Comments on: What Does the PSP Want to Be?

By: thisnewguy

thisnewguy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:15:35 +0000

I agree with your article. But it’s the title that I don’t agree with because it has almost nothing to do with your article.

And that’s exactly the point. Developers made a lot of half-assed hardcore games for the PSP that aren’t really for the PSP because they were almost all just ports of the PS2 counterparts. And since gamers already have a PS2 with those games, they don’t want or need a PSP. So they don’t buy the games. And then devs just gave up.

Yes, Sony faces the dilema, but it’s caused by the problem with the developers.

By: Jared Newman

Jared Newman — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:52:50 +0000

To be fair, I’ve previously said the Wii is suffering an identity crisis as well:

http://technologizer.com/2009/03/13/the-wiis-identity-crisis/

I also never said the PSP is “terrible.” Actually, it seems you and I see eye-to-eye, from what you wrote here:

“However, developers are unwilling to shell out the cash and the effort to make a hardcore game, and since there aren’t any good hard core games, gamers stop buying them, and the cycle continues.”

That’s the conflict, but it started with the fact that hardcore games weren’t selling well to begin with. If you read the article I linked to, you’ll see that publishers initially did work on bigger, more hardcore games, but in the market they weren’t worth the effort. So now Sony faces a dilemma.

I’m sorry you feel that I’m a troll. Take care.

By: thisnewguy

thisnewguy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:26:23 +0000

Also, people on call sony devices in “identity crisis.” Nobody said jack when DSi rolled out with a camera. Nobody said jack when Netflix went on Xbox Live.

This is ridiculous.

By: thisnewguy

thisnewguy — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 06:24:06 +0000

You say that there’s an identity crisis with the PSP, but you clearly stated the identity of the PSP: PSP provides deep, immersive video games. The problem is that it cost too much to do this, and there aren’t enough potential buyers to make it worth it. But I don’t think that’s Sony’s fault. I think that’s partly consumer’s fault, and partly developer’s fault. This is because Sony provided an excellent platform, the PSP, a true handheld for the true gamers. However, developers are unwilling to shell out the cash and the effort to make a hardcore game, and since there aren’t any good hard core games, gamers stop buying them, and the cycle continues.

Is it Sony’s fault for releasing a true gamer’s hand held platform? No. Sony tried its best to bring console gaming to hand helds. Developers failed to continue Sony’s effort.

Also, even if there is an identity crisis (a media device vs gaming device), I fail to see how this is a bad thing. Instead of calling it an “identity crisis,” I think this should be called “great new features.” Seriously, when is having more features a bad thing? When is allowing users to listen to music on the same device as games a bad thing? That’d be like saying “a computer that does both word processing AND internet is TERRIBLE AND IS IN AN IDENTITY CRISIS.” Give me a break. This is just another mindless troll against Sony for doing some good. Tools like you are what’s wrong with the gaming industry today.

By: L1A

L1A — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:18:21 +0000

I own the PSP and i wouldn’t want iPhone games for it. I’m actually tired of iPhone games, they might be addicting and whatnot but they lack the “game”. But what can you expect for $5. I want the story driven 10+ hour game.

Chinatown Wars was released on wrong handheld, GTA games sold almost 4 million copies on PSP. I own both PSP and DS and i like PSP experience so much more. I can’t stand DS’s tiny screen.