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PSP Usage Lower Than Expected
Next Generation has an article analyzing the numbers of a recent PSP usage survey. Despite a showing that there is strong brand loyalty, the numbers are probably not what Sony was hoping for. From the article: "Most said they had no plans to buy any UMD movies. Less than 50% said they would use the PSP to watch video or view pictures using a memory stick. The figure drops to less than 30% among female users. Sony will be concerned that 50% of users admitted they had not touched their PSP in 'some time'. 25% of male users have updated their PSP for Internet use, with only 10% of female users doing same."
I have a hard time understanding how Sony ever thought this was going to take off in the first place.
Why does Sony think I want to buy my movies twice?
Who would've thought that people wouldn't pay more to watch a movie on a 4.3 inch display rather than just buying the DVD and watching it wherever they please.
The only time I really see the point in watching a movie on your PSP is when you are traveling. But then if you travel that much, your probably have a laptop, on which you can watch every DVD in your collection.
My biggest issue with buying UMD movies though is that I can only use them on the PSP... Thats not good enough for me.
Wait till after first christmas. The PSP was launched way earlier than it needed to be.
Here, I think, we see the real reason why companies like Sony and other big studios are making such a big deal about DRM and copy protection; it has nothing to do with piracy. The studios aren't stupid, and they all know, just like we do, that piracy is not a real problem (or at least, the kind of casual copying that DRM protects against is not a real problem. DRM does nothing to stop internet trading, nor to stop the kind of mass-scale piracy we see in countries like China).
DRM is all about getting the casual consumer, who can't get around the DRM, to buy their movies on DVD, then re-buy them on HD-DVD, and re-buy them on UMD, and re-buy them on whatever other formats they can come out with.
Sony is now discovering that people, for some strange unfathomable reason, don't want to pay for the same movie more than once.
It is not suprising that there is a lull now in the PSPs growth as a system. The initial "wow" of the system is over and now it really needs to build its base of games. The movies and other features are all supplementary to the games. The UMD movies are a small market because very few people are going to buy the same movie twice. Once for DVD, which will be people's first consideration, and once for UMD. Sony now has to invest heavily into growing the library of games available for it.
When they do their first price cut for the system will be a good gauge of how the system is doing. Right now, I think that they shouldn't be too disappointed. Unless they dont have the games lined up, of course.
The thing cost way too much money - plus the games and movies are over priced. WHy are there no good launch titles. Sorry but im not spending $50 on Lumines come on now - its 2005 not 1995. Why are the movies priced higher then DVDs??
I don't think it is so much a matter of people not wanting movies on such a small display, it's a matter of not wanting to pay so much for them. Here are my reasons why the PSP failed:
1) UMD movies cost way too much. They have no special features and are viewed on a very small screen, and people probably already own them. They should cost $10 or less.
2) Movie playing is crippled, both by overpriced memory cards that cost twice as much as other flash media, and by sony's arbitrary limits on resolutions (User-created videos can't run fullscreen because sony doesn't want them to).
3) The game library sucks. There are barely any games, most existing games are rehashes of existing PS2 games, and all games are overpriced.
Here is how Sony can fix each of the three:
1) Make UMDs cheap, or include them for free with DVDs.
2) Drop prices on memory sticks until they are in line with MMC and SD cards. There is no reason for a 1GB memory stick pro duo to cost twice as much as an SD card of the same capacity. In addition, remove all arbitrary limitations on permitted formats. Users should be able to encode their video at full screen resolution if they so choose.
3) The first step is to drop game prices by $10 to $20 each, accross the board. The second step is to drop the price further for games that are simply rehashes of PS2 games. The third step is to convince third party developers to put out games for the PSP. Sony may need to provide financial incentive to get developers to put out PSP games, such as discounts on licencing fees, or gauruntees that the game will sell X copies or Sony will compensate the developer. Something, anything.
It should also be pointed out that Nintendo's Play Yan brings a lot of the PSP's functionality to the DS, by allowing it to play pretty high quality videos on the DS (albeit at GBA resolution of 240x160), as well as MP3s, at a cost of about $50 US. The future for DS homebrew is also in better shape, because current homebrew solutions rely on hardware (the PassMe or equivalent) and Nintendo isn't doing anything to prevent it like Sony is. Yes, the PSP might have more power for homebrew stuff than the DS, but the point is moot since PSP homebrew specifically requires hardware that is no longer on sale.
Sony has made a string of bad decisions on the PSP, and now they're paying the price. They were too arrogant in thinking that people would put up with higher prices and silly restrictions.
They would make a killing if they released a Best Of collection of well-loved PS1 games, like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (I'd buy that in a heartbeat), the original Tomb Raider, and even a few Resident Evils.
They should also work on porting PS2 games to the PSP, as that was what I thought it was originally going to be used for primarily. If they offered ports for a bargain price (or even a discount if you already bought the original PS2 title) then they'd sell like crazy. I loved the GBA's Classic series, and I think they could do the same thing on the PSP.
You know what games are particularly suited for handhelds? Shmups. Your Contra and Gradius type games would do well on the PSP, especially with the built-in WiFi to play with a buddy. I'm not so much a fan of multiplayer fullsize console games, but I do think that handhelds, especially this one, lend themselves to a multiplayer style of play.
Am I glad I bought a PSP? Sure. I've gotten a ton of enjoyment out of it, but the console is still in its infancy. The PS2 didn't really start seeing great stuff until 1-2 years after it was released, so this should be no different. We'll see!
"Apparently so, but suppose you throw a coin enough times. Suppose one day, it lands on its edge."
They should have given the PSP a way to do video-out via a composite RF cable. That way, all you need to do to watch your movie is plug the PSP into the front A/V ports of your TV and hit Play.
Even better, a docking station with charger and wireless remote, like the one I have for my iPod connected to my stereo right now. Or, make the remote a wireless controller, and let people play their PSP games on their TV when they're at home. Add a wireless keyboard -- now you've got a Web-browser on your TV.
Forget about the PSP being a portable gaming device...now it's a full blown information appliance. That's something I'd pay $249.99 for, maybe even get two.
Normally I like to own every game console. I have to rationalize why not to buy a game system when it comes out. Like the XBox. I didn't buy it because it only produced games that would appeal to 14 - 35 year old bachelors (who are as clueless about girls as the developers of those games). I think I can count all the XBox exclusives I want on one hand.
With the PSP, it was even easier to rationalize why not to get it. It did the opposite of everything I want a handheld game console to do!
#1. Affordability. Handheld consoles should be cheaper and so should the games. I bought Nitendogs the other day for $30. Had this been a PSP game, it would have cost $50.
#2. There are no G rated UMD movies. After awhile, you'll probably find a decline in E rated games as well. The demographics are going to change for the PSP to be a hardcore gamer only console since the family gamer can't afford it.
#3. I don't want to be forced to buy bells & whistles. If I want to buy a movie, it's going to be DVD. Why should I be forced to buy a UMD player that I'm not going to use?
If Sony wants my buisness, they should lower the price of the PSP and come out with a strong line of family centered games. Sure they can't release awesome titles like Nintendogs or Kirby's Canves Curse, but they can make their own 1st party family centric game division.
Oh, and there is a glitch in the posting. If you enter your username, and password, and don't write a body, it'll log you in without having to type in the secret word.
The PSP is also marketed to the 10+ million people in NYC who take the subway every day, about 40 minutes round trip unless you live on the actual island of Manhattan. Plus the additional 10+ million people in the Tokyo metropolitan area, and 20+ million people in London and Paris, and other major european cities with mass transit.
You thought people just bought iPods to look cool? Take a look on a NYC subway between the hours of 6:30am and 9am M-F; even the poor people have iPod shuffles. People need something to do durring their commute, and talking sure as hell isn't one of them. If 40+ million people isn't a big enough global market, you're either dealing drugs, or crude oil (or both).
moox. for a new generation.