Is there something wrong with PSP sales in America?

[The Big Al]

I'm asking this due to the commercials that have come out for it lately. They've gotten stupid. And usually when a product's commercials get stupid means the products isn't doing well in sales. I don't know what the sales are but I've been wondering.

Can someone answer this?

 

[The Power of Pika]

I've heard Sony's been doing alright. The DS is beating them overall but not that badly in America. Though I read an article a while ago that one of the Sony people (don't remember whether it was representative or American Boss or employee) ditched the DS. They were saying this as a person who is speaking for the whole of Sony. The weird part is I didn't know what his problem was. They weren't doing that badly in America. Though maybe they don't like being second because ever since they entered the industry with the main consoles they had always been first. He did sound like that he thought he was invincible or something.=/

Also their other sectors (music and movie) aren't doing that well. They had to close down factories and lay of employees. It's the gaming sector that keeps them alive. They're trying to fix it at least. They're having a 3 year reorganise of the business.

Also another theory is that since the DS has beaten the PSP by miles in Japan (which means a high chance of PSP losing Japanese developers), Sony might be seeing since they're not far behind in America they might be able to push sales above the DS so they can pull in many American developers instead.

They're my theories anyway.

 

[kingboo30]

So that would mean that PSP would be more like Xbox? Everyone at Sony hates Nintendo. Just like Nintendo hates Sony. (If I were them, I would too.) PSP is looking more and more like a casual system more than gaming. UMD movies aren't going to make this up either.

But SNES did have the Sony SPC sound chip. Far ahead of its time. It's very noticable in FFVI. But that was before their big fiasco.

 

[MaskedManAbsolkid]

We're getting stupid PSP adverts in the UK too, but it's doing decent.

 

[Hao Kaiser]

They seem to be getting desprite for movies too... They've released "Like Mike" on UMD... WTF? That came out like 4 years ago.

All joking aside, they'd probebly do better if they could get some good games out, besides Lumines.

 

[Tobbin]

They seem to be getting desprite for movies too... They've released "Like Mike" on UMD... WTF? That came out like 4 years ago.

All joking aside, they'd probebly do better if they could get some good games out, besides Lumines.

You know, I was wondering about some of the releases too. But, if it wasn't that hard to convert or whatnot and they own the rights to the movies, or the manufacturer of the movies didn't mind exploring UMD's as a form of merchandise, it makes sense they would put what they could on the format. It's how I got The Fifth Element and some of the other movies for my PSP. Heck, I even got Hackers, which, although I think is a pretty good movie, I wouldn't have thought it good enough for PSP release. I'm really hoping that they can get newer movies available a bit quicker. Took forever for Serenity to come out (ok, maybe not forever, but I'm a real big fan.) Anyways, don't be surprised if you see a bigger assortment of movies on UMD. Lots of people are buying them. Lots of people are asking for them.

I've heard that sales of the PSP (overall) were doing really good. Which is really perplexing as it costs so much. I mean, if it were a direct comparison against the DS, it wouldn't be as surprising. But, to look at the numbers and realize you almost have to buy 2 DS units to just get 1 PSP and that they are selling roughly 1/2 as well as the DS . . . . . . That's amazing. Yes, it would be nicer to see more and varied games. But you can't really fault Sony for that. It takes time to become mainstream. Check out the GBA . . . . . It's history showed that it was released without a great amount of games. Yet, over time, developers started showing up for it and giving it support. There's no statement anywhere saying that a developer has to only develop for 1 gaming platform (although it has been pretty constant and defined in the past.) If games sell well on a system, it helps to ensure continued support. Having said that, getting a game to as many platforms as possible can be VERY lucrative as well. Don't be surprised if you start seeing more companies doing that.

Anyways, about the adds. I really don't understand why the commercials are the way they are except maybe to imply you get more with the system than just games. Not really talking about movies and whatnot either. What I'm saying is that when you buy a PSP, you are investing in a new commodity. A commodity of the future. A piece of hardware that will integrate itself into your life in a way it won't be seen as just a gaming system. I think that's what the commercials are going for. Dunno, but I really don't care much for the message. Could just be that since they have so much going on with the PSP, they weren't sure what message to get out too.

Dunno. Don't care. I already bought my PSP's. Sometimes it's cool to see what stuff is available for the PSP, but I haven't seen anything that does a great job of doing that yet. Especially movies. It would be nice if I could find someplace that has a timeline on the UMD's. Can't tell what's out unless I see it for sale somewhere or someone talks about it. Plus, it would be nice to know what's coming out so I can pre-order if needed. They do pretty good with games, but not movies.

 

[The Big Al]

Well, the PSP commercials were good at one point. And they showed off the versatility of the PSP and tried to seel as a handheld entertainment system.

But now, they have poorly drawn rodents talking like ganstas about listening to cheese and playing with nuts (which make me think the wrong thing) outside and how the PSP is like that. I mean WTF. There was a point when I was wondering if the PSP still existed becuse there were no commercials.

Yet it's doing well? That's even scarier. They might be getting greedy and trying to overtake the DS. Though they could kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

 

[Puffs]

Sony has been advertising the PSP as a multimedia system the whole time really, not just a game console, which is what they should do. But loyal Playstation fans give it an "awesome game console that does lots of stuff" reputation. Of course, this has encouraged them to compete with Nintendo because they're greedy and wanna take over handheld gaming as a whole. Nintendo is fighting back with more greed, comeing out with all these new incarnations of the GBA and DS, showing that they are kings of the handheld gaming industry.

I find their new commercials stupid in a humorous way. The ads seem to reflect the mental capacity of its most loyal consumers.

 

[MidnightScott]

The DS obviously appeals to more groups then the PSP. It also has new games and different styles of Game Play instead of just a portable Console system.

~Scott;229;

 

[Chris]

Two things are a factor to the poor sales of the PSP compared to the DS.

1) Quality games
2) Price

How many games can you honestly come up with without looking at a list of currently released games for the PSP? I've kept an open mind out towards it, but I seriously cannot name any games that aren't either ports or sequels to PS2 games, which weren't even good to begin with. The only games that would come to mind are those you could run through emulation. :\

Granted, there are a few games coming out that might do well (although only Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai interests me), it's just not enough to make the PSP stand out.

Now we go into pricing. In Japan, the PSP is the same price as the DS. You were given the choice of getting the basic version of the PSP, or the bundle pack. In the US, you're forced to choose between two different bundle packs for two different prices. Mind you, these prices are actually above $150. The DS price was lowered recently, which also doesn't help the PSP's case. I, personally, think it was a bad move on Sony of America's part to not let people choose to get a standard PSP.

That's why demand for it is so high on eBay. Everyone's trying to get a cheaper price since they don't want to shell out close to $300 for a handheld with a game or two included in their boxes.

And I do agree, the ads are VERY annoying. :| They seem to try to reflect on who should be buying the handheld. Sadly..it's working, considering I saw two stereotypical "gangster" guys (one black, the other being a white guy trying to be black) going on and on about how good the PSP is like they do in the commercials when I went to EB Games earlier tonight. :|

 

[Zora]

Also, PSP is trying to say and hide the fact it is a portable PS, with the same games. They say it is something you can do outside. Which is what they are trying to emphisize. The console itself sounds decent, until you include lack of memory and decent games. And the fact it tries to have internet anywhere it seems, which fails. Also why are they trying to get bundle packs in America? Because they think that anyone in America would get a PSP regardless of cost. If you were an adult, an extra $150 is like an extra $20 for average kid who gests $20 dollars a month. However what really annoyed sony I think is the fact they thought they would be on top. Nintendo knew that the DS wasn't perfect, so they put effort into it, at the same time trying to make the switch from GBA to DS. When you get console titles like ACWW and Wi-Fi, they really jumped. Sony on the other hand thought it was better then perfect, when it was the oppisite. One problem they need to fix all around is the lack of 1st-party games. That is what has been keeping Nintendo up for a long time, 1st-Party games. After all about 75% 3rd-party games are multi-platform, and about 50% of those are also made for Nintendo, so when 37.5% of those games are being made, and most of them are not worth a single console in a game, you want to go with the console with the most games, and that is where Nintendo wins. Also Nintendo having the MPH coming out, it is going to make a difference with a Shooter, plus I think it is an RPG, but I think I am wrong. Sony focuses on graphics, which very few people care about next to gameplay. Nowadays demsions make the difference, and once again the DS succeeds. If they have 3-d games, they can make a fun, normal console game (minus strong graphics, just better then 64-bit graphics) or the Stylus 2-d games (like KCC) they win. Sony wanted a multimedia system, but it lacked support, while NDS wanted a gaming system, that was more interactive. Nintendo also focused on a system that would be more fun inside or outside, which helps for those all-home family.

 

[MidnightScott]

I'm sorry but Nintendo totally owns the Handheld market throughout the world and they have never been beaten at that.

They may be taking over the Console market again considering the ingenius of Nintendo Revolution. Sony PS3 is just a sequel to the previous generations - there's nothing unique about something that is recycled and has a little bit better graphics - Atleast Nintendo comes up with newer ideas of gaming instead of just sitting on your butt playing games.

~Scott;229;

 

[Zora]

^Possible

PS3 is too pricey, Xbox 360 has failed because of the first attempt at a powerful Pure-software system. True it was exxagerated-in some areas. The day I went to pick up ACWW I believe, there were two people trying to turn in their Xbox 360, and on the way out someone else game in with an opened Xbox 360. Nintendo may have been getting lucky, but it comes to one simple fact: They know their boundries. They thought Wi-Fi was going to be diffucult, they managed. They thought a simple change in the title was going to be hard. Yet these two simple facts are true. People hesitated at the name change with GBA>DS. Nintendo did think that Wi-Fi was going to be hard, and ACWW isn't looking pretty, but Nintendo is managing better. Sony and Microsoft jumped in at wrong times, then think all these features will be making there system better, but the price part of them isn't worth it. Why pay $700 for the DVD player on PS3 (when realesed) when you can simply buy a DVD player for what, $100 now.

 

[MidnightScott]

Nintendo stated that the DS and the Game Boy lines are two different styles of gaming. There will be another Game Boy someday and another DS sequel sometime in the future most likely(DS Lite doesn't count...)

~Scott;229;

 

[Tobbin]

PS3 is too pricey, Xbox 360 has failed because of the first attempt at a powerful Pure-software system. True it was exxagerated-in some areas. The day I went to pick up ACWW I believe, there were two people trying to turn in their Xbox 360, and on the way out someone else game in with an opened Xbox 360. Nintendo may have been getting lucky, but it comes to one simple fact: They know their boundries. They thought Wi-Fi was going to be diffucult, they managed. They thought a simple change in the title was going to be hard. Yet these two simple facts are true. People hesitated at the name change with GBA>DS. Nintendo did think that Wi-Fi was going to be hard, and ACWW isn't looking pretty, but Nintendo is managing better. Sony and Microsoft jumped in at wrong times, then think all these features will be making there system better, but the price part of them isn't worth it. Why pay $700 for the DVD player on PS3 (when realesed) when you can simply buy a DVD player for what, $100 now.

You can't compare a DVD player on the PS3 with a DVD player in the market today. It will be brand new technology. I'd like to think of it as the old floppy's. They used to have 3 1/2" disks that were pretty big back in the day. There was a lower format 3 1/2" and the newer high format 3 1/2". The newer version could access the older format (although there were problems sometimes as not everything was standardized.) The same couldn't be said of the reverse though. You couldn't put in a high density disk into a lower format drive. The PS3 is supposed to be using a new Blu-Ray technology. This will allow businesses to put a lot more content onto their media (assuming they adopt it of course.) Now, whether that much extra space will be needed or necessary is up for debate. I just wanted to point out that it's not exactly the same thing though. Eventually, the x-Box 360 will have an external DVD player they will have available for their system with a different high definition format. I'd rather get the Blu-Ray as part of the initial system rather than have to pay extra for an add-on. Only time will tell which format will win out.

 

[Chris]

This also means BluRay discs will be more expensive since it's new technology. Not many people, including developers, are exactly liking the idea of more expensive technology that's not a current standard. >_>

 

[MaskedManAbsolkid]

The mistake with the PSP is that it's barely a new game consoles with PSP-only games. Not many of the games are only for the PSP, some will be coming out on other consoles. Sony made the mistake of letting the PS2 get one of the PSP's best sellers (GTA: LCS). The UMD's aren't doing very good. I saw films that were a few years old on sale for £20 (these films are ones that cost £5 on DVD). Don't say that I'd be saying the opposite if it was the DS when I wouldn't, because not only are they mostly gaming (some bits are things like Pictochat, etc), but most of the things are already out for very cheap. Maybe people don't buy it because it's sorta a PS2 rehash with a few gadgets stuck on.

 

[~Shining-Metagross~]

In my town (Chav city), for every Psp, thier are about 5 Ds's. Heck, I even saw 4 kids with them in school today. Although I attempted not to talk with them, they brought a Ds to school, never a good idea. X___X

But what I notice is that the adults who want to be "cool" are the only ones picking up Psp's, while everyone else are picking up the Ds's. Heck, even two Sony fans I know are now going to pick up two Ds's instead of Psp's.

I knew from the moment the Psp was announced it wasnt going to do that well. Although Sony is tough, they should have left the Hand-helds to Nintendo, the Daddy of Hand-held consols.

(Btw: Offtopic: I havent seen the Psp adverts, although I have been correcting everyone refering to the Psp as a games consol to call them a "multimedia system". Thats what Sony wants them to be called.)

 

[The Big Al]

Another thing going against Sony is that they don't have any backwards capablities. The GBA had the GBC, GBP, and OGB games people aleady had to play. PSP is stuck because people have to buy new games, discs, and DVD's to use it.

 

[MaskedManAbsolkid]

(Btw: Offtopic: I havent seen the Psp adverts, although I have been correcting everyone refering to the Psp as a games consol to call them a "multimedia system". Thats what Sony wants them to be called.)

The PSP advert is 2 people on a train watching 2 red block monsters fighting each other, then climbing up a pylon or telegraph pole, then the monsters come apart to go into the shape of the MP3 sign, the camera sign, etc. Proves even more they don't care about games.