PSP sales will be interesting - money talks, BS walks

[Anthony1]

Looking at all the Sunday advertisements in the paper, it seems that the PSP is getting major pub by all the major advertisers.


It's really going to be quite interesting to see how well the PSP sells. The unit itself is $249.99, but you would have to assume that everybody is going to at least buy one game, and when you do that, and then with the tax included, the price is actually going to cross the $300 threshold.


$300 is an awful lot of pocket change if you ask me. It's not very easy to part with 300 clams without giving it some major thought. It's going to be interesting to see if parents are actually going to shell out that kinda dough for little Jimmy and Tommy.

It will also be interesting to see if the teenagers and early 20 somethings will actually have the necessary $300 burning a hole in their pocket.


I can definitely see gamers in their late 20's and early 30's buying this. They most likely have better paying jobs and more disposable incomes to throw around. But even for them $300 isn't a drop in the bucket. Especially for a portable system. You really have to be a big time portable guy to spend that kinda dough on a portable system, no matter how awesome and sexy it may be. No question the PSP is a very sexy unit, and one of the most kick ass portables we've ever seen.

As for myself personally, as tempting as the PSP is, I'm going to have to sit on the sidelines for this one. I'm not really a big time portable guy, part of the reason is that I haven't really found a portable with a screen that will capture my attention. The PSP definitely does have that kick ass screen, but I'm just not interested in dropping 300 clams on this. When it hit's $199 and it has a kick ass game packed in with it, then I might spring for it.



ON a side note: I wonder how the build quality is going to be with these things. In terms of the screen getting scratched or the thing being dropped on the ground accidently. I mean, this thing isn't exactly a cheap toy. I hope the parents that are parting with $300 next Thursday are aware of that.

[brykasch]

YEha 300 may be alot, but how many are gonna plunk down cash for it, I would say alot of people put it on plastic figuring well I will pay it off a little at a time. Just like on game systems. Me no I won't be buying as I am not interested in the system, but I am sure alot will.

[calthaer]

Most of the 20-somethings I've talked to are going to pass. A) it's too expensive, B) the battery life is quite frankly disappointing, and C) it's probably somewhat fragile - those are their reasons.

[petewhitley]

I think alot of people are underestimating the purchasing power of the general public. Look at the success of the iPod. Apples and oranges maybe, but there are similarities

[Slipdeath]

I'm debating whete to buy one or not, If I do what seems to be the best game on release day?

[suppafly]

I will buy one soon. I bought a Ds last december, and I was so frustrated with it that I sold it a week ago.

I love racing games, and the DS cant beat the PSP´s NFSu games, and ridge racer psp!!


(This is just my personal opinion, before Drexel comes and tells me to stop bashing the DS)

[Drexel923]

I will buy one soon. I bought a Ds last december, and I was so frustrated with it that I sold it a week ago.

I love racing games, and the DS cant beat the PSP´s NFSu games, and ridge racer psp!!


(This is just my personal opinion, before Drexel comes and tells me to stop bashing the DS)

Stop bashing the DS.

Look I have no problem with your opinion...you just seem to pop into almost every DS thread with the sole intent to blast it (while not providing much to the conversation).

As for me, I want the PSP...eventually. Right now the price for the system and games are way too high. And at the moment, I'm not seeing much I really want to play (most games to me are too similar to stuff I've played before). Couple that with the ridiculous move of using the expensive duo memory cards and short battery life, I have not problem waiting.

The general public I'm not so sure about. I've seen plenty of stores around me that have sold out of pre-orders, but then some that haven't sold that many. Sony is very good at marketing their systems and getting people to believe the hype. I did with the PS2 and I feel I wasted so much money buying it at launch.

But I still don't see why we ask these questions over and over again. The system comes out this week. Obviously we'll have our answer then.

[ubersaurus]

I'll get one eventually-it's too pricey for my tastes, and with only three games on the horizon I care about, it's not an altogether good early adopter item for me.

I hear Darkstalkers sucks with the PSP pad.

[evilmess]

I reserved my PSP and it's paid in full (CASH!) except for a game which I will pick up tuesday when RR is available.

I got the impression from my retailer that their pre-orders are filled but not many are paid in full. Originally I was going to be in the second shipment of PSP's but since I'm full paid up I can get mine as soon as the doors open on Thursday! WOOT!

[Sosage]

I hear Darkstalkers sucks with the PSP pad.

Darkstalker's gameplay isn't portable friendly once you try to start doing anything more involved than a 2 hit chain combo. As soon as I started trying to do mid-air dashes, my hands were jiggling the unit just enough so that my eyes couldn't keep up (and forget about having a clear view of the screen when you try to perform a super...damn L button). It is still a bad ass port of the game imo...I just wish i could somehow plug in an external PS2 controller to the unit so I could keep the screen still. =P

Sorry for the side rant. Just one of those "things" I've been wanting to get off my chest.

As for the PSP for 300 bucks...I'll wait for the price to drop. GBA has a strong enough library to keep my portable gaming itch scratched till then.

[Captain Wrong]

Most of the 20-somethings I've talked to are going to pass. A) it's too expensive, B) the battery life is quite frankly disappointing, and C) it's probably somewhat fragile - those are their reasons.

Are you kidding me? All the non-gamers I know are completely buzzing about the PSP. The price is a factor, but I know people willing to spring for it. Battery life seems to be something I've only heard gamers mention and I really haven't heard anyone speculate on it being fragile either.

I think alot of people are underestimating the purchasing power of the general public. Look at the success of the iPod. Apples and oranges maybe, but there are similarities

Hit the nail smack on the head! I was even going to say this is going to be like the next iPod type gadget. The opinions of gamers aren't what to watch, it's the mainstream and non-gamers that will make this a sucess, like it or not. And it seems all those people in the circles I'm around are completely hyped about the PSP.

And it's not kids or teens and early 20s that are the tipping point, it's people my age (late 20s/early 30s) who do have disposable income and love gadgets. Sure, it's going to be on a lot of Christmas wish lists, but it's going to be people in my demographic who will actually buy the thing.

Of course, it all stands to be seen what happens, but personally I think the PSP is gonna be huge.

[Muscelli]

I was going to preorder one at the mall the other day, but i stumbled into sam ash and witnessed the best electric guitar in the world... the ESP EX-50!

I bought the guitar, Though i may just get $$$ out of my paypal account if the psp seems worthwhile

[EnemyZero]

i thought the same thing but alot of stores around my area have filled up pre-orders and are on second shipment pre-orders already

[Dahne]

It will indeed be interesting. From what I've seen, when it comes to price, $300 seems to be the breaking point for consoles. Has a handheld this expensive ever been tried before? Competition is almost always a good thing for the consumer, but I like Nintendo too much to keep from hoping that they keep a firm hold on the market.

[Beefy Hits]

It will indeed be interesting. From what I've seen, when it comes to price, $300 seems to be the breaking point for consoles. Has a handheld this expensive ever been tried before? Competition is almost always a good thing for the consumer, but I like Nintendo too much to keep from hoping that they keep a firm hold on the market.

Yes, it has been done.
3DO
Neo Geo

3DO bombed pretty much and Neo Geo kept going strong in the niche market with 14 years of new releases.

We'll see. The only reason I can afford it is because I live with my parents. I'm also getting it because I have nothing better to do with my time and want to try something new. And I'm late 20s by the way.

[imanerd0011]

Personally I think that $250 is way too much for a portable. I mean, how often do you actually play a portable system??? I have a GBASP and only play it during road trips. It just sits in its case all the rest of the time.

[vincewy]

I have hard time justifying $300 for this thing, another thng to consider is the price of games, $40 to $50 a piece? I can pick up some of the current releases on consoles for $20 to $30. PSP will sell, I'm amazed that some people will plunge this amount of money (especially this thing is not proven operationally and financially) in this economy just ofr the hype.

Another thing, I don't think the hype will be as great as PS2, check eBay, most PSP ends slightly above $250 ($275 for most case), which you're not even making money at all after all the bloody fees. Sony has learned from the past to have enough units at launch to deter resellers.

[DJ_DEEM]

i work at virgin records and we are only selling one per customer and you HAVE to buy 2 games with it, i asked my boss about this and he said sony was making everyone do it, i 100% doubt this is true becasue that is one of the wierdest things i have ever heard, any other stores doing this?

[swlovinist]

this is what I think.....


1. The PSP is marketed to people with "disposable income". This isn't a kiddy machine and it does not try to be one. With that being said, I agree that it is a chunk of change. Sony hardcore fans dont care, the PSP will do ok.

2. I agree the games are too much. While I think the system will do fine, I wonder how the games will sell. Personally I am going to wait and see.

3. Only time will really tell, say after a year or so. By then, the system will have to rely on software to sell the product. The early buyers are mostly the tech savy hardcore crew, common with most system launches. The real question is, "Can a portable system that costs twice as much as its console counterpart thrive? Will customers flock to games that they can easily get versions for the PS2 for less? Only time will tell.......

I personally am going to wait and see, as I would rather finish my Nes and Sega collections with that amount of money

[-hellvin-]

I'm pretty surprised this has so much hype pushing it. I was even schedueled wednesday night to set up a whole table and everything for the psp the night before. I usually am never schedueled on wednesday. I figured we'd get about 30 units in for the release and when I looked it up in the system....250.

I wonder how the whorish best buy bundling will go. Since the thing comes with every damn thing you possibly need, I'm sure I'll have to make a ton of dumbass bundles tomorrow....shrink wrapping all night just to add in an extra case or something to help out the team's accessory number. Ugh.