Is Sony + Developers Giving Up On PSP Online Play?

[norkusa]

I don't buy many PSP games, but I was just at Best Buy today looking around at the PSP games and was surprised at how many games *don't* support online play. I must have looked at 10 games total and out of all those, only 2 featured network play. It wasn't just adventure games and RPG games I was looking at either but ones that could really benefit from online multiplayer, like sports and fighting games.

Does Sony and the developers that make games for the PSP just not care about including online multiplayer to their games? Sure, almost every game includes 'Ad-Hoc' wi-fi multiplayer, but it's hard enough for me to find someone with another PSP to play against in person, let alone with a copy of the same game. Just don't understand why they can't make more of their games with network play (or whatever they call it).



And just a random observation....Sony REALLY needs to make it more obvious for people to tell which games have online multiplayer. Like put a big bright strip across the top like how Xbox games have. A tiny little bubble in the bottom back corner of the case doesn't cut it. And I still don't have any idea what the fuck 'Ad-Hoc' means other than you can't play online with it.

[Gamereviewgod]

And I still don't have any idea what the fuck 'Ad-Hoc' means other than you can't play online with it.

Local multi-player, i.e., more than one system in the same room.

[agbulls]

Local multi-player, i.e., more than one system in the same room.

I knew what Ad-hoc meant...but I really think part of the reason the PSP isn't doing as well as the DS is the terrible marketing of it. From bad word descriptors---like ad-hoc---to their new totally game-less commercials, the system just seems lost. Most of the time, people like to buy stuff because they know what it does. Create simple words (like ONLINE) that people understand and watch your stuff sell. Its not fucking rocket science.

[ProgrammingAce]

it becomes rather expensive for developers to support true online for the PSP. Sony makes the devs host their own servers, and then makes them pay for the certification. It adds layers of bug testing, possible exploits, extra development time. On top of that, lawyers are afraid that the developer may be sued if some pedifile goes after kids through the game.

Plus online play can be difficult for the average gamer to setup, security settings, SSID, connectivity issues. There are about a thousand variables that are outside the developer's control when it comes to wireless online play. Whenever little johnny has trouble getting NBA 2K7 to connect to the internet, the developers can expect a support call. So they have to staff extra people at the support line.

Then they have to pay for bandwidth, guarantee server uptime, provide online updates for any hacks that the homebrew people come up with (yes, homebrew hurts online gaming). All for a system that isn't really setting any sales records on fire. Online is a feature that maybe 20% of users will use for a few months, then move on to a new game. It's just not worth the hassle. No game developer wants to support the 12,000 different wireless routers out there...

[Gamereviewgod]

That and so few people take advantage of it. Even the sports games have barren lobby systems. Why take the time if no one is going to use it?

[meancode]

I don't buy many PSP games, but I was just at Best Buy today looking around at the PSP games and was surprised at how many games *don't* support online play. I must have looked at 10 games total and out of all those, only 2 featured network play. It wasn't just adventure games and RPG games I was looking at either but ones that could really benefit from online multiplayer, like sports and fighting games.

Does Sony and the developers that make games for the PSP just not care about including online multiplayer to their games? Sure, almost every game includes 'Ad-Hoc' wi-fi multiplayer, but it's hard enough for me to find someone with another PSP to play against in person, let alone with a copy of the same game. Just don't understand why they can't make more of their games with network play (or whatever they call it).

And just a random observation....Sony REALLY needs to make it more obvious for people to tell which games have online multiplayer. Like put a big bright strip across the top like how Xbox games have. A tiny little bubble in the bottom back corner of the case doesn't cut it. And I still don't have any idea what the fuck 'Ad-Hoc' means other than you can't play online with it.

It is a good point, not enough PSP games have Wi-Fi online. But not enough DS games have Wi-Fi online either. And don't even get me started about Online gaming on the Wii.

The reason the DS comes out smelling like roses, even though they have few Wi-Fi games just like the PSP, is because nearly all DS games support multiple players on one cart. There are few PSP games that support this feature, a real shame.

Then there is Game Sharing. Again, most all DS games support Game Sharing, either in conjunction with single cart multi-player or as a demo of the game. And again, few PSP games support Game Sharing.

[Nintendo Gamer]

.....

[meancode]

I always refer to the page on Wikipedia. There have been a fair share of Wi-Fi PSP games. When you compare Wi-Fi with DS, you would be shocked.