the Magic, Meteos, Ping Pals, Polarium, Sprung.

Pretty sad-ass lists for both systems, if originality is what you're looking for, but you shouldn't be expecting much of that from the console-game industry anymore. Too much money's at stake to take risks.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

Do you know what the Walkman did for Sony?? LOL
Maybe they want it to be the Trinitron Tube pocket edition. LOL

That's exactly right! Ken Kutagari himself called the PSP "the Walkman of the 21st century." Sony is selling it as the ultimate portable entertainment device.


The UMD movie market isnt taking off so they made a deal with just about every major publisher to release movies on UMD. This is wave 1...expect a few more.

Did you actually read any of the links earlier in this thread? UMDs are doing very well, and they've reached a few sales milestones faster than the DVD format. Hollywood makes three times more money from home video than theatrical releases, so the studios are getting pumped about the UMD market. Sony doesn't have to "make" Hollywood want to make money.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

its not every day you are the owner of a Nintendo console that is outselling a Sony one LOL ZING!! Baby ZING!!!!! :evil:

And if you live in North America, it's not ANY day.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

To me it is simple. 250.00 was way too much to ask for a handheld in the american market. The market has its limits. Parents have a hard time forking over 250.00 with no games. . Forget parents adults have issues with it. Ea's outrageous 49.00 games did not help the situation at all. I knew in my heart this would happen. I remember the 3do. When I go to the gamestores I see people salivating over the psp but when they get smacked with the price-- Game over.

250,000 North American consumers in May alone said "Game on" to the PSP. 'Sides, parents aren't buying PSPs for their kids, they're buying GBA SPs (in massive numbers). Grown-up gamers and casual-gaming tech-heads are buying the PSP.


Nintendos knock from the top came with them being greedy forcing companies to go with the cartridge format to control the dollars.

Storage media has nothing to do with it. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all use lockout technology, all approve and manufacture third-party games, and all "control the dollars." It wasn't Nintendo's greed that knocked it from the top; it was the company's (continuing) inability to grow beyond the kiddie/hardcore market.


I just hope psp drops to 149.00 and the games drop to 29.99 to 34.00. So it can cacth on.

A PSP price drop will inevitably happen, though not for a while, and especially not if Sony maintains or increases that 250K-a-month sales pace. Cheaper games won't happen; PSP games will continue to launch at $40-$50, and PS3/Xbox 360 games will launch at $50-$60. Inflation, increased development costs, etc.

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

This might be Sony's first unsucessful system, no joke, come to Midwest and check out most stores, all the games (systems in fact) are sitting on the shelf and collecting dust.

Technically, the Japan-only PSX was Sony's first unsuccessful system, though you could spin that failure in a couple of ways (it wasn't marketed by the game division, it was just a PS3 testbed, et cetera).


The release of GTA will be the first barometer of checking the system's viability, if they still can't move the systems off the shelf, PSP will be in trouble.

Sony sold through 250,000 PSPs in May (one of the slowest months of the game-retail year), and nearly outsold the DS and GBA combined. That's your barometer for you.


This coming holiday season will also be interesting to watch, I'm surpirsed third party developers are still fooled by the artificial install base (look at how often it breaks and how many systems a diehard has to buy replacement units).

Are you talking about the PSP? There were some complaints about dead pixels (from folks who didn't understand the nature of the screen technology) when the system launched, but that was it.

-- Z.

[chrisbid]

of course this devolved into a PSP vs DS thread, the point is that if this trend of movies flooding the market continues, then we will see virtually no games on the PSP, and it will become a movie player. I, as a game player, do not want to see this.

[gepeto]

ZMweasel said:
250,000 North American consumers in May alone said "Game on" to the PSP. 'Sides, parents aren't buying PSPs for their kids, they're buying GBA SPs (in massive numbers). Grown-up gamers and casual-gaming tech-heads are buying the PSP.


Gepeto says:
I don't believe company numbers. I go to 4 to 5 games stores daily not counting wallmart and target and I can honestly say that outside of the launch window I have never seen a psp being sold. One store had a used one priced at 180.00 2months after launch sat on the shelf for weeks. Forget numbers I look at the store facts they tell the real story.

Zmweasel said:
Storage media has nothing to do with it. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft all use lockout technology, all approve and manufacture third-party games, and all "control the dollars." It wasn't Nintendo's greed that knocked it from the top; it was the company's (continuing) inability to grow beyond the kiddie/hardcore market

Gepeto says:
Storage media had everything to do with it. Cartridge manufacturing is expensive combined with nintendo high per cart fees. Companies said forget that why pay 10.00 probably more to make the cartridge and another 20.00+ fee to nintendo. mass producing that adds up. It work during the snes and nes era because they were the eras heavy hitter and clearly there attitude was my way or the highway.

zmweasel said:
A PSP price drop will inevitably happen, though not for a while, and especially not if Sony maintains or increases that 250K-a-month sales pace. Cheaper games won't happen; PSP games will continue to launch at $40-$50, and PS3/Xbox 360 games will launch at $50-$60. Inflation, increased development costs, etc.

Gepeto says:
no overpriced consumer videogame items ever had mass success and don't say neo geo because growing up I don't know anyone who knew more than 2 people with one..

[Gamereviewgod]

then we will see virtually no games on the PSP

Why? Movies being released has NOTHING to do with the game releases. Again, a studio can pop a movie on UMD quickly. You can't just make a game in less than a few months (not anymore at least. This isn't Sony's fault like some people want to believe. The games are out there. If you can't find something game-wise to like, it's your fault, not Sony's. There's already a great library there.

[zmweasel]

I don't believe company numbers. I go to 4 to 5 games stores daily not counting wallmart and target and I can honestly say that outside of the launch window I have never seen a psp being sold. One store had a used one priced at 180.00 2months after launch sat on the shelf for weeks. Forget numbers I look at the store facts they tell the real story.

You might not believe NPD/TRST numbers, but the hundreds of companies that pay thousands of dollars for access to NPD's thoroughly researched database--where that 250K sales stat comes from--most definitely do.

Either you're right, and NPD is working a scam of epic proportions, or you're wrong, and need to realize that your anecdotal evidence of unsold PSPs at a handful of local retailers doesn't reflect national sales trends.

As for Sony's and Nintendo's console sell-in numbers, no one has ever seriously objected to them, financial analysts included. Do you also not believe Sony's well-documented claims of more than 100 million PlayStations sold through worldwide?


Storage media had everything to do with it. Cartridge manufacturing is expensive combined with nintendo high per cart fees. Companies said forget that why pay 10.00 probably more to make the cartridge and another 20.00+ fee to nintendo. mass producing that adds up. It work during the snes and nes era because they were the eras heavy hitter and clearly there attitude was my way or the highway.

Yes, Nintendo was a "heavy hitter" in the NES era, the only legitimate choice for third-party console publishers in the late 1980s. But Nintendo's fall from first to third began with competition from the Sega Genesis, also a cartridge-based system.

Most publishers didn't say "forget that" to cartridges when the NES was peaking, because everyone was making heaps of money.

Sticking with carts on the N64 was certainly a tactical error by Nintendo, as the public was willing to accept the drawbacks of CD-ROM storage in exchange for the advantages, but that wasn't the most significant factor in Nintendo's loss of market share.

Also, the GBA is a cart-based handheld, and that's not affecting its sales any.

Again, cartridges are a tertiary factor in Nintendo's decline.

Have you read "Game Over" by David Sheff? It's a great book that goes into exacting detail regarding Nintendo's business practices during the '80s and early '90s. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about the facts and figures of the NES/SNES era.


no overpriced consumer videogame items ever had mass success and don't say neo geo because growing up I don't know anyone who knew more than 2 people with one..

The PlayStation launched at $299, and was the most successful videogame console of all time. The PS2 launched at $299, and might surpass the PS1 before it's over. The PSP will likely follow a similar sales curve.

The PSP is more expensive than the GBA or DS, but it has a lot more under the hood, and it's wisely being marketed as more than just a game device. That it outsold the $80 Game Boy SP in May is a remarkable stat.

As for the Neo-Geo, it was always a niche product, and never a serious contender in the home market.

-- Z.

[Gamereviewgod]

The PS2 launched at $299, and might surpass the PS1 before it's over.

I always debate that. I know that was retail, but SO many stores sold it in bundles. I don't think I found a store that didn't sell as a bundle We asked $400 for ours and sold out in less than four hours the day we started taking pre-orders. People will pay more if Sony can generate enough hype. They always do.

[chrisbid]

then we will see virtually no games on the PSP

Why? Movies being released has NOTHING to do with the game releases. Again, a studio can pop a movie on UMD quickly. You can't just make a game in less than a few months (not anymore at least. This isn't Sony's fault like some people want to believe. The games are out there. If you can't find something game-wise to like, it's your fault, not Sony's. There's already a great library there.



it DOES have something to do with games, shelf space is not infinite, and if more and more movies are being released, that leaves less space for games. at big box type retailers, PSP software is taking up space that used to be reserved for the PS2, and consequently, movies are now taking up space that used to be held by games, as UMD movies are not mainstream enough to be placed with DVDs. The same holds true for gaming stores, every movie sku gamestop or gamecrazy puts on the shelf, is one less sku of a new obscure title they carry. This isnt just a PSP problem, convergence threatens the availibility of games across ALL platforms

[zmweasel]

it DOES have something to do with games, shelf space is not infinite, and if more and more movies are being released, that leaves less space for games. at big box type retailers, PSP software is taking up space that used to be reserved for the PS2, and consequently, movies are now taking up space that used to be held by games, as UMD movies are not mainstream enough to be placed with DVDs.

So you're angry at retailers for stocking hot-selling UMDs instead of non-selling PS2 games. Why?


The same holds true for gaming stores, every movie sku gamestop or gamecrazy puts on the shelf, is one less sku of a new obscure title they carry. This isnt just a PSP problem, convergence threatens the availibility of games across ALL platforms

What "obscure" games, for the PSP or any other system, have you been unable to find because of UMDs sharing retail space with them?

-- Z.

[chrisbid]

So you're angry at retailers for stocking hot-selling UMDs instead of non-selling PS2 games. Why?

i dont give a rats ass about how well something sells, i dont like movies intruding on an ever decreasing selection of games




What "obscure" games, for the PSP or any other system, have you been unable to find because of UMDs sharing retail space with them?

its a fact, that even game stores are less likely to carry less popular titles unless they receive a preorder. case #1, sega arcade gallery for GBA, case #2 growlanser for PS2. hell, katamari damacy was tough to find at first until enough people complained about not being able to find it.



now, instead of me explaining why i am upset over this, how about somebody explain to me how more UMD movies helps gamers?

[zmweasel]

i dont give a rats ass about how well something sells, i dont like movies intruding on an ever decreasing selection of games

The point is that, if UMDs are selling and PS2 games are not, retailers are going to carry UMDs. To combat this situation, you can buy lots of PS2 games and try to convince as many people as you can to avoid purchasing UMDs because game/movie convergence is a threat to gaming. However, given the overwhelming success of the DVD/CD-playing PS2, this will be a difficult task.


its a fact, that even game stores are less likely to carry less popular titles unless they receive a preorder. case #1, sega arcade gallery for GBA, case #2 growlanser for PS2. hell, katamari damacy was tough to find at first until enough people complained about not being able to find it.

That wasn't my question. My question was, how have UMDs affected the retail availability of PSP or other games?

Sega Arcade Gallery and Growlanser Generations both predate UMDs, and they were both hard to find at retail because they were manufactured in lesser quantities. Sega didn't expect to sell truckloads of a GBA retro-compilation, and Working Designs didn't (or shouldn't have) expected to sell truckloads of a third-string tactical RPG.

As for Katamari Damacy, Namco printed a small initial run, and when it sold through quickly, Namco printed more. That has nothing to do with anything other than Namco wisely playing it safe with an unusual game in a North American marketplace that tends to reject innovation.


now, instead of me explaining why i am upset over this, how about somebody explain to me how more UMD movies helps gamers?

UMD sales financially benefit Sony and help drive PSP sales; a bigger PSP userbase attracts more third-party support.

-- Z.

[chrisbid]

again, its a space issue. the more gaming dollars that go to movies, the fewer dollars gaming companies receive. the more shelf space UMD movies get, the less space PSP and PS2 games get. Sony may profit more (this remains to be seen though, the licensing fee for a UMD movie cant be as high as it is for a PSP or PS2 game), but in the end, we end up losing.

[chrisbid]

UMD sales financially benefit Sony and help drive PSP sales; a bigger PSP userbase attracts more third-party support.




if UMD movies squeeze out shelf space for games, there will be little space left for third parties to sell games

[zmweasel]

again, its a space issue. the more gaming dollars that go to movies, the fewer dollars gaming companies receive. the more shelf space UMD movies get, the less space PSP and PS2 games get. Sony may profit more (this remains to be seen though, the licensing fee for a UMD movie cant be as high as it is for a PSP or PS2 game), but in the end, we end up losing.

Why do you think that consumers are buying UMD movies instead of PSP games, rather than in addition to PSP games? Early sales figures don't reflect the former trend.

As for UMD movies replacing second- and third-string PS2 and PSP games on store shelves, that's the nature of the retail beast, and it'll ultimately result in fewer, better games. Everyone wins.

Also, Sony is marketing the PSP as a multimedia doohickey as opposed to a pure gaming device, so you're angry with the company for doing exactly what it intended to do.

-- Z.

[chrisbid]

As for UMD movies replacing second- and third-string PS2 and PSP games on store shelves, that's the nature of the retail beast, and it'll ultimately result in fewer, better games. Everyone wins.

you honestly believe the fewer games on the market equals better quality? that strategy doesnt work for the gamecube. the reason the PS2 has the lead it has is the sheer size of its library. the theory is that if the quantity is big enough, there will be something for everyone.


Also, Sony is marketing the PSP as a multimedia doohickey as opposed to a pure gaming device, so you're angry with the company for doing exactly what it intended to do.

i was mad when it was released, and i still am now, as my fears have come to frution. convergence plain sucks, it inflates the price (hardware and software) and it cant perform any of the extra features as well as a dedicated device.

[zmweasel]

you honestly believe the fewer games on the market equals better quality? that strategy doesnt work for the gamecube. the reason the PS2 has the lead it has is the sheer size of its library. the theory is that if the quantity is big enough, there will be something for everyone.

The GameCube is in third place, and the PS2 is in first place, for many reasons beyond the size of each system's library: Nintendo's inability to expand beyond the kiddie/hardcore market, Sony's momentum from the PS1, Grand Theft Auto, etc.

The GameCube had good third-party support early on, but it quickly faded away when the PS2 became the clear front-runner in North America. In other words, the PS2's software library grew because the PS2 installed base grew.

The same thing will happen with the PSP: the software library will grow as the hardware market (driven in part by UMD-movie sales) grows.

Fewer games on the market will indisputably lead to higher quality, as developers and publishers put more resources into each individual title. Modern games require top-notch production values.


i was mad when it was released, and i still am now, as my fears have come to frution. convergence plain sucks, it inflates the price (hardware and software) and it cant perform any of the extra features as well as a dedicated device.

If you want a "pure" portable game system, you can always play the DS or GBA, or just ignore the PSP's multimedia functions. Even used strictly as a game system, the PSP is sweet, but Sony has always pushed it as more than that.

Again, you're angry at Sony for doing exactly what it intended to do, presumably because you perceive it as harming the hobby, when it's actually opening up the portable gaming market to a wider audience.

As for the PSP's software prices, I touched upon that earlier in this thread. It's not "convergence" to blame, but a simple combination of inflation and rising development costs. Xbox 360 games will have $50-60 MSRPs for the same non-"convergence" reasons.

-- Z.

[dbiersdorf]

zmweasel I think you fail to realize that if 3rd party games don't sell they will continue to jump ship from the PSP. Even though the DS is a very 1st party heavy machine, 3rd party games are still selling a lot higher then on the PSP. As the DS userbase grows, more companies will develop games for the DS to ensure sales (just like you said with the PS2). The movies are saturating the PSP options. My Best Buy had four PSP games, it wasn't because the rest were sold out either, it was because there were around thirty UMD movies taking up the space. Just another indication of why developers will be leaving the PSP in due time.

Oh and quit using the NPD numbers as indications to how well the system is doing. I could go back to December of 2004 and point out how the DS sold over 500,000 units but it wouldn't do much good because it was so early to its launch date. As we continue on through the summer, July NPD's and August NPD's will indicate how well the PSP can hold up with few game releases, and slow gaming months.

[RCM]

250,000 units is great. Take into account that this is 2 months after the PSP launch and it's a spin off to one of the biggest consoles in history. The number is impressive either way but it's not like the GBA that continues to sell mass amounts years after being released (regardless of price).

Also, I know Mr. K has stated that the PS3 will not have traditional console price reductions. I wonder if this is true for the PSP.

The PSP is here to stay but it doesn't seem to be as white hot as previous successful Sony consoles. The PSX tanked, the HD failed, and PSP didn't sell out on day one. PS2 could have easily sold through a million units at launch 4 1/2 years ago.

Nintendo and Sony fanboys need to come together and recognize that competition is great, domination sucks. Look at PS2 and GBA. Both great systems that maybe could have been even better if they had real competition.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[zmweasel]

zmweasel I think you fail to realize that if 3rd party games don't sell they will continue to jump ship from the PSP. Even though the DS is a very 1st party heavy machine, 3rd party games are still selling a lot higher then on the PSP. As the DS userbase grows, more companies will develop games for the DS to ensure sales (just like you said with the PS2). The movies are saturating the PSP options. My Best Buy had four PSP games, it wasn't because the rest were sold out either, it was because there were around thirty UMD movies taking up the space. Just another indication of why developers will be leaving the PSP in due time.

Could you provide a list of third-party publishers who've "jumped ship" from the PSP to the DS, by which I assume you mean ceased PSP development and undertaken DS development?

Also, could you cite your source for DS and PSP software tie-in sales figures, and could you cite specific numbers as opposed to the vague "a lot higher"?

It would be extremely unusual for any third parties to decide the PSP market is dead when the system has been available for less than four months in North America, and when it outsold the DS by more than 4 to 1 in May.

As for the userbases of the DS and PSP, unless May's sales figures are an extreme aberration, Sony will hold a commanding lead in the North American market by the end of the year.

As for your anecdotal Best Buy experience, as there are more UMD movies than PSP games at this juncture, it's hardly shocking that there were more of the former than the latter.


Oh and quit using the NPD numbers as indications to how well the system is doing. I could go back to December of 2004 and point out how the DS sold over 500,000 units but it wouldn't do much good because it was so early to its launch date. As we continue on through the summer, July NPD's and August NPD's will indicate how well the PSP can hold up with few game releases, and slow gaming months.

There's no better indication of how a system is doing than hardware sales figures. Why would I want to ignore hard data?

The DS had a successful launch, no doubt, but the PSP had a better one (in a non-fourth-quarter window), and it's been outselling the DS ever since. The DS might not get pummeled in future months as it did in May, but it's never going to outsell the PSP in a given month in North America.

-- Z.

[chrisbid]

Fewer games on the market will indisputably lead to higher quality, as developers and publishers put more resources into each individual title. Modern games require top-notch production values.




that may be your theory, but its hardly indisputable

fewer games mean fewer risks, and we will continue to see even more rehashes, sequels, and licenses. this lack of creativity is becoming a scourge on the hobby. (that of course is opinion :P )

[zmweasel]

Fewer games on the market will indisputably lead to higher quality, as developers and publishers put more resources into each individual title. Modern games require top-notch production values.




that may be your theory, but its hardly indisputable

fewer games mean fewer risks, and we will continue to see even more rehashes, sequels, and licenses. this lack of creativity is becoming a scourge on the hobby. (that of course is opinion :P )

The console-game industry has been taking progressively fewer risks for the past 20 years. UMD movies aren't the cause; development costs have reached obscene levels, and publishers are increasingly unwilling to risk tens of millions of dollars on untested concepts.

You can also assign plenty of blame to Nintendo for introducing lockout technology to the console world, as Greg Costikyan hit upon in his already-legendary Game Developers Conference rant:

"Nintendo is the company that brought us to this precipice. Nintendo established the business model under which we are crucified today. Nintendo said 'Pay us a royalty not on sale, but manufacture.' Nintendo said 'We will decide what games we allow you to publish'—ostensibly to prevent another crash like that of '83, but in reality to quash any innovation but their own."

I remember Rob Fulop touching upon this subject during the Imagic panel at last year's Classic Gaming Expo, and making the attendees squirm in their seats. Instead of pining for more originality in modern game design, which was what the audience wanted to hear, he plainly stated that the financial risk wasn't worth the potential reward.

If you want innovative game design, look to the PC's indy scene. You won't find it on consoles.

-- Z.

[diskoboy]

I sold mine a few weeks ago. I bought mine the day they were released in the US. I alsao bought Lumines (the only good game on launch), THUG2 remix, and MGA. I later bought Mercury, Rengoku, and Twisted Metal, soon afterwards. I did not enjoy any of these games with the exception of Lumines.

Don't get me wrong - the PSP has great potential. But I feel like I threw $400 out the f*$#&!g window. The 2 games I was really looking forward to (GTA: Liberty City Stories and Gran Turismo 4) got pushed back until later this year. Maybe even next year. I'll probably get another one when the price goes down and some good games come out.

Some stores around here still have the PSP's bundled with Spider Man, so that can't really be a good sign.