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EU/UK Retailers Gear Up For PSP Launch

Posted by Zonk on from the good-things-come-to-those-who-wait dept.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that console retailers are preparing for the midnight launch of the PSP in Europe. From the article: "Leading retail chain GAME plans to open 250 of its stores at midnight, with 1500 staff working overnight to meet demand for the new console, which is launching with around 30 software titles and 30 UMD movies. Many other retailers are also planning to open tonight, with several planning special launch party events - including Sony's official launch event, which will take place at the HMV store on Oxford Street."

4 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Are they charging less for it in Europe? by Adelbert · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Add to that the fact that most people in the UK who wanted a PSP just purchased one from America through the wonders of eBay.

    However, the huge gaps between the Japanese, then the US, finally the EU launch mean that more UMD films and games are available at launch.

  2. WARNING to my European Brothers by MWoody · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When the PSP and the DS first came out, there was some question as to which would turn out to be the better purchase. Since their release, the answer has become unfortunately apparent: Nintendo is the clear winner. And I say that as a guy who first bought the PSP and then, as the months flew by with NO NEW GAMES, had to shell out the cash to buy another game system.

    The DS is technically inferior, in terms of pure computing power. However, in terms of design, it stands as a testament to which of these two companies has been doing this the longest. Nearly indestructible with a great clamshell design and two huge screens (with no $#%@#$%'in dead pixels), the DS rocks hard. What I originally dismissed as a gimmick - the touch screen - has turned out to be a blast. It's essentially a portable gaming system with a mouse. And the games... Even if we forget the pre-existing Advance library, the games for the DS have been coming fast and strong, with plenty of A-list titles.

    Now, if you want to watch movies on it, PSP of course. But if you actually like games, the choice is clear: big N all the way. I know I'm going to get accused of fanboyism here, so allow me to stress this again: I bought the PSP _first_, thinking I'd chosen the winner in this race. I was painfully wrong.

    1. Re:WARNING to my European Brothers by ZakuSage · · Score: 1, Interesting

      1) It's not about "winners" and "losers", it's about stopping a virtual monopoly in the portable market, and for that reason I'm all for PSP.

      2) DS gets dead pixles just like any other LCD screen out there. From cell phones all the way up to big screen TVs, they are all very capible of getting them.

      3) The true pointless gimmick of the DS is the 2 screens. Seriously, one big (by which I mean equal to or larger then the two DS screens combined) touch screen would've been VASTLY better.

      4) All systems are experiencing a good game drought of late. Everything's been crap the last few months.

      5) Who marked this up as informative? I don't really care what the mods say, but this is just the same as the pointless drivel that's seen all the time over at Gamefaqs by people who just don't know what they're talking about.

    2. Re:WARNING to my European Brothers by Guppy06 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      "It's not about "winners" and "losers", it's about stopping a virtual monopoly in the portable market, and for that reason I'm all for PSP."

      How can you Rage Against the Machine when you're working for Sony? Seriously, what next? Looking towards Microsoft to save you from the evils of Apple's near-monopoly of portable music players?

      Come back when Nintendo has abused its near monopoly and has started to rely on shady business tactics instead of making a better product, then maybe I'll care. But even then, I'm not going to look towards Sony as the "little guy"/"underdog"/"hero" in any event.

      "DS gets dead pixles just like any other LCD screen out there."

      Getting a dead pixel is one thing. Being told by a back-pedalling manufacturer that it isn't a problem (and certainly not a warranty issue) is something else. For a price tag that was 67% higher than the DS, one would expect at least an equivalent warranty policy without having to be guilt-tripped into it.

      "Seriously, one big (by which I mean equal to or larger then the two DS screens combined) touch screen would've been VASTLY better. "

      Try fitting a DS into your pocket without folding it up. You can't fold a single LCD without Bad Things happening.

      "All systems are experiencing a good game drought of late. Everything's been crap the last few months."

      The Xbox fanboys at my local EB couldn't stop spooging over Nintendogs. It doesn't interest me, personally, but it seems to have a lot of interest in general.