Slashdot Mirror
Sony's New Development Strategy For the PSP
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."
Make games that are fun.
Focus on improving the PSP's abilities rather than spend all their time trying to cripple the functionality other people have given to it?
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).
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.