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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."
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.
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."