Sony Understates The Issue, Calls PSP a “Disappointment” in 2009
In a sudden realisation of fact, Sony has said in its annual earnings call that its handheld baby was ‘œa little bit of a disappointment’ in 2009. The consoles (the PSP-3000 and the PSPgo) saw a drop in sales from 14.1 million in 2008 to 9.9 million in 2009, quite a fall.
There have been plenty of rumours floating around about a revised PSP 2 coming out at E3 this year, a product that frankly doesn’t need to bring much to the table to surpass the shitty useless poor old PSPgo.
I really don’t like the PSP. I’m not sure why, it just doesn’t interest me in the slightest. All of the games seem like console versions shrunk into the handheld format, very few seem at all compelling and the pricing and lack of features on the PSPgo is just plain infuriating. So let’s see, hopefully Sony will see the light and perhaps just abandon the handheld market all together. Oh, just me then?
I love my PSP. Its a portable, go to media centre. At least the product line isn’t terribly convoluted like the DS, purely because sony don’t live in the stone age and set up their handhelds so they can update firmware if needs be.
PSP is a pretty good handheld. PSPgo is it’s gimped, mentally handicapped younger brother.
If downloads weren’t in many cases, more expensive than the UMDs in stores, and were actually up at the same time the it saw retail release, it might be on closer to even footing. But no it wouldn’t because it despises my existing collection of UMDs I already bought. So to hell with the PSPgo. Just shoot the thing in the head and move on, Sony.
I still don’t get why the PSP gets such a bad rap with most people. I recently picked one up(a Go, actually), and it has a decent amount of really good games. It’s easily the best system(handheld or home) for turn-based tactical RPGs. But I’m sure that means more to me than most.
I love the idea of the PSP (not Go) and the PSN, being able to download classic PSX, PS2 and PSP games right to the machine and take them wherever – especially since my PS2 has bricked and to buy a new PS2 or PSX costs basically as much as a PSP does anyway. But the PSN’s too expensive (plus the Euro one has bugger-all on it), the regular PSPs have a myriad of dodgy screens and buttons and the Go is just bloody terrible.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this year is the last stab Sony has at the handheld market.
Sam, before you a shoved into a mysterious white van and chopped into little pieces for your heresy, the last thing you will hear is melodic voices singing…
Pata Pata Pata Pon.
@darkwhitehair: Patapon 2 is the best 8 bucks I’ve ever spent.
PON! PON! PATA! PON!
Thou shall not speak ill of the Portable PlayStation lest thou be squished by the charmingly cute blubber of Loco Roco.
Haha, I’m living in fear. :p
PSP would be a better system if the freakin power button wasn’t where I rest the side of my hand to use the analogue stick. Do you know how many times I’ve accidentally turned off my PSP?
I do have to say, the one thing the PSP has over the DS is that if you turn off the system, it pauses the game and lets you pick up as soon as you turn it back on again.
@Nintendoll: it’s not a design flaw, it’s a feature!
Sony could still right the PSPgo ship by dropping the price to $120.