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[Rocksteady33]

I mean look at it this way, the PSP basically went into a market that was dominated for well over a decade by Nintendo. It was a fancy tech machine, with high end graphics, which led to high end prices. I remember thinking when the system came out, why in the hell would I pay $50 for a portable game. And yet the moment GTA: LCS came out, I did and didn't care.

While I understand in terms of software the PSP isn't very successful, and in light of the DS it's hard to say the PSP is doing well at all. But I mean really look at it, the system consistently manages to sell a respectable amount each month in the NPD, typically trailing only the Wii and DS, and sometimes the PS2. Then you have Japan where it never manages to dip below 30,000 units a week despite almost zero software releases.

In my opinion the PSP is actually doing really well for itself. I mean did Sony honestly think they would beat Nintendo? Hell I don't think anyone could be that dumb. But considering the market they were entering they really managed to pull it off in some respect. A lot of people might say, well it has the Sony brand carrying it, but then you look at the PS3 and that's really not a valid excuse. Yeah the PS3 is $600 (or well I guess $500), but compare that to the PSP when it first came out too ($250 vs. $150 and $100) and people not really ever being accustomed to paying such high end pricing for portable games that it goes to show somehow Sony managed to spark interest in the thing.

And with the PSP Slim coming relatively soon the PSP is only going to do better for itself. I find it pretty amazing myself.

 

[Jammy]

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS. And yeah, it's hardware sales are pretty consistent and good, but its software sales are PURE ASS. I don't think you really get it until you see the numbers.

 

[Wario64]

Surprised? Most people thought it was gonna decimate the DS.

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS.

Touche.

 

[Jade Knight 08]

Ahem.... get a room!!!

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

I believe this is what they call revisionist history.

 

[Rocksteady33]

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS. And yeah, it's hardware sales are pretty consistent and good, but its software sales are PURE ASS. I don't think you really get it until you see the numbers.

Well I suppose I mean more like once the DS became the recent phenomenon (post Nintendogs I guess) I find it really amazing that the PSP hasn't just faded off, it never really lost customers, the DS took off and the PSP stayed status quo.

 

[ascii42]

Surprised? Most people thought it was gonna decimate the DS.



Touche.

True, but in my case, it's the DS that's far exceeding my expectations, not the PSP that's below my expectations.
Even when I figured the PSP would beat the DS, I didn't expect the PSP to be able to sell 25 million in less than 3 years.

 

[widgetraf]

PSP is getting consistent sales, which i guess is good for sony. but it is nowhere near the DS.

am i surprised they are still selling units? no. they are still appealing to some consumers and i dont really expect that to die down anytime soon.

 

[Mustaphadamus]

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS. And yeah, it's hardware sales are pretty consistent and good, but its software sales are PURE ASS. I don't think you really get it until you see the numbers.

I agree 100% on this. The hardware is doing fine and I think that is cause of the multi media capabilities. The software though needs some MAJOR help. It seems the average score is like 7.0 or something, which is not a good look for them on the software side.

 

[Link]

I believe this is what they call revisionist history.

Well, there's that, along with lowered expectations, and how well it's doing relative to the PS3.

 

[Unison]

True, but in my case, it's the DS that's far exceeding my expectations, not the PSP that's below my expectations.
Even when I figured the PSP would beat the DS, I didn't expect the PSP to be able to sell 25 million in less than 3 years.

You expected the DS to sell less than 25 million?

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Well I suppose I mean more like once the DS became the recent phenomenon (post Nintendogs I guess) I find it really amazing that the PSP hasn't just faded off, it never really lost customers, the DS took off and the PSP stayed status quo.

What's your definition of fading off? Because from what i've seen of the numbers people aren't buying the PSP for games.

The PSP is a successful multimedia device, but it failed in supplanting the two competitors it positioned itself against so ferociously - The DS and the iPod. As a media hub it is a success, but in any form of comparison it is an abject failure.

This, of course, is not to say that the PSP doesn't have some great games. Though I know from history that people will ignore the statement I just made instead to focus on the more negative aspects of my post.

 

[BlackSalad]

not surprised at all, its a great system and fits right in with the stereotypical 360/ps3 crowd

 

[Link316]

I'm not surprised, slow & steady wins the race

 

[Jammy]

You expected the DS to sell less than 25 million?

To be fair, people were calling it the next Virtual Boy.

I'm not surprised, slow & steady wins the race

:lol :lol :lol

 

[crbowen]

I mean did Sony honestly think they would beat Nintendo? Hell I don't think anyone could be that dumb.

Uh, yes? Bringing handheld gaming out of the ghetto, remember?

 

[Oni Jazar]

I agree 100% on this. The hardware is doing fine and I think that is cause of the multi media capabilities. The software though needs some MAJOR help. It seems the average score is like 7.0 or something, which is not a good look for them on the software side.

on average PSP games score higher then DS games.

 

[ZealousD]

It's a really slick looking machine and it's got that Playstation brand name on it. And just recently it's actually at an appropriate price point.

Of course it'll sell.

 

[spineduke]

You expected the DS to sell less than 25 million?

Yeah, when you kill off the Gameboy trademark name, it was plausible at the time.

 

[Rocksteady33]

What's your definition of fading off? Because from what i've seen of the numbers people aren't buying the PSP for games.

The PSP is a successful multimedia device, but it failed in supplanting the two competitors it positioned itself against so ferociously - The DS and the iPod. As a media hub it is a success, but in any form of comparison it is an abject failure.

Yeah but ok, the games don't sell, the UMD movies don't sell. How is that a successful multimedia device? I mean I sure has hell don't see people walking down the street using it as an MP3 player.

You have to wonder what PSP buyers are doing with their PSP's. Using the shitty internet browser?

 

[Speevy]

I'm not surprised, slow & steady wins the race

What race is the PSP going to win?

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Yeah but ok, the games don't sell, the UMD movies don't sell. How is that a successful multimedia device? I mean I sure has hell don't see people walking down the street using it as an MP3 player.

You have to wonder what PSP buyers are doing with their PSP's. Using the shitty internet browser?

People are using the PSP for the same reason they use the GP2X - To play Super Nintendo games.

 

[Tobor]

Sell some software and we can talk about how well it's doing.

As it stands, the PSP is just a decently selling PMP device.

 

[Elios83]

1)Yes it's doing really well and things can only get better with the new model and more interesting games and services.The system at this point can easily surpass the 50 million units global installed base during it's life cycle.

2)It could have done even better if Sony hadn't made a big mistake by thinking that people wanted a portable PS2 (that is why the hardware sells really well while software sales not so much). Now they're tring to fix the gaming aspect of PSP maybe it's too late, btw this is a learning process and it will be a useful experience for the next handheld.

3)Yes Sony expected PSP to beat Nintendo and Nintendo was seriously scared at that time to be beaten as happened in the home console market, DS was a rushed product to counter PSP while they were preparing the successor of GBA but history wanted that to not be necessary anymore :lol

 

[Kangu]

I honestly believe pircay is absolutely decimating the PSP's software sales. On a recent trip to China 5 or so of my completely causal gamer buddies bought PSP's and all of them knew about playing pirate games on the PSP, made sure to buy PSP's that were already hacked and bought them along with several DVD's full of games and a large MS.

Everybody knows about PSP piracy, and everybody does it. It's really pretty disastrous for Sony.

 

[Sho Nuff]

I bet it'd sell better with less obnoxious load times. Come on PSP-P, make it happen

 

[thefro]

Not really, considering how easy piracy is on it. They're never going to get great software sales on it because of that.

 

[Like the hat?]

on average PSP games score higher then DS games.

more popular system = more shovelware

more shovelware = lowered averages

on topic, no I am not surprised. PSP is great. Bought one for LocoRoco and have not at any time felt I made a bad purchase

 

[Rocksteady33]

People are using the PSP for the same reason they use the GP2X - To play Super Nintendo games.

Early on in the systems lifespan, yes. But I know I modded mine about 4 months ago (to play PSX games) and that was a bitch of a time. Have the recent firmwares even been cracked? I mean there's so much crap to go through I'd say maybe 3% of buyers these days are getting it for the homebrew aspect.

 

[spineduke]

People are using the PSP for the same reason they use the GP2X - To play Super Nintendo games.

You have to admit, its a great toy to tinker with. There's a lot you can do with it, apart from the games. Infrared remote, VNC, video/audio streaming, RSS, emulation, comics, e-books, IM clients, FTPing, the usual doom ports etc..

 

[human5892]

Expectations were quite high for the PSP, but taken in historical context with other handheld numbers (both Nintendo and non-Nintendo), I agree that it's actually doing fairly well for itself in the present in terms of hardware sales.

The main problem is that the DS' success makes the PSP look weak. In reality, the DS is a phenomenon without historical precedent. The PSP isn't doing poorly, but the DS is doing fantastically.

 

[Richelieu]

1)Yes it's doing really well and things can only get better with the new model...

But the new model is practically indistinguishable from the old model (besides being locked into a higher priced bundle and some new colors).

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

It has it's market. It meets a certain demographic. In that sense, it's successful. Also, PSP modding and homebrew is awesome.

 

[dammitmattt]

I'm surprised that the software sales are so low.

 

[Mustaphadamus]

on average PSP games score higher then DS games.

really? you sure? I am not calling you a liar, (i own a psp and love it) but every time I look at a RPG to buy the scores are abysmal.

 

[Flakster99]

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS. And yeah, it's hardware sales are pretty consistent and good, but its software sales are PURE ASS. I don't think you really get it until you see the numbers.

/thread

Saying that, there are a handful of games that appeal to me, so it was a worth while purchase. And you can thank the DS for it's lack of software, software sales.

 

[Mithos Yggdrasill]

No. A good 75% of the elitist pricks on this site expected the PSP to wipe the handheld floor clean with DS. And yeah, it's hardware sales are pretty consistent and good, but its software sales are PURE ASS. I don't think you really get it until you see the numbers.

/thread. That was what I wanna say either. I have the impressions that PSP's sales are increasing in some way due to the bad performance of the PS3. Yeah, I know that theoretically there should be almost no link between the sales of the two platforms, but facts say that PSP is going up since the PS3 launched. Bah, maybe it's only a coincidence due to other factors.

Anyway, outside some success like Monter Hunter in Japan and GTA in occident, it is true to say that Software's sales are abysmal.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

You have to admit, its a great toy to tinker with. There's a lot you can do with it, apart from the games. Infrared remote, VNC, video/audio streaming, RSS, emulation, comics, e-books, IM clients, FTPing, the usual doom ports etc..

You know, if I was still a hardware tinkerer (I gave it up years ago) the PSP would be my console of choice.

The problem from a sales standpoint with the PSP though is that they had no direction with it, The iPod could potentially have the same problems as the PSP but they managed to implement tools (iTunes) user-friendly enough for people to not bother with the hassle of pirating. Yeah it's still done, but it's nowhere near as rampant as it is with PSP.

Everyone I know with a PSP uses it as a portable media player by running media off of the memory stick.

 

[spineduke]

/thread

Saying that, there are a handful of games that appeal to me, so it was a worth while purchase. And you can thank the DS for it's lack of software, software sales.

At the same time, I feel that the DS is the reason why publishers are taking handhelds more seriously. Would the PSP have gotten more attention if there was less of a handheld craze in Japan? I doubt it.

Everyone I know with a PSP uses it as a portable media player by running media off of the memory stick.

Wouldn't bundling some conversion tools with the PSP have killed off UMD faster? A lot of people I know still don't know how to convert movies onto the damn thing.

 

[OokieSpookie]

I seem to remember not terribly long ago when there was quite a bit of "psp am dead lolz" and various other crap.
Along with various other doom and gloom bits about devs tripping over themselves to leave it, no more games and whatnot.
Sounds kind of familiar...

 

[shuri]

Piracy is a problem on the psp, people who say otherwises are out of touch with how things are going in the real world.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

I seem to remember not terribly long ago when there was quite a bit of "psp am dead lolz" and various other crap.
Along with various other doom and gloom bits about devs tripping over themselves to leave it, no more games and whatnot.
Sounds kind of familiar...

Welcome to GAF.

 

[RumFore]

The PSP is the best fricking system ever made. Movies, music, pictures, HOMEBREW!!

 

[Elios83]

But the new model is practically indistinguishable from the old model (besides being locked into a higher priced bundle and some new colors).

It's not locked in anything, you can buy it alone at 169$/€.
The new model is more portable being slimmer and lighter which is a key element in a handheld,it has a couple of new features too like the video out and faster loading times. If that's sufficient to make people already owning PSP want to buy the new one then it will be do a lot to attract new users.
Changing the form factor maybe is not the smart thing to do since it's not broken and PSP is recognized and well known by the public with that form factor.

 

[milanbaros]

To call people who expected the PSP to beat the DS were dumb? They have since been proven wrong but the prediction was hardly dumb. The playstation brand was at the time seen as unstoppable and Nintendo's attempt to stop it was an uglier handheld with lower specs.

 

[dionysus]

really? you sure? I am not calling you a liar, (i own a psp and love it) but every time I look at a RPG to buy the scores are abysmal.

That is because the RPGs on the psp have been abysmal in the past. I believe this is changing though with some upcoming games. Brave Story and Jeane D'Arc are expected to be good right?

 

[ShinNL]

I blame Monster Hunter Freedom. Once you have that game you don't need any other

 

[MThanded]

The problem with the PSP becomes apparent when you own a DS and a PSP. Its sad but true. I haven't touched the PSP all summer because the DS has more than enough titles to keep me occupied, better battery life, and a smaller form factor. Also making a slimmer version of the psp will not make me buy another one because the true problems is its length and width.

 

[Mustaphadamus]

That is because the RPGs on the psp have been abysmal in the past. I believe this is changing though with some upcoming games. Brave Story and Jeane D'Arc are expected to be good right?

Yeah I think I might cop the Jeane D'Arc game and the FF game.

 

[JKBii]

I'd say yes actually. I wasn't here to see everyone predict the death of the DS, but I believed when no one else did. People always assumed the GBA had about 100% marketshare because there were no serious competitors, but the PSP has shown that the handheld market can be even larger since the DS is outpacing the GBA but there are still some significant PSP sales. The only problem here is that PSP software doesn't sell, but Sony has a foothold in the handheld arena and if they can basically steal the DS' style of games and combine them with an even better multimedia gadget, they'll be able to sell to the techies and have games that people actually want to play on-the-go.