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Sony's New Development Strategy For the PSP

Posted by Soulskill on from the progress-is-progress dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Sony is finally responding to the threat posed by the iPhone, and has started aggressively courting developers around the world to work on digitally distributed games for PSP in a bid to grow the amount of software offered on its handheld. And, Develop has revealed, the firm is planning to introduce a streamlined content pipeline for the platform — which includes abolishing concept approval — plus cheaper devkits, shorter quality assurance processes, and very low price points for new games. It hasn't totally abolished the barriers around the platform for homebrew and indie devs, but it's a start."

66 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Gaming? PSP? IPhone? by XPeter · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Nobody cares. The ultimate hand-held platform right now is the DS, you can't work around the mind of Miyamoto, he's God of the gaming world.

    --
    "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits" - Albert Einstein
    1. Re:Gaming? PSP? IPhone? by debus · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I have played with my nephew's DS and I just hate the size of the screen. Having two tiny screens just isn't that appealing to me. I really like the screen on my PSP. I have one of the original units and really like the form factor. It could use more and better games, but the problems with it aren't the hardware.

  2. Sony's New Strategy by Reason58 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Make games that are fun.

    1. Re:Sony's New Strategy by Kamineko · · Score: 1

      It would have been enough for them to just have lots of games, but they didn't. It worked for the PS1 and PS2, but they distinctly decided to do exactly NOT that for the PS3. They're really quite bonkers.

    2. Re:Sony's New Strategy by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      Really, that phrase is getting old on /. There are a lot of games that are fun on the PSP. Just like they're a lot of games on the DS/Wii (which fanboys would probably use as an argument) that *aren't* fun (yes even first party Nintendo titles!).

  3. iPhone devs? by orta · · Score: 1

    I wonder if they're actively courting indie iPhone developers.

    --
    my band is more brutal techno punk than yours
  4. How about... by cptnapalm · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Focus on improving the PSP's abilities rather than spend all their time trying to cripple the functionality other people have given to it?

  5. Not enough by Itchyeyes · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm glad to see that Sony's trying to court developers, but it just seems like too little too late for the PSP. The PSP is just too dated as a platform to hold much appeal to me at this point. The PSP Go managed to ditch some of the legacy problems of the PSP that were holding it back, but missed a lot of obvious updates the platform could have used (2nd analog stick, capacitive touchscreen, flash based physical media, longer battery life), and it came at the cost of a ridiculous price increase.

    Sony could have the greatest gaming lineup ever, but I'm still not sure it would be enough to get me to shell out $250 for a portable device that's largely redundant with several devices I already own (and this is coming from a fairly hardcore gamer who didn't bat an eye at purchasing 3 home consoles and an HD4870).

    1. Re:Not enough by Gravatron · · Score: 2, Interesting

      stuff like the second stick, touchscreen, etc weren't going to happen. That sort of stuff could come in the form of the PSP2, which I can't help but think the PSP GO is a testbed for.

    2. Re:Not enough by Itchyeyes · · Score: 1

      Basically my point there was that the PSP Go should have been the PSP2. The PSP is now 5 years old, a decent life for any system, especially one that has been hampered by design flaws since almost day one. Assuming Sony actually cares about having launch games for the PSP2, they need somewhere between a year to a year and a half lead time between the announcement of such a device and it actually hitting store shelves. That puts an optimistic estimates for a PSP2 at Christmas 2010, by which time Apple and Nintendo will have taken any shred of the portable gaming market Sony has managed to cling to this long.

    3. Re:Not enough by Jim+Hall · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm glad to see that Sony's trying to court developers, but it just seems like too little too late for the PSP. The PSP is just too dated as a platform to hold much appeal to me at this point. The PSP Go managed to ditch some of the legacy problems of the PSP that were holding it back, but missed a lot of obvious updates the platform could have used (2nd analog stick, capacitive touchscreen, flash based physical media, longer battery life), and it came at the cost of a ridiculous price increase.

      I own a PSP (1001) and I can say that the decision to not have a second analog stick was a good idea. Holding a personal game system just isn't the same as holding a standard console controller. With a controller, you're able to grab the whole device at once, fully in both hands, leaving both your thumbs free to run the analog sticks.

      With a mobile game device like the PSP (or DS), you are holding it essentially, from the edge. With one analog stick, you can hold the system with your right hand and run the analog control nub with your left hand. This actually works well, even when you need to tap the action buttons - like in a platformer (Daxter, for example.)

      To be honest, stuff like the second stick, touchscreen, etc aren't going to happen.

      On your other points:

      Flash-based media. Yes, it would have been really cool to distribute all games on MemStick Duo or some such, back when the PSP was first released. But the UMD can hold 1.8GB of data. Now think back to when the PSP was new - how many 2GB flash drives did you see, and how expensive were they? For any that you found at the time, they were massively expensive. Sony would never have been able to sell games on MS Duo then. Sure, they can do it now - which is why you are seeing Sony change to move more PSP games to digital download.

      Longer battery life The main reason the PSP's battery doesn't last as long as the DS or GBA is because it uses spinning media (UMD). I have a bunch of games for PSP - some on UMD, some as digital download. The system runs much longer when I'm playing a digital download game (like Hot Shot Golf: OT ... playing it again now) than when I am playing a UMD-based game. You'll see longer battery life get advertised as more games are pushed to digital download.

      My own wishlist:

      Support WPA2 in the wireless stack. A few months ago, I moved my home wireless AP to use WPA2, then realized my PSP couldn't get on the network. Had to change the AP to use WPA again.

      Give me a better browser. The browser in the PSP looks and feels a lot like the browser in the PS3 - so points given for consistency. But both are pretty crappy browsers. Some sites don't render properly at all on the PSP. My local news station just did a site redesign, and now I can't view the local weather forecast. Which is (was) my PSP homepage. I'd love to see a stripped-down Gecko browser in there. Or Opera. Something better than what I have now.

      Support plain SD instead of MS Duo. Is that what the other memory slot is in the PSP Go? Not sure what this would mean to Sony and copy protection - I suspect that's a key reason they put MS Duo in the PSP.

    4. Re:Not enough by Itchyeyes · · Score: 1

      On the subject of the analog stick, I think it needs to be an either or situation. Either two analog sticks or none. The problem with a single analog stick is that it invites developers to attempt console style 3D games, but doesn't provide a means to control the camera. If Sony can't find a way to comfortably integrate both sticks then I would prefer them just to ditch them both altogether, then at least developers would be forced to design games for a specific control scheme instead of porting conventions from the PS2 that don't fit on the platform.

      I don't see why the touchscreen would be a no-go. Both of Sony's competitors use touch screens successfully, and it's much easier to integrate into a given product design than something like the analogue stick. I'm not suggesting replacing the manual buttons with touch-screen, iPhone style, simply augmenting them. Like the DS, but without the annoying extra screen and stylus.

      As far as flashed based media goes, I'm aware of the reasons why Sony chose to stick with disks originally. But that was 5 years ago, it's time to rectify the situation. The thing about the PSPgo is that they've fragmented the platform the way they would have with a new platform launch without any of the benefits of a new platform. And while digital download only is ok for a spin-off SKU like the PSPgo, it's still to early for that to be the standard for the entire platform. Instead of the PSPgo, what Sony needed to do was new platform that takes both digital downloads and a physical flash based media. But as usual, they dropped the ball.

      On the topic of battery life, the PSPgo, which doesn't use any spinning disk, has the same battery life as previous PSPs. Why? Because Sony in their infinite wisdom decided to shrink the size of the battery along with dropping the UMD drive.

    5. Re:Not enough by ZirconCode · · Score: 1

      Sony has a huge chance! The Custom Firmware Community is gigantic and if Sony finally starts to harness it they will probably even beat the I-Phone.

    6. Re:Not enough by notrandomly · · Score: 1

      The browser in the PSP looks and feels a lot like the browser in the PS3

      It's the same browser, Netfront.

    7. Re:Not enough by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      Maybe the PSP Go *is* their PSP2. Just because it isn't called the PSP2 doesn't mean it isn't. The Wii is a gamecube 1.5, and although that is the unofficial name, it's not an official Nintendo named product.

    8. Re:Not enough by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      Amen. I'm glad someone addressed this. Back in the initial days of the PSP, memory cards/solid state just wesn't an option. The only reason the DS had it is because *they're ROMs*. Yea, like the SNES/NES/Genesis. With 256 *MB* of space.

    9. Re:Not enough by Jim+Hall · · Score: 1

      On the subject of the analog stick, I think it needs to be an either or situation. Either two analog sticks or none. The problem with a single analog stick is that it invites developers to attempt console style 3D games, but doesn't provide a means to control the camera. If Sony can't find a way to comfortably integrate both sticks then I would prefer them just to ditch them both altogether, then at least developers would be forced to design games for a specific control scheme instead of porting conventions from the PS2 that don't fit on the platform.

      You clearly have not played 'Daxter' or 'Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters'. Both are action/platformers, and traditionally you'd think "two analog sticks". But the games were designed and implemented in a way that you just don't need two sticks. One stick is fine, you never miss the second analog stick. If only some PS3 games had camera systems like that.

      As far as flashed based media goes, I'm aware of the reasons why Sony chose to stick with disks originally. But that was 5 years ago, it's time to rectify the situation. [...]

      They have rectified the situation - Sony is moving to digital downloads. Several recent games have been digital download only ('Patapon 2' for example.) Many games have re-released as digital downloads ('Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters', 'SOCOM', etc.) So yeah, Sony has already been providing a path that doesn't solely rely on UMD's for playing games on the PSP.

      Why should I have to go to a store to pick up a PSP game, these days? Either as UMD or (your suggestion) flash stick? The games aren't that big (1.8GB at most ... often much smaller) so I'd rather buy them online and push them to my PSP. It's faster, and I don't ever have the issue games being "sold out".

      I guess Sony has an additional incentive, in that if you buy games from the PSN Store, you can "tie" the game to the person, so can reduce piracy. But I don't really care about the anti-piracy thing - for me, it's about having games I want to play at a price I'm willing to pay. Digital downloads are much cheaper - I mentioned in my other comment that digital downloads (obviously) don't include the cost of physical media like UMD.

      As an example (on the PS3, etc.) look at 'Battlefield 1943'. I played the demo, then bought the game online. I didn't even have to leave my basement and go into the Big Blue Room (aka "outside") to pick up a copy. I just bough it. That's the way it ought to be, especially for a game like B'43 that isn't very big. Don't force gamers to go to some brick-and-mortar store to buy things.

      This "buying things off the Internet" thing did eventually catch on. Learn to embrace it. :-)

    10. Re:Not enough by Itchyeyes · · Score: 1

      You clearly have not played 'Daxter' or 'Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters'. Both are action/platformers, and traditionally you'd think "two analog sticks". But the games were designed and implemented in a way that you just don't need two sticks. One stick is fine, you never miss the second analog stick. If only some PS3 games had camera systems like that.

      I have not. So I'll take your word that it works well. However, for every R&C or J&D how many PSP games are there that don't work? Sure developers can design for one stick, just like developers can design games that use the Wii remote in innovative ways. But in general they don't, because it's just easier to shoehorn in an existing control scheme even if the fit isn't quite right.

      They have rectified the situation - Sony is moving to digital downloads. Several recent games have been digital download only ('Patapon 2' for example.) Many games have re-released as digital downloads ('Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters', 'SOCOM', etc.) So yeah, Sony has already been providing a path that doesn't solely rely on UMD's for playing games on the PSP.

      Why should I have to go to a store to pick up a PSP game, these days? Either as UMD or (your suggestion) flash stick? The games aren't that big (1.8GB at most ... often much smaller) so I'd rather buy them online and push them to my PSP. It's faster, and I don't ever have the issue games being "sold out".

      I guess Sony has an additional incentive, in that if you buy games from the PSN Store, you can "tie" the game to the person, so can reduce piracy. But I don't really care about the anti-piracy thing - for me, it's about having games I want to play at a price I'm willing to pay. Digital downloads are much cheaper - I mentioned in my other comment that digital downloads (obviously) don't include the cost of physical media like UMD.

      As an example (on the PS3, etc.) look at 'Battlefield 1943'. I played the demo, then bought the game online. I didn't even have to leave my basement and go into the Big Blue Room (aka "outside") to pick up a copy. I just bough it. That's the way it ought to be, especially for a game like B'43 that isn't very big. Don't force gamers to go to some brick-and-mortar store to buy things.

      This "buying things off the Internet" thing did eventually catch on. Learn to embrace it. :-)

      I understand that they're moving away from the UMD with their downloads program. I just don't think that their market base is ready to move to just downloads. In this very discussion thread there are numerous commentors complaining about being forced to use downloadable format for games like Patapon 2. Sony should provide the download option alongside a physical, non-UMD, format.

  6. Dear Sony by sqlrob · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I already buy few PSP games. Are you trying to make me completely stop? Digital distribution is a guaranteed way to do it.

    1. Re:Dear Sony by Theoboley · · Score: 1

      I Second this. not only is DRM a factor in this, but the fact that my internet speed sucks as it is... is one deterring factor that will keep me from buying a PSPgo. Besides, what shitty bandwidth i do have goes toward downloading tv shows i can't get on local cable.

      --
      Stupidity only gets you so far, then you've gotta try
    2. Re:Dear Sony by Duradin · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I was going to pick up Patapon 2, on an impulse buy, one of the last times I was at a GameStop. Then, I decided I should check the used games, hmm, no copies of it, so then I checked the box. Download only. If anyone hadn't guessed, I still don't have Patapon 2.

      I'd have to buy a new stick of (non-standard) memory to fit it on as well as the game and then there'd be no loaning or trading of it. I'd put up with those restrictions for a under $10 game. For example, I have Zenonia for my iPod. I won't be buying Patapon 2 for $20 plus the cost of a new memory stick.

      My collection of UMD games (why yes, I'm one of those oddballs that actually buys games) also makes the new PSP pointless for me. For me, Sony is basically saying that since I've been a paying customer that has bought into their system they don't want me as a customer anymore because of pirates who don't buy things anyways.

    3. Re:Dear Sony by Jim+Hall · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I already buy few PSP games. Are you trying to make me completely stop? Digital distribution is a guaranteed way to do it.

      Actually, I prefer digital distribution. But maybe that's because I also have a PS3, so I buy PSP games from PlayStation Network, then push them to my PSP to play there. With the PS3, I don't really care how long it takes to download the game. I hear you can do the same with your PC.

      But yeah, for digital distribution direct to the PSP over wireless ... I can see why this would be a pain.

    4. Re:Dear Sony by Renraku · · Score: 1

      This could easily be cured if they brought the price of their memory cards down a little. Maybe they could have a loading/staging system built into the PSP, say, 4GB, and you could use standard thumb-drives to load it up on the go so you could play the games. Instead of, you know, paying $10+/gb for their 'special' memory stick.

      --
      Job? I don't have time to get a job! Who will sit around and bitch about being broke and unemployed then?
    5. Re:Dear Sony by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      Or you could have just downloaded the Patapon 2 *DEMO* from PSN to see what it was like.

    6. Re:Dear Sony by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      Someone of us actually prefer digital distribution. Not having to lug around multiple UMDs, no wait to receive the product, less loading time, no noise, and longer battery life are surely the worst things ever.

  7. Sony deserves to be crushed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    If only for the fact they never opened up their UMD media format for anyone else to use - it's nice to see them fall behind.

    1. Re:Sony deserves to be crushed by tkrotchko · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They never did the obvious to make UMD successful... give UMD movies away when you bought the DVD. Yes, they would've taken a loss at first, but they would have built up a market for the things. Instead they charged *more* for a UMD movie than the DVD counterpart. So the rational thing to do was to buy the DVD, rip it and put it on a memory stick and watch it.

      --
      You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
  8. New developments by Wowsers · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's not the games that need developing, it's the PSP itself. An optical drive that you can't write your own discs, a proprietary memory standard (to boost Sony sales), and build quality that does not belong in their once famed quality of the 1980's - preferring style over everything else. Oh, and each new version goes up in price.

    I'd really love to have a PSP*, but locking me into an awful, overpriced memory standard is a deal breaker. Well, not quite, it has "SONY" written on it, THAT'S the deal breaker.

    * Used a friends device

    --
    Take Nobody's Word For It.
    1. Re:New developments by feepness · · Score: 1

      Well, not quite, it has "SONY" written on it, THAT'S the deal breaker.

      Well, that makes your opinion entirely reasonable and unbiased, doesn't it?

    2. Re:New developments by Mr_Silver · · Score: 1

      I'd really love to have a PSP*, but locking me into an awful, overpriced memory standard is a deal breaker. Well, not quite, it has "SONY" written on it, THAT'S the deal breaker.

      You want a Micro SD to Memory Stick Pro Duo Adapter Converter. It allows you to buy an 8GB MicroSDHC for half the price of the Sony version.

      I paid £5 for mine, so you should be able to get one easily for less than $5.

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  9. "shorter quality assurance processes" by darpo · · Score: 1

    *does a double take* When was that ever a good thing? Seems to me the best software comes out of companies with long dev/QA cycles (Blizzard, id, Valve to name a few).

    1. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by Itchyeyes · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sony's QA for the platform is not the same thing as a developer's internal QA. Generally platform holders have additional QA guidelines that they require developers to meet in order to publish on their platform. For example, Microsoft requires all games on the 360 to run at 720p resolution and have 1000pts worth of achievements. The platform holders QA process can be a double edged sword. It can keep especially poor quality games off the platform, however it can also discourage smaller indie developers, who might not have the time and resources to deal with a lengthy and costly external QA process, from even attempting to publish a game on the platform. This is why you see so much more indie development on open platforms (like the PC) or semi-open platforms (like the iPhone) than you do on closed platforms like the PSP.

      By shortening it's QA process Sony clearly is hoping that it will attract many of the indie developers that are publishing in so much abundance on the iPhone.

    2. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by Darkness404 · · Score: 1

      Exactly, some parts of many companies QA make no sense though they have become more rational in recent years. For example, almost every great game for the NES/SNES was crippled by Nintendo's QA censorship. And really, thats all QA is and really was and is. Yes, some truly terrible games get blocked, but you would have to be blind not to see the level of crap that gets through "quality assurance".

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
    3. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by Kayden · · Score: 2, Informative

      XNA?

    4. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 2, Informative

      Community Games has it's own set of standards. Also, the QA is partly farmed out to other Community members; anything uploaded gets rated by a bunch of other users before it's eligable to go out on Live Marketplace or anything. for example.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    5. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by Kayden · · Score: 1

      The developer doesn't incur that extra expense though, does he? So, it's not a prohibitive cost, but a quality control.

    6. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by Itchyeyes · · Score: 1

      Perhaps, but the game is also at the mercy of the community. And even if it does pass through everything unscathed, it's still essentially consigned to XBLA's equivalent of a bargain bin. Not exactly the ideal route to publication any developer who can afford not to wants to take.

    7. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by feepness · · Score: 1

      By shortening it's QA process Sony clearly is hoping that it will attract many of the indie developers that are publishing in so much abundance on the iPhone.

      This occurred to me as well. Traditionally, platform manufacturers have had to be very careful about quality since the Atari 2600 crashed the nascent gaming industry by being overloaded with shovelware at the end. A bad title still has to go into your manufacturing pipeline, take up shelf space, and be sold for $50 to a customer who goes out of their way to purchase it and is ultimately disappointed and ascribes that to the platform as much as the title. So for 25 years since the NES, manufacturers have attempted to maintain quality over quantity. They aren't always successful (Wii) but it's a battle they've always fought.

      Enter the iPhone. I can go online and look at apps, including their ratings. If it is well rated I can download and try it and if I like it I can rate it well too. If I don't like it, well, I can rate it poorly, but more importantly for most Apps I have still spent less in time and even gas money than driving to the mall to pick up a physical copy! As a consumer I am not disappointed with the platform experience if I don't like an App I purchase. That is an amazing breakthrough! This allows a flood of applications, all quality controlled by the users themselves, without worrying about the crap clogging up shelf space or manufacturing pipelines. This is, after all, the paradigm of the web where anyone can setup an app as crappy or great as they like and it is word of mouth that will spread it. I never saw a commercial for facebook or twitter (though I still don't have a use for twitter) or even slashdot. Both the web and the iPhone have crapware all over it. People still demand both.

      This changes the game (pun partially intended) completely and Sony appears to be taking note with their rev of the current PSP. I don't think that will carry the current platform much longer, even though I also like my PSP, the basic design is just outdated at this point and you can't just hack in another stick and a touchscreen. I feel weird when I can't touch a device's screen to interact nowadays. In the future for the PSP2, however, and actually every manufacturer who wishes to engage developers must deal with this new paradigm.

    8. Re:"shorter quality assurance processes" by MogNuts · · Score: 1

      You're right, and it's a shame. I think it's time for us to start supporting these types of games more. For example, take the new Castlevania game showcased at E3. Huge budget, yet it's *another* rehashed 3D platformer hack 'n slash, commanding a $60 price tag. Yet I'd kill for a 2D sequel to Castlevania: SOTN with 3D rendered sprites/backgrounds. But alas that would be relegated to the bargain bin, just because it's 2D.

  10. Tell Us You Were Being Sarcastic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Right?

    There can't be a real person as pathetic as you just came off as.

    "It's not the games that need developing,"

    Of course, since the PSP release list for this year is absolutely staggering in size.

    "it's the PSP itself"

    At well over 50 million PSPs sold worldwide it's obviously you with the issues.

    "An optical drive that you can't write your own discs"

    Joke? Did you honestly just write that? Going all the way back to the first handhelds and reading gaming discussion boards ever since I've never heard of someone complain about something as inane as that.

    "a proprietary memory standard"

    Golly! What is that non-Sony memory doing in my and millions of other's PSPs?

    "build quality"

    Huh? PSP 'build quality'? Now you're just throwing crap out to try to pad out your idiotic little rant.

    "Well, not quite, it has "SONY" written on it, THAT'S the deal breaker."

    Ah yes, there it is. Who didn't see that coming...

    Get a life guy.

    1. Re:Tell Us You Were Being Sarcastic by Toonol · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's kind of interesting, how you can look through a thread, and notice certain characteristics that show that various anonymous cowards are in fact the same person. The interspaced post/replay, doublespaced format, the "50 million PSPs sold worldwide" phrase, matches up with several different AC posts in this thread.

      And that's fine; no rule that you can't post passionately many times. It just made me wonder, is there software that will take text samples, and calculate a similarity index to other text samples? We all have quirks, like whether we double space after a period, or the nature of the mistakes we repeatedly make (like the apostrophe in "1980's music").

    2. Re:Tell Us You Were Being Sarcastic by kramerd · · Score: 1

      or the nature of the mistakes we repeatedly make (like listening to "1980's music").

      FTFY

  11. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by Darkness404 · · Score: 1

    However, they don't have as many established franchises though. Lets see, Nintendo has many, many many well known franchises, Mario, Zelda, and Donkey Kong where you can go up to anyone on the street and they will recognize at least one of them. Not to mention other franchises that are well known among gamers, Metroid, Earthbound, Star Fox, etc. On the other hand, most of the games that "defined" the PS1 and PS2 have been third-party games. Lets see, Resident Evil was made by Capcom, Spyro and Crash Bandicoot ended up going cross-platform after the PS1, Square-Enix made the Final Fantasy games, etc. About the only games that really "defined" the PS2 that were made by Sony were God of War and a few others. The Xbox seems to be driven mostly by Halo and the fact that there aren't any other decent competing consoles in the hardcore game market (the PS3 is way to expensive and the Wii requires add-ons if you want to have more than a few buttons).

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  12. Re:OMG!!! by Darkness404 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Sony doing so well? Sure, the legacy PS2 is doing good, but the PS3 seems to be failing. Sure, there are 50 million PSPs, however there are 100 million DS consoles sold. While I can pick up a Wii for $250 or a low-end 360 for $200, I still have to pay $400 for a new PS3 (!). That means for the price of a PS3 and a game, I can buy both competing consoles. Plus reception for the PSP GO has been overwhelmingly negative. At this point Sony needs every sale they can get.

    --
    Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  13. Re:OMG!!! by Itchyeyes · · Score: 1

    Please don't feed the troll

  14. Sold, yes; used, maybe? by dazedNconfuzed · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Selling the hardware is not the end of the marketing story. Sure, Sony may have sold 50,000,000 PSPs, but how many are actually being used? how many games are sold on average? standard deviation?

    I have a PSP. Great gizmo. Thing is ... I don't use it. I want to, but I don't. I keep looking at what games are for sale with the intent to buy some but ... they're boring, clearly second-tier products. I bought it as a credit card "reward", and played thru Daxter which came with it. But when it comes to shelling out real money for available games, well, maybe not. At least port the hot legacy games to it, names like Grand Theft Auto (the original), Max Payne, and others. Get some modern games on there that don't really require heavy-duty processing like Portal. Give me a choice of games that aren't "off-PS2". Doesn't help that the battery discharges/dies with disuse, that it doesn't charge thru USB (at least without fiddling with menus), and text entry is just downright stupid. Even with those quirks I really do like it - I just can't find anything I want to run on it.

    So yeah, 50M PSPs have been sold. Thing is, console manufacturers expect to offset the hardware costs with big software sales, and I'm not sure enough of those PSPs aren't just sitting around discharging & collecting dust.

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  15. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by Toonol · · Score: 1

    Once Nintendo gets some new ideas for their games, i may invest in a WEEEEEEEEEEEE, but until then, my 32" tv will remain intact and not have a WEEEEEEEEEEmote sticking out of it.

    That's... kind of immature. Ironic, because that's probably what you think of a Wii.

  16. Release popular gams via digital download by Jim+Hall · · Score: 2, Interesting

    > Make games that are fun.

    As a gamer, I'm behind this as a general idea, no matter the platform. I'd also like to suggest the following to Sony:

    Release (at least) the top 50% of your PSP game catalog as PSP digital downloads. Go through your PSP games sales records, look at which games sold best, and sell those games. Also, look at the review scores for your PSP games, sell anything that scored 7.5/10 or higher.

    Just put them on PlayStation Network so we can buy them. Make it easy for us to give you our money.

    Here's why that's important: PSP owners who already own the game may feel a little ripped off, since digital downloads are probably going to be cheaper than the UMD version of the game, because you aren't paying for physical media distribution. However, PSP owners who already own the game are not the primary target of this move. Instead, the target is all the people who haven't bought the game, and/or the people who may buy a PSP Go.

    Those are the people that would be most interested in buying games via digital download. The PSP Go doesn't even have a UMD drive, anyway.

    And it would help all the current PSP owners (like me!) who may not have bought that game (or missed it) when it came out and might like to play it.

    It doesn't address new games, but it helps build up the available library of games.

    1. Re:Release popular gams via digital download by LKM · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure Sony intends to release a huge number of all PSP games as downloadable games with the release of the PSP Go. Whether they will appear on the PS3 as well as the PSP remains to be seen.

  17. Maybe Sony could adapt the PSP to be a phone? by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    Make part of it detachable so it doesn't detract from gameplay. Add another CPU and battery to not detract from gameplay time. Maybe a bluetooth ear piece. Doesn't the PSP allow multiplayer interaction? (I don't own any game consoles, so i'm only going on year-old recall of a possible features ehnancement....)

    The iPhone is a phone as well as a fairly stellar entertainment device, from what i see. It's funny to be in BART and in ONE CAR see as many as 8 iphones in the hands of riders all within 10 feet of each other. I've NEVER seen even that many different non-iPhone phones/devices (not even laptops) from the same maker.

    But, i admit, a big problem with giving the PSP a phoning facility is in trying to find a carrier who'll help, won't gouge, and won't waste time rolling it out, since it will take a few years even if they want to do it. Worse, if Apple makes a slightly bigger iPhone, or a cradle to hold joysticks around the iPhone, who knows what'll happen. Then again, are such users of the two devices in a close enough demographic to swing one way or the other?

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  18. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by Hadlock · · Score: 1

    We're almost what, almost 3 years since PS3 US launch (nov 16 2006)? How many PS1 games were there 3 years after launch date? For the PS2? I'd guess that number is double what there is for the PS3 (quick google says 220 currently).

    --
    moox. for a new generation.
  19. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by Toonol · · Score: 3, Informative

    Wow, are you a fucking idiot.

    I'm pretty confident that any objective reader of our posts will not think I'm the idiot.

    Let me guess...you didn't bother to check the amount of both games and exclusive games at the same point in the PS2 and PS3's lifespans before running your mouth off? No you didn't. Of course not.

    I know the numbers. Remember... at this point in its lifespan, the PS2 was clearly and substantially a far better selling console than its competitors; at the same point in the PS3's lifespan, it is clearly the least selling console. I haven't said one word about the quality of the games on any console, only the market penetration. The PS3 has a shot at perhaps catching up to the 360, and it hasn't a prayer of catching the Wii. It obviously will never dominate the market like the PS2 did.

    "The capability of the consoles is pretty much the same"

    QED. You are a total fucking moron.

    I think you are perhaps too emotionally invested in a console? Look at the games on the 360 or PS3. They are, generally, of equal quality. Graphics are similar, gameplay is similar. The consoles are close enough in raw power that the talents of the developer and style of the artists is far more important than the console. They are more similar in power, I think, than the PS2 and X-Box were last gen. You're fooling yourself if you think otherwise. I've seen fanboys comparing subtleties of reflections, and counting particles, trying to show how much better the 360/PS3 is than the inverse... completely missing the point that having to do so means the differences are irrelevant.

    Of course, the Wii has significantly lower graphics capability, and significantly outsold the others, so the point is a bit moot.

    Let me guess...you use to be a Dreamcast fanboy...

    Well, I am a Dreamcast FAN. Just like I am a PS2 FAN. Hell, I'm a fan of all the consoles. PS3 is a great console, no doubt a better piece of engineering than a 360. However, Sony management ruined any chance at them dominating the gaming industry this gen. No need to lie to yourself and pretend they'll pull out a sudden victory on year four or five.

  20. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by hal2814 · · Score: 1

    "Let me do the math for you..." (emphasis mine)
    Oh no you didn't... Do the math?! I think you just lost your argument. You might as well have invoked Godwin's law.

  21. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by plague3106 · · Score: 1

    Sure, Mario Party gets reincarnated every year, (although I did find the installments on the N64 to be pretty fun and long-lasting), but Nintendo makes more than that. Ever played Super Smash Bros. Brawl? It is a pretty fun game (except for the screwed up online play) and quite a bit more innovative than "traditional" fighting games. Really, Nintendo has an amazing answer to almost every genere, RPGs? Golden Sun, Fire Emblem and Earthbound are all outstanding examples of RPGs (and Pokemon pretty much revolutionized the genere too, though recently they seem to have gotten stuck in a remake cycle). Racing? Both F-Zero and Mario Kart are outstanding examples of racing games that focus on fun, not realism. FPS games? Metroid Prime is one of the best FPS games I've played on a console. Puzzle? Dr. Mario, Puzzle League (it was titled Tetris Attack on the SNES or Panel De Pon on the Super Famicom) along with other more obscure titles (Yoshi, Wario's Woods, etc). Along with a large amount of more casual games such as Animal Crossing, the "Wii" series (Wii Sports, Wii Play, Wii Fit, etc), and others.

    Its funny, because when you mention these games that are out of the Wii, all I can think is "they're STILL making those games?" I played f-zero on the SNES already, as well as mario kart. Also metroid. Dr. Mario was the on the NES.. Zelda on the wii was fun again, but it was nothing really different. the causal games don't interest me, and I havent tired the one cario game yet.

    While Nintendo and consequently Nintendo's consoles don't really get overloaded with one "good" genre, there are shining examples of every genre on Nintendo's consoles, many from Nintendo itself.

    I'd rather play a few really good games then a boatload of ok games. And its good that Nintendo is making good games, because 3rd parties have been severely lacking. So much that I finally got a PS3 a few months ago.

    Oh I forgot about all the other original ideas coming out of all the other console makers. All the original FPS games that in no way are the exact same, all the original sports games which in no way are the same game as before with new players, all the innovative racing games, etc.

    I don't really play FPSs that much, and I'm not having a hard time finding games I like on the PS3. Fallout 3 is exteremly fun, as was RE5 (I played RE4 on the Wii... which was the first RE game I've played, being out of consoles since the SNES). Oblivion is also good... thats mostly all the games I have so far, but there are plenty I plan on picking up... unlike the Wii, which having owned for a couple of years now, I have a hard time finding games I want to play (even looking into the Gamecube library).

    Its amusing that you find all the rehashing Nintendo is doing original then slam the other two for having nothing but FPSes.

  22. No Slashdotting for me by rossz · · Score: 1

    I'm so glad the article didn't link to the psp developer's website since I am the system administrator for it and there was no warning this story would make it to slashdot.

    --
    -- Will program for bandwidth
  23. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by LKM · · Score: 1

    "Wow, are you a fucking idiot."

    That's hilarious. In the future, if you start a post like that, you should try to make sure to continue by not making yourself look like the fucking idiot.

  24. Digital Distribution by Weedhopper · · Score: 1

    I actually prefer digital distribution. It works for me on the PC/Steam because I can play my full back library on any system I want.

    As a person with an unusual job with a bizarre travel schedule, I hate carrying around media. All of my UMDs are ripped to my HD anyway. (And I assure you, my travel schedule is more taxing that anyone who will pipe up with "I travel a lot, too."

    That said, the problem with the PSP is not the distribution method. It's the lack of decent games, period. I have about 35 PSP UMDs. Not one of those has been purchased in 2009. In fact, it's been about a year since I bought a PSP game. I still play games on my PSP, but they're old titles that I bought and haven't played yet. I go to the GameStop and look on the shelves for anything that looks interesting but I usually end up fairly disappointed and picking up a DS game instead.

    PSPGo = too little, too late.

  25. Proprietary in what way? by tepples · · Score: 1

    a proprietary memory standard (to boost Sony sales)

    But how is Memory Stick PRO Duo any more "proprietary" than Secure Digital? Both SD and MS cards are subject to patents and trade secrets. The only one that isn't so proprietary is CompactFlash, and that's because it's just parallel ATA in a smaller form factor.

    1. Re:Proprietary in what way? by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 1

      But how is Memory Stick PRO Duo any more "proprietary" than Secure Digital?

      From my POV? The fact I can only use it in other Sony stuff. Every flash-using gadget I own, from my HP calculator to an Eee PC, takes SD cards - except for our Sony camera. It's one standard for them and another for everyone else on the planet. That's not "more proprietary" in the strictly legal sense, but it's definitely more so in practice.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  26. They lost me at "royalty-free license". by seebs · · Score: 1

    Read the PSN ToS sometime. They're pretty extreme -- and not always consistent. At least one version claims not just to get a worldwide license, but a worldwide exclusive license to any content of yours which even happens to pass through the system.

    So no PSN account for me.

    So no downloadable games.

    So it's useless to me. Until they change that.

    (Think about it; more draconian terms than the ones people complained about from Facebook, from a company with a history of abusive litigation.)

    --
    My blog: http://www.seebs.net/log/ --- My iPhone/iPad app: http://www.seebs.net/seebsfrac/
  27. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by sarabob · · Score: 1

    "The consoles are close enough in raw power that the talents of the developer and style of the artists is far more important than the console."

    360 Theoretical performance: 1TFLOP

    PS3 Theoretical performance: 2 TFLOPs

    There is a nice gap, there, in raw power.

    There's a nice gap there in *theoretical* raw power. As the OP pointed out, in reality there's pretty much nothing in it. And the point is moot, as the wii is running them both ragged in terms of sales.

    As a wise man once said: 'in theory there's no difference between theory and practice - in practice there is.'

  28. What about the DS? by hellfish006 · · Score: 1

    "Sony is finally responding to the threat posed by the iPhone" thats nice and all, but they are still 5 years late (and counting) on responding to the DS. The PSP was released initially to compete against the DS. Nintendo proved once again why they dominate the hand held realm and now Sony is moving the goal posts for who its real competition is. The same thing happened when the Wii ran over the 360 and PS3. Just because its not as powerful as your game system does not mean its not directly competing it. If I was Sony, I would just spend the resources on getting the PSP 2 correct. Also, do something about that thumbstick. I would love to get a PSP but it feels like sliding a dime across the kitchen counter, I can't do it. It just feels so wrong.

  29. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by MogNuts · · Score: 1

    I'm so tired of seeing this "but Wii does better in sales!" fanboy garbage. What does that do for you? Do they share that money with you? Do they discount their prices for you? Judging from the $250 price for a Wii *still* since launch, for a basically a rebadged Gamecube, I think not. Do the huge amount of sales help the fact that after the first 2 months, your Wii is collecting dust now? Does all those sales make Mario Kart #42 any more fun for you?

  30. Re:OMG!!! by MogNuts · · Score: 1

    I don't own a PS3. I do have an XBOX and do PC gaming. But lately that argument of the XBOX costing as much as the PS3 if you add all the peripherals actually does make some sense. If you are a first time buyer, you won't be getting the Arcade version for $200, so you're looking at $300. And in this day and age you *must* have XBOX Live, if just for game patches. So unless you are lucky enough to have an CAT5 cable running to your living room, wireless is it. Boom, $400 right there. Yes, you could hook it up to a laptop and bridge it for cheaper, but the average consumer doesn't know how. And even if they did, that means you have to keep a laptop running in your living room every time you need it.

    Also, being on my 5th replacement XBOX unit (even though I keep it perfectly ventilated by not being in any sort of open enclosure), I can tell you that any sort of premium is well worth not having to deal with the hassle of calling customer support every time and packing it up and driving to a UPS.

    It's just a shame that the PS3 just doesn't have the same library of titles.

  31. Re:You're Talking Points Are Two Years Old by Toonol · · Score: 1

    What does it do for me? It lets me learn a new fact, that I'm happy to report: The graphical power of a console is not the main selling point. This is a lesson Sony and Microsoft made clear that they learned at last E3. That's a good step forward for the entire industry.

    You also seem to underestimate the amount of decent games on the Wii. That complaint doesn't hold true anymore. 18 months ago, like the PS3, that would have been a valid complaint. Now, like the PS3, it's not.

  32. Then "less common" by tepples · · Score: 1

    But how is Memory Stick PRO Duo any more "proprietary" than Secure Digital?

    From my POV? The fact I can only use it in other Sony stuff. Every flash-using gadget I own, from my HP calculator to an Eee PC, takes SD cards - except for our Sony camera.

    My cousin's Acer Aspire One has a Memory Stick slot (next to its SD slot), and I have a few devices that only take CF, such as my GBA Movie Player and my NES PowerPak. But I see your point: most everything else takes SD or USB MSC or both.

    It's one standard for them and another for everyone else on the planet. That's not "more proprietary" in the strictly legal sense, but it's definitely more so in practice.

    Then "less common".