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[Shard]

What currently available games would make a person want a DS?

Are we talking about an informed or uninformed person, because an uninformed person could see say a Pokemon Dash as a selling point., fans of the franchise who will buy anything Pokemon regardless of quaility and so on and so forth.

 

[soundwave05]

Atari and Sega suck as third parties because they're poorly run businesses.

Nintendo would not be in that same boat. That said, Nintendo could just as easily partner with a number of different companies -- NEC, Apple, Panasonic, Disney, Samsung, etc. on a propietary platform instead of supporting either Sony or Microsoft.

$7.2 billion buys you considerably more options. Overall as a company, Nintendo is in better shape than Sony, let alone Sega :lol

 

[android]

:lol :lol :lol

More like Sony was willing to take a loss... BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR FUCKING MIND WOULD PAY 300+ FOR A HANDHELD. Fixed. Yeah, they could have went cheaper route Nintendo did, but then what would have separated the PSP apart from the Nintendo, who own the handheld market?

That's exactly what i said. Take a financial loss and keep the tech the same or decrease the tech (like Nintendo) and cut down on losses.

If you think Sony is taking a loss on hardware for the consumer/gamer... again

For what then shits and giggles. They take the loss, so that their hardware is more attractive to the consumer, who then buys it. Not to difficult to understand.

 

[lexi]

[snip]
If Sony had shipped only 300k PSP's instead of 1 million, I'm pretty sure that you'd've seen the same kinds of shortages you did when the DS launched. The fact of the matter is that Sony made certain there was enough of a supply to meet consumer demand. This is in sharp contrast to Nintendo's time-honored practice of deliberately undershipping systems and games to keep consumer demand artificially high. They've been doing that since the 8-bit days, and some people still can't (or won't) see through it.

Um, that kind of thing is an industry-wide practice, it's applied to entirely different industries and they keep doing it because it works.

And yeah, the PS2 launch is the holy grail of how to hype and under-supply thus driving up demand. Stones and glass houses, and all that.

 

[AniHawk]

Atari and Sega suck as third parties because they're poorly run businesses.

Nintendo would not be in that same boat. That said, Nintendo could just as easily partner with a number of different companies -- NEC, Apple, Panasonic, Disney, Samsung, etc. on a propietary platform instead of supporting either Sony or Microsoft.

$7.2 billion buys you considerably more options.

I know. And I bet it's a route they take in the future once Yamauchi dies (or maybe soon with Apple- it's rumored possibility).

However if they don't, then I can see them crumbling to Sega status rather quickly. Even Sega was well run at one point.

And when I said Atari, I meant ATARI, not Infogrames.

 

[Tellaerin]

Um, that kind of thing is an industry-wide practice, it's applied to entirely different industries and they keep doing it because it works.

And yeah, the PS2 launch is the holy grail of how to hype and under-supply thus driving up demand. Stones and glass houses, and all that.

My point was that it's sadly amusing when a dyed-in-the-wool N-fan is so conditioned to expecting these artificial shortages, they consider them the norm and are quick to write off a more normal launch as a 'failure' because it doesn't follow the pattern.

 

[soundwave05]

I know. And I bet it's a route they take in the future once Yamauchi dies (or maybe soon with Apple- it's rumored possibility).

However if they don't, then I can see them crumbling to Sega status rather quickly. Even Sega was well run at one point.

Sega was well run at one point? Really? When was that exactly? They were losing money even during the Genesis hey-day.

Nintendo could lose $300 million each year for the next 20 years and they still wouldn't be in the same shithole that Sega is in.

 

[AniHawk]

Sega was well run at one point? Really? When was that exactly? They were losing money even during the Genesis hey-day.

Nintendo could lose $300 million each year for the next 25 years and they still wouldn't be in the same shithole that Sega is in.

They were in debt during the Genesis era, but they were still making money.

 

[BlackClouds]

I still don't understand how that makes city transportation "bumlike."

I think he means the nasty state of city transportation in many cities, as only the poor, bums, elderly and kids ride the bus, because they cannot afford or have the ability to own/drive cars. It's like that in my city, and the transportation is bumlike, running every 60 minutes. Riding the Bus will keep you poor as you can't hold a decent job using that system. Bumlike, as a discription is pretty on point I think.

 

[Tellaerin]

I think he means the nasty state of city transportation in many cities, as only the poor, bums, elderly and kids ride the bus, because they cannot afford or have the ability to own/drive cars. It's like that in my city, and the transportation is bumlike, running every 60 minutes. Riding the Bus will keep you poor as you can't hold a decent job using that system. Bumlike, as a discription is pretty on point I think.

With all due respect, it doesn't sound like you live in a terribly urban area to me, not if there's no access to decent jobs via public transit and the only people who ride the buses are 'poor' or 'bums'.

 

[Ah Beng]

I think he means the nasty state of city transportation in many cities, as only the poor, bums, elderly and kids ride the bus, because they cannot afford or have the ability to own/drive cars. It's like that in my city, and the transportation is bumlike, running every 60 minutes. Riding the Bus will keep you poor as you can't hold a decent job using that system. Bumlike, as a discription is pretty on point I think.

Kudos to Sony for tapping up the wino market.. I guess they need something to play while riding around on the subway all night off their head on turps.

 

[Shoryuken]

[snip]

If Sony had shipped only 300k PSP's instead of 1 million, I'm pretty sure that you'd've seen the same kinds of shortages you did when the DS launched. The fact of the matter is that Sony made certain there was enough of a supply to meet consumer demand. This is in sharp contrast to Nintendo's time-honored practice of deliberately undershipping systems and games to keep consumer demand artificially high. They've been doing that since the 8-bit days, and some people still can't (or won't) see through it.

System HW Sales per NPD
PS2 391,245
GBA 870,179
XBX 711,619
GCN 647,466
NDS 479,000

These are the first month sales for the most recently released systems. As you can see Nintendo was pretty good about getting supply out for the GC and GBA. I'd wager that the GBA probably shipped more systems than the PSP did. Also note that the PS2 easily had the most "restrictive launch".

 

[tenchir]

I don't know about the rest of the country, but in westside LA is sold out everywhere.

Which part of LA? Because I live in LA and I know the bestbuys, gamestop, and ebgame still has copies. I was looking for screen covers for PSP if you were wondering....

 

[Tellaerin]

System HW Sales per NPD
PS2 391,245
GBA 870,179
XBX 711,619
GCN 647,466
NDS 479,000

These are the first month sales for the most recently released systems. As you can see Nintendo was pretty good about getting supply out for the GC and GBA. I'd wager that the GBA probably shipped more systems than the PSP did. Also note that the PS2 easily had the most "restrictive launch".

Does any of this negate the fact that Nintendo's been creating artificial shortages with hardware and software since the 8-bit days? Or that 'gamergirly', apparently an ardent Nintendo supporter, seems to perceive the demand for systems based on whether or not they sell out on launch day, regardless of whether or not the manufacturer has deliberately undershipped to exaggerate the impression of demand? Sony went out of their way to ensure that the PSP supply was more than sufficient to meet consumer demand, and she insists that this is somehow evidence of a botched launch. Had they only shipped 1/3 that number of units, you'd've had far more stores reporting that they'd sold out of PSP's, which apparently would look like a more successful launch to the minds of her and others like her. That's the fallacy I'm addressing.

 

[Shoryuken]

Does any of this negate the fact that Nintendo's been creating artificial shortages with hardware and software since the 8-bit days? Or that 'gamergirly', apparently an ardent Nintendo supporter, seems to perceive the demand for systems based on whether or not they sell out on launch day, regardless of whether or not the manufacturer has deliberately undershipped to exaggerate the impression of demand? Sony went out of their way to ensure that the PSP supply was more than sufficient to meet consumer demand, and she insists that this is somehow evidence of a botched launch. Had they only shipped 1/3 that number of units, you'd've had far more stores reporting that they'd sold out of PSP's, which apparently would look like a more successful launch to the minds of her and others like her. That's the fallacy I'm addressing.

I wasn't addressing PSP's sales. I think it's pretty obvious that with less systems there would have been a much greater chance for selling out. As is I still think they're going to sell through most of their systems within a few weeks, which is really good. The point I was addressing was about Nintendo releasing only a few systems at launch to drive up demand. That was definitely a tactic for them (and all other video game manufacturers) in the past, but since then I think they and other video game manufacturers (like Sony with the PSP US launch) have learned that it's best to sell as many systems as you can. So I think that comment you made was moot and unnecessary.

 

[Tellaerin]

I wasn't addressing PSP's sales. I think it's pretty obvious that with less systems there would have been a much greater chance for selling out. As is I still think they're going to sell through most of their systems within a few weeks, which is really good. The point I was addressing was about Nintendo releasing only a few systems at launch to drive up demand. That was definitely a tactic for them (and all other video game manufacturers) in the past, but since then I think they and other video game manufacturers (like Sony with the PSP US launch) have learned that it's best to sell as many systems as you can. So I think that comment you made was moot and unnecessary.

Didn't the DS only ship 300k units at launch?

 

[Shoryuken]

Didn't the DS only ship 300k units at launch?

500,000 in the US for the first 2 weeks.

Edit: I believe this is correct. It could also be 500,000 for all of North America. But considering it sold through about 500,000 on the Nov. NPD, I was probably right the first time.

 

[GaimeGuy]

Look, Nintendo sucks, Sony rules, end of discussion.

 

[gamergirly]

Or that 'gamergirly', apparently an ardent Nintendo supporter, seems to perceive the demand for systems based on whether or not they sell out on launch day, regardless of whether or not the manufacturer has deliberately undershipped to exaggerate the impression of demand?

No, I perceive the demand for a system based upon how it's selling DAYS after it was released. I own both a Gamecube and PS2 just like I owned a PS1 and a Nintendo 64 and a Dreamcast. Despite your delusions, I have no alliances. I'm a potential DS and/or PSP buyer, owning neither. And how I view things is just a reflection of my thoughts as one who would buy one handheld system or the other.

Your personal attack is just a result of me striking a nerve with common sense.

 

[DarienA]

Someone mentioned that the PSP really appeals to non-gaming folks.... my story on that:

Happy Easter everyone BTW...

Ok I took our PSP to church with me... after church we went out to eat with the missus father, his wife, and the baby's godmother and her daughter. Now of these folks the missus father owns an Xbox cause we bought it for him this past Christmas... he also owns a portable DVD player... that we got for him for his birthday... the godmother isn't in to gaming at all but her daughter has a PS2.

(Ihop continues to make the best pancakes of an eatery I've ever had ever, ever, ever)So we're sitting in Ihop waiting for our food and I pull out the PSP... everybody at the table wants to see it... the godmother's daughter knows what it is and is jumping around like a loon. Show them all Wipeout Pure, show them all Spiderman... the godmother now wants want, the missus father now wants one... hell our waitress and the people at the next table even asked about the thing and how much it was.


BTW this thread has been hilarious to read just from start to now(just getting home).

 

[Ranger X]

um, that's from the next Elder Scrolls game. And, as much as I love the TES series and Morrowind, it certainly wasn't doing anything mind-blowing graphically *this* gen. What makes you think that will change in the next? I'd say, based on history, that will actually a pretty average-looking next-gen game.

I wasn't considering / including the PC scene in my point. This image i see here, whatever game it comes from and whatever hardware it comes from it look likes what i think will be the good next-gen graphic on consoles like PS3 and Xbox2. (good is a little higher than "average", not "great). The deer would probably would probably look better though.

 

[Gattsu25]

PSP is sold out where I live and the DS is readily available* (excluding TRU...I never check there anyway)

*my observasions might be mendacious in nature

 

[Tellaerin]

500,000 in the US for the first 2 weeks.

Assuming the entirety of that initial shipment was available to consumers on launch day, I stand corrected. Nonetheless, even if Sony had made 500,000 units available for the PSP launch instead of the million they shipped, you'd've definitely seen more sold-out stores. So my point still stands--had Sony shipped as few PSP's to retailers for the launch as Nintendo did with the DS, there are people here who would've perceived the launch as more successful 'because it's selling out everywhere!', regardless of the facts. (My personal opinion is that Nintendo didn't underestimate the sales potential of the DS; they knew bloody well how the thing was going to sell in the US and undershipped accordingly to help create the impression of the DS as a 'hot' item, something they've been doing for years. They're probably the greatest offender in the industry when it comes to that practice, and I honestly don't think you can argue otherwise. Yet there are some people out there who still take these 'shortages' at face value whenever they happen, which to me is mind-boggling. So yes, bringing all this up was necessary, even if you don't see the need for it.)

 

[Amir0x]

My local Wal-Mart is only now just starting to run short on PSP units. The dedicated games stores were pretty much sold out on day one, though.

 

[lexi]

Someone mentioned that the PSP really appeals to non-gaming folks.... my story on that:

Happy Easter everyone BTW...

Ok I took our PSP to church with me... after church we went out to eat with the missus father, his wife, and the baby's godmother and her daughter. Now of these folks the missus father owns an Xbox cause we bought it for him this past Christmas... he also owns a portable DVD player... that we got for him for his birthday... the godmother isn't in to gaming at all but her daughter has a PS2.

(Ihop continues to make the best pancakes of an eatery I've ever had ever, ever, ever)So we're sitting in Ihop waiting for our food and I pull out the PSP... everybody at the table wants to see it... the godmother's daughter knows what it is and is jumping around like a loon. Show them all Wipeout Pure, show them all Spiderman... the godmother now wants want, the missus father now wants one... hell our waitress and the people at the next table even asked about the thing and how much it was.

Goddamn I love these stories :lol

Suddenly, my peaceful brunch was interrupted by a marching band distracted by the glory of PSP, each one inquired which deity I had acquired this gift of Midas, and then proceeded to buy one for themselves, their loved ones, and a sacrificial unit for Kutaragi-sama

The DS ones were equally as good :lol

 

[DarienA]

My local Wal-Mart is only now just starting to run short on PSP units. The dedicated games stores were pretty much sold out on day one, though.

This really is the reality of this launch.... most dedicated game stores have no more stock.... the larger retail stores do... it's definitely going to be interesting to see the #'s... and these damn stores around here better find some more copies of RR to sell....

Goddamn I love these stories :lol

Suddenly, my peaceful brunch was interrupted by a marching band distracted by the glory of PSP, each one inquired which deity I had acquired this gift of Midas, and then proceeded to buy one for themselves, their loved ones, and a sacrificial unit for Kutaragi-sama

The DS ones were equally as good :lol

It was weird... while I was showing off the PSP I could have sworn I heard Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory/Battle Hymn of the Republic playing softly in the background....


EDIT:

After seeing all of these DS/PSP threads I will no longer argue with people who claim gamers are losers.

I'd instead argue that most "dedicated" hobbyists... border on fanatical.

 

[bionic77]

Goddamn I love these stories :lol

Suddenly, my peaceful brunch was interrupted by a marching band distracted by the glory of PSP, each one inquired which deity I had acquired this gift of Midas, and then proceeded to buy one for themselves, their loved ones, and a sacrificial unit for Kutaragi-sama

The DS ones were equally as good :lol

After seeing all of these DS/PSP threads I will no longer argue with people who claim gamers are losers.

 

[Ah Beng]

After seeing all of these DS/PSP threads I will no longer argue with people who claim gamers are losers.

well, don't let the door hit your and ninja scooters asses on your way to OT (ps. who the hell comes to a gaming forum not to talk about games anyway. pps. OT sucks)

 

[bionic77]

well, don't let the door hit your and ninja scooters asses on your way to OT (ps. who the hell comes to a gaming forum not to talk about games anyway. pps. OT sucks)

You can still talk about games in a mature and logical manner. Hell I like talking about games too, but the damage control by DS and PSP fanboys is beyond pathetic. I am afraid of what is going to happen during e3.

 

[Tellaerin]

No, I perceive the demand for a system based upon how it's selling DAYS after it was released. I own both a Gamecube and PS2 just like I owned a PS1 and a Nintendo 64 and a Dreamcast. Despite your delusions, I have no alliances. I'm a potential DS and/or PSP buyer, owning neither. And how I view things is just a reflection of my thoughts as one who would buy one handheld system or the other.

Your personal attack is just a result of me striking a nerve with common sense.

Actually, what strikes a nerve with me are people who fight tooth and nail to deny anything that contradicts their pet theories. You claim to understand the principles of supply and demand, yet when a company manufactures enough of their new product to meet consumer demand without shortages, you seize on this as 'evidence' that the launch is somehow a failure. Whether you're so blindly devoted to your personal theories that you can't see facts because you're a Nintendo fangirl or just someone who's irrationally convinced of her own infallibility is irrelevant. Either way, you're turning a blind eye to facts that don't agree with your theories, and that's what I'm calling you out on.

 

[gamergirly]

Actually, what strikes a nerve with me are people who fight tooth and nail to deny anything that contradicts their pet theories. You claim to understand the principles of supply and demand, yet when a company manufactures enough of their new product to meet consumer demand without shortages, you seize on this as 'evidence' that the launch is somehow a failure. Whether you're so blindly devoted to your personal theories that you can't see facts because you're a Nintendo fangirl or just someone who's irrationally convinced of her own infallibility is irrelevant. Either way, you're turning a blind eye to facts that don't agree with your theories, and that's what I'm calling you out on.

If you need to make an entire paragraph to finish convicing me that I hit a nerve with my rather "general" observations of "real" sales and feedback from others, then you hit a nail. Cuz there's nothing opinionated about a product not moving or the fact that PSP's too much for the average consumer and being picked up more by hardcore gamers right now. Sony themselves have said that they expected to sell out within "days". Either way, personal insults only justify what I say.

 

[NR1]

For those saying that we shouldn't be comparing DS sale numbers to PSP numbers, but rather PSP to iPod, here is a small bit of information to digest:

December 1, 2004

Since its debut on November 21, the Nintendo DS is reporting sell-through numbers of more than 500,000 units, more than 90 percent of the current stock of systems in stores...

Nintendo compares the huge number of Nintendo DS numbers to that of the immensely popular Apple iPod MP3 player -- the company expects to hit the million Nintendo DS system mark by the end of this year in North America alone, a number that took Apple 19 months to hit with its audio player.

Source: IGNds

So if Sony does sale 1 mill in a week or so time, then yes, then PSP's numbers are very impressive. If you want to compare them to DS's, then you don't have a leg to stand on based on the information we are hearing of non-sale throughs.

December 6, 2004 - Watch out, America! Japan is sneaking up on you as the biggest supporter of the Nintendo DS. Nintendo revealed today to Japan's Bloomberg News service that since launch this past Thursday, the DS has managed retail sales of 513,000 units throughout the country. This puts the system half way through the number of units Nintendo Japan plans on shipping by the end of the year (1,000,000).

Source: IGNds

For the record, here are Japan's hardward numbers for the week ending March 20th, 2005-

PlayStation Portable: 43,644 (Annual: 580,120)
PlayStation 2: 40,270 (Annual: 602,316)
Nintendo DS: 22,446 (Annual: 429,545)
Game Boy Advance SP: 11,013 (Annual: 197,776)
GameCube: 3,357 (Annual: 70,016)
Game Boy Advance: 477 (Annual: 6,253)
Xbox: 345 (Annual: 4,606)

What I find very interesting is the fact that PSP and DS launched within a week of each other in Japan, yet there ANNUAL sale number are extreamly close to one another.

 

[Gattsu25]

If you need to make an entire paragraph to finish convicing me that I hit a nerve with my rather "general" observations of "real" sales and feedback from others, then you hit a nail. Cuz there's nothing opinionated about a product not moving or the fact that PSP's too much for the average consumer and being picked up more by hardcore gamers right now. Sony themselves have said that they expected to sell out within "days". Either way, personal insults only justify what I say.

Must have missed this

 

[DarienA]

I think it's interesting how Sony didn't start their TV commercial blitz until the product was actually available in stores instead of the traditional before it's out deal....(just turned on Fox and immediately saw a PSP commercial).

I wonder why they choose to do it that way...

 

[Gattsu25]

I think it's interesting how Sony didn't start their TV commercial blitz until the product was actually available in stores instead of the traditional before it's out deal....(just turned on Fox and immediately saw a PSP commercial).

I wonder why they choose to do it that way...

I'm more interesting in why the PSP commercials suck so much

 

[DarienA]

I'm more interesting in why the PSP commercials suck so much

Well taking this commercial at face value it looks like the PSP commercials are trying to paint it in the light of being more than just a gaming machine, hence the commercial shows people from all different walks of life gaming with it, listening to music with it, etc.... in that respect it does a good job... in the respect of showing what it can do in the gaming arena, not as good a job IMO.

 

[Tellaerin]

If you need to make an entire paragraph to finish convicing me that I hit a nerve with my rather "general" observations of "real" sales and feedback from others, then you hit a nail. Cuz there's nothing opinionated about a product not moving or the fact that PSP's too much for the average consumer and being picked up more by hardcore gamers right now. Sony themselves have said that they expected to sell out within "days". Either way, personal insults only justify what I say.

'Not moving'? The PSP's hardly collecting dust on store shelves. That remark is a perfect example of the selective perception you've been engaging in throughout this thread.

Rather than feeling insulted when someone points out how you're selectively warping and ignoring facts to prove your personal theories, you might want to try being a little more objective. Stop filtering the PSP launch through your preconceptions and at least pretend to have an open mind.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Goddamn I love these stories :lol

Suddenly, my peaceful brunch was interrupted by a marching band distracted by the glory of PSP, each one inquired which deity I had acquired this gift of Midas, and then proceeded to buy one for themselves, their loved ones, and a sacrificial unit for Kutaragi-sama

The DS ones were equally as good :lol

Playing "harmonica" with Wario Ware Touched gets attention, that's for sure.

What I find very interesting is the fact that PSP and DS launched within a week of each other in Japan, yet there ANNUAL sale number are extreamly close to one another.

The first week of this year was DS's last week where it hugely outsold the PSP: by 46.5K units or 75% depending on how you look at it. Since then the PSP has on average outsold DS by not quite 20K units a week. Ignoring that first week gives 320,984 for DS versus 518,068 for PSP.

 

[soundwave05]

Nintendo really hasn't used that "artifical supply" thing since the N64 launch, and that was like nine years ago, let it go man.

 

[gamergirly]

'Not moving'? The PSP's hardly collecting dust on store shelves. That remark is a perfect example of the selective perception you've been engaging in throughout this thread.

Rather than feeling insulted when someone points out how you're selectively warping and ignoring facts to prove your personal theories, you might want to try being a little more objective. Stop filtering the PSP launch through your preconceptions and at least pretend to have an open mind.

Not moving == as in the stores it's not moving in. BTW, I already stated that my local Gamestop and EBgames were sold out, it's the Walmarts and Targets around here that have so many systems not bought. Instead of calling someone a fanboy or fangirl, perhaps you should be the one being more objective and go READ a little bit more...

As far as conception goes, anyone is going to have their own conception of how a product is selling and what value they think it's worth. I just happened to give mine.

 

[Shoryuken]

Assuming the entirety of that initial shipment was available to consumers on launch day, I stand corrected. Nonetheless, even if Sony had made 500,000 units available for the PSP launch instead of the million they shipped, you'd've definitely seen more sold-out stores. So my point still stands--had Sony shipped as few PSP's to retailers for the launch as Nintendo did with the DS, there are people here who would've perceived the launch as more successful 'because it's selling out everywhere!', regardless of the facts. (My personal opinion is that Nintendo didn't underestimate the sales potential of the DS; they knew bloody well how the thing was going to sell in the US and undershipped accordingly to help create the impression of the DS as a 'hot' item, something they've been doing for years. They're probably the greatest offender in the industry when it comes to that practice, and I honestly don't think you can argue otherwise. Yet there are some people out there who still take these 'shortages' at face value whenever they happen, which to me is mind-boggling. So yes, bringing all this up was necessary, even if you don't see the need for it.)

No actually that point wasn't necessary. Nintendo shipped 500,000 units for its first production run of the DS (which was for the US). In comparison Sony for its first production run of the PSP (which occured in Japan) shipped 200,000 units. So your point about Nintendo is unnecessary and moot, especially since Sony just did it with their PSP Japanese launch. (I'm naive enough to believe that neither Sony nor Nintendo did this on purpose for those recent launches Japan PSP and US DS)

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

When they post sales, I wonder if numbers will leak out about how many got returned

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Odentnin: why, as a gamer, do you care if a hardware manufacturer makes profits or not?

None of these companies are here just to lose money to please the gamer. If they're losing money on the hardware, they just think it's because that will enable them to better make money from you in some other way. To make a horrible analogy because I love to do so, it's like choosing who to go out with based on who's going to spend the most money to get in your pants on the first date to hook you in with a kid. Slight correction; that analogy was in fact atrocious.

So Nintendo didn't take a big loss early on with GameCube... and I still ended up with a smaller, quieter, quicker-loading console with generally better technology and two more controller ports for $100 less. I win and the corporation wins, making it a win-win situation as far as I see. Sony, on the other hand, has kept PS2 the most expensive major console ever.

 

[Gattsu25]

When they post sales, I wonder if numbers will leak out about how many got returned

I know a girl whos boyfriend works at the nations largest retailer and from what I heard almost half of the PSPs have been returned...couple this with the fact that only 100,000 PSPs have been sold and --oops...I guess I shouldn't have said this yet...oh well...I didn't sign any NDAs anyway

 

[Tellaerin]

Not moving == as in the stores it's not moving in. BTW, I already stated that my local Gamestop and EBgames were sold out, it's the Walmarts and Targets around here that have so many systems not bought. Instead of calling someone a fanboy or fangirl, perhaps you should be the one being more objective and go READ a little bit more...

As far as conception goes, anyone is going to have their own conception of how a product is selling and what value they think it's worth. I just happened to give mine.

I was referring to your preconceptions. You seem to have arrived at the conclusion that the PSP is destined to be a failure ahead of the actual US launch, and are seizing upon any shred of anecdotal evidence you can find to support your theories. I'm sorry, but I'm inclined to regard an article in the New York Times as holding more weight than the messageboard opinions of recently-minted GAF member 'gamergirly'.

As I said before, it doesn't much matter to me whether you're a fangirl with a deep-seated belief in the invulnerability of Nintendo, or just someone who's convinced of the rightness of her opinion above all else. (If the idea that I may have mistaken you for a Nintendo fangirl offends you, I apologize. Unfortunately, it's been my experience that the more militant Nintendo fans here tend to be the ones most likely to grossly distort facts or engage in selective hearing when it comes to the object of their affections.) Either way, you seem to be willing to ignore the entire 'supply and demand' issue because it doesn't support what you want to believe, and that strikes me as willful ignorance on your part.

No actually that point wasn't necessary. Nintendo shipped 500,000 units for its first production run of the DS (which was for the US). In comparison Sony for its first production run of the PSP (which occured in Japan) shipped 200,000 units. So your point about Nintendo is unnecessary and moot, especially since Sony just did it with their PSP Japanese launch. (I'm naive enough to believe that neither Sony nor Nintendo did this on purpose for those recent launches Japan PSP and US DS)

Then Sony may well be guilty of creating an artificial shortage to boost demand for the Japanese PSP at launch as well. That renders nothing I've said about the US PSP and DS launches 'moot' or 'unnecessary'. You're entitled to believe what you like, certainly--apparently I'm a bit more jaded when it comes to the actions of large corporations than you are. I can understand if you don't like what I said, or if you disagree with me on that point, but in the context of the current discussion, bringing it up was hardly unnecessary.

 

[Dilbert]

Must have missed this

Yeah, I'm still waiting for her to come back with something, but given that she's posted multiple times already with not even a word about my post, I'm going to take her silence as "well, shit, there's a guy I don't stand a chance against."

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

Think Intelligent System or any of its more talented designers would still be part of the company? I really doubt it.

I doubt much of anyone at Nintendo would stick around. Miyamoto now would no longer have consoles based entirely off of what he wants for his games. I imagine he would retire. Intelligent System would probably break off on their own but produce games for PS4/PSP2 anyway.

If Nintendo were to go third party, that would be the end of Nintendo though. I remember how everyone was so hyped that Sega would be making all kinds of classics on PS2, Xbox, and GC. Other than 2002 (which was a good year for them), Sega has been completely worthless as a developer. Nintendo will suffer the same fate. Mario would be treated the same as games like Jak and Ratchet and Clank. It would lose most of its appeal and end up selling just ok (like Mario Sunshine; the days of Mario pulling in its numbers from the old days have been done since 1997 with Mario Kart 64).

Even Sega was well run at one point.

When? Sega just took one big risk after another. The only reason why Genesis and Game Gear did well was because Sonic was huge at the time. Sega has always been a few cards short of a deck when it came to management. The Saturn was poor because Sega didn't anticipate that 3D would become that important. Saturn is an exceptional 2D machine. Dreamcast kicked ass in all areas and I think Sega all in all did a good job with it. Had they had just a billion more in the bank, we'd still be seeing new Dreamcast releases. It would be 4th place (or maybe neck and neck with GC) but it would still be around.

Someone mentioned that the PSP really appeals to non-gaming folks

I was playing PSP in my room when my roommate popped in, back from vacation. He was shocked and had to call in about a dozen people from my floor to see the PSP in action. Everyone was impressed to a degree.

I should take it to a party next weekend and see if I can get laid with it. "Hey, since you like seeing the PSP so much maybe you'd like to see my room?"

Maybe not.

The PSP's hardly collecting dust on store shelves

They may not be collecting dust but they're not selling like hotcakes either.

100,000 PSPs have been sold and

If what you said is true, my prediction of selling 150k to 200k PSPs by the end of the month was pretty spot-on.

 

[gamergirly]

I was referring to your preconceptions. You seem to have arrived at the conclusion that the PSP is destined to be a failure ahead of the actual US launch, and are seizing upon any shred of anecdotal evidence you can find to support your theories. I'm sorry, but I'm inclined to regard an article in the New York Times as holding more weight than the messageboard opinions of recently-minted GAF member 'gamergirly'.

Part 1 to read

Part 2 to read

700,000 units out of 1 million isnt what I'd call a failure. If you would read what I've been posting all along is that PSP isnt going to bomb, but sales are definitely going slower than what many have expected. So go read for a while.....

As I said before, it doesn't much matter to me whether you're a fangirl with a deep-seated belief in the invulnerability of Nintendo, or just someone who's convinced of the rightness of her opinion above all else. (If the idea that I may have mistaken you for a Nintendo fangirl offends you, I apologize. Unfortunately, it's been my experience that the more militant Nintendo fans here tend to be the ones most likely to grossly distort facts or engage in selective hearing when it comes to the object of their affections.) Either way, you seem to be willing to ignore the entire 'supply and demand' issue because it doesn't support what you want to believe, and that strikes me as willful ignorance on your part.

We can also say that it doesnt much matter to ME what your opinion of me is. I dont care what you call me. I never made any claims that DS was the ultimate handheld out of both, even tho it's the handheld I'm leaning towards right now in terms of future lineups. I just offered my opinion that you have overreacted to, evidenced by your name calling and branding me of a Nintendo fan.

It's funny how you are first to put "brands" on any poster all there that isnt in love with PSP, yet think you're not a anti-Nintendo fan. I guess all of us PS2 owners who dont want a PSP right now fall into that category by your logic. There's a reason why I havent bought EITHER PSP or DS, neither offer enough for me to fork over my cash for now. My recent postings have been on PSP bc that's what so many of the threads here are about.

Also, keep in mind, that the spotlight is on PSP sales since it's the system releasing right now, not DS. That was just as much "equal" discussion on that system when it was launched in December and Janurary as PSP now. Just a current theme right now in the gaming world. It'll shift again.

As for your experience, those type of fans come in all shapes and forms and for ALL different names of companies.

Then Sony may well be guilty of creating an artificial shortage to boost demand for the Japanese PSP at launch as well. That renders nothing I've said about the US PSP and DS launches 'moot' or 'unnecessary'. You're entitled to believe what you like, certainly--apparently I'm a bit more jaded when it comes to the actions of large corporations than you are. I can understand if you don't like what I said, or if you disagree with me on that point, but in the context of the current discussion, bringing it up was hardly unnecessary.

The economics of why PSP is selling at its current rate can be debated many times over. In fact, it's already been numerous times here at GAF. I offered MY opinion of it, not what youd call a standardized opinion for EACH and EVERY platform. Just specifically the PSP which is what this thread has been about. The view changes instantly when you're talking about IPOD sales or GC sales or PS2 sales or OVERALL supply & demand.

As for this:

To be blunt, you -- and many others -- are guilty of taking a statement at face value, and it makes you look increasingly dumb the more times you repeat it.

That's the only part of your statement that is accurately reflected. But it's old news, I already admit that I was caught up in the hype for the system and expected it to sell out on Day 1. In any case, that doesnt change the fact that it's Day 4 and sell rates havent changed. Regardless, my 700,000 prediction hasnt been changed one bit. It's my view of how accurate the sales will be. And it's only a prediction, not a drilled into stone summation.

Just because Sony SAID "we expect to sell a million units in a couple of days" doesn't mean that they EXPECTED to sell a million units in a couple of days. As a company, you make those statements to create a product image in the minds of the consumers -- "this thing is HOT, it's going to be RARE, and if I don't buy it right now, I could miss out" -- to help stimulate sales.

The series of media articles about the PSP trumpeting it as a hit are also designed to cultivate this image, and I expect it will pay dividends. I find it extremely hard to believe that Sony would ACTUALLY discuss the details of their business plan in the press -- their actual projections and break-even criteria are closely guarded secrets, I'm sure.

DUH. It's PR hype, just like the artificial hype that Xbox PR created after the release of Halo 2 when it became clear that PS2 had the real momentum. Or the one over Gamecube 2 years ago when sales died down after Janurary 04.

However, what you dont seem to address here is that WHEN a company says that, they're held responsible for what they said. Anyone CAN say that so and so product didnt sell out and blah blah blah IF IN FACT that's what the company who released the PR reports or news announcements HAS said. They're held on record for their statements, not the gamers who repeat them. So, if things dont go the way they said, they can freely and publicly be critized about it. No company is oblivious or shielded from that.

Oh, and by the way, this kind of approach is Marketing and Sales 101 in plenty of other areas, not just videogames. Since you're probably 13 or 14, you haven't bought a car, but when you do, you'll hear the salespeople say the exact same thing to you when you wander onto the car lot and say you're "just looking around." They will try to tell you that your model of choice -- even the exact car -- is "very hot right now" and it's been "tough to keep them in stock." Mysteriously, "someone was just looking at that very car this morning" and "said they'd be back later." The goal is to convert interest into a sales, preferably based on impulse since the more you think about ANY purchase, the more hesitant you get.

Since you automatically categorized a person into a stereotype, I'd say you're 23 or 25 with the mind and maturity of a 13 or 14 year old. If that isnt accurate, I sure dont give a damn, you act like a 13 or 14 year old teenager and you will be viewed by me with the same level they're expected to have at that age. The comment sure wasnt needed, but then neither was mine. Your explanation of Marketing and Sales 101 is mute, a product can be marketed and "targeted" against a certain type of consumer as much as the company wants, but the end result in profit and image is what matters. Which is some of an explanation of what has happened to Gamecube.

I do have to add one more thing to the whole supply-and-demand topic, since I really think you DON'T understand how it works, no matter what you claim. Bitching about the price is a red herring. It has been shown throughout history that you can command a premium price for an item if you have a premium brand, and that is EXACTLY how Sony is trying to be perceived. The iPod is STILL far more expensive than the PSP, and Apple is selling a metric fuckload of them. Why? Because iPods are seen to be "worth it" by consumers. When you can change the terms of the debate from "X is so much more than Y, which does more or less the same thing" to "buying X is worth it because it's so much better than Y," then you have largely beaten the price game.

I dont need to "bitch" about anything. The price hurdle is evidence of a contributing factor as to why the system hasnt sold out. As for the price game that you say can be so easily beaten, then you live in a fantasy world where everyone buys HDTVs over the standard TVs and Ipods over a $25 portable cd player. Of course these products can market to a certain "audience" and sell to them, but the price will ALWAYS be a factor to the average consumer. It's one of the strongest factors into American economics.

Finally, you can save your accusations that I'm a "Sony fanboy." I have a very clear bias, and it's against people who don't think before they start running their mouth. But I will say this -- reading through a lot of threads on the Gaming Forum these days, it's usually a good bet that the truly stupid posts come from people with Nintendo-themed avatars or usernames. But, you know, that's anedoctal evidence, and I'm sure it doesn't MEAN anything, right?

I never gave one unlike the one you decisively decided to brand upon me. That indicates respect and maturity instead of fanboyish and biasm. There's really no need to reply to the rest of your "jabbering" either. It's more of the same thing. With that I will end my reply....

 

[AnIco]

Hello whatever your name was on the forum. I remember your permaban for stupidity.

Oh really? lol. And whom might that be sweetheart?

NB: The second sentence doesn't follow logically from the antecedent sentence.

At least use a different avatar because your face is ugly

That erroneously inspired and spitefully motivated ad hominem betrays your desperation and personal hurt. Back to my original point: dutifully contacting retailers for inventory data to slight the PSP's launch is such an extraordinary expression of consternation; the concern from Nintendo fanatics regarding their chosen company's monopoly is unmistakable, and no amount of name-calling changes that.

 

[Izzy]

Oh really? lol. And whom might that be sweetheart?

NB: The second sentence doesn't follow logically from the antecedent sentence.

That erroneously inspired and spitefully motivated ad hominem betrays your desperation and personal hurt.

You must forgive him, though. Not many people get that particular OA in-joke. :lol