With the recent announcement of the PSPgo, owners of the earlier PSP models are left with a dilemma if whether or not to “upgrade” to the new model. Especially when many people have just picked up a new PSP recently. I haven’t seen the recent NPD sales charts for the current PSP, but I would be left wondering why anyone would actually be purchasing a PSP right now and not waiting for the new PSPgo.
Is the PSPgo even worth upgrading to? Sony seems to think so and even though they say, “they will be continuing to support the older models with UMD, etc”. That doesn’t seem to be on the same minds of many developers now a days. That includes Sony themselves with titles like “Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do To Deserve This?” releasing through digital download only on the PSN store. We saw this already when Patapon 2 was released exclusively through the PSN store in May. Sony simply said it was ”a one time test case.”
Sounds like a marketing ploy to get us to continue to buy the current PSP version, while they roll out the new PSPgo and then hit us with a “PSN store only” wave of games. Granted a large collection of games may still see the light of day with UMD and you can still access the PSN store and download these exclusive’s on your current PSP, but let’s be real… Formatting a game or movie onto UMD is expensive compared to selling the content through the PSN store. If they honestly had plans to continue support with UMD and wanted the new PSPgo to be backwards compatible with your UMD collection they would already have details on that since the debut announcement of the PSPgo.
The thought that Sony has yet to release an actual contender to the iPhone yet is simply shocking to me. Oh, theres rumors of that still in production to this day and I honestly think they will release an actual “PSPhone”, or at least give us some news about it at some point. Sony says the PSPgo is competing with the iPhone, but I see it more as a contender to the iPod touch. For the simple fact that it doesn’t have a phone service. The PSP has had service to skype for a feeling similar to a phone but let’s be real again, it’s not the same.
Sony Entertainment needs to work along with Sony Erickson and a phone service provider to really work on an actual “iPhone killer”. If they ever do… you’re still left wondering if they could ever actually defeat the iPhone. Much like the Next-Gen console war, which Sony is losing due in part to the 360’s release a year earlier, it would feel like Sony is yet again too late to actually defeat the Apple giant; as the iPhone has a large consumer base behind it.
If a PSPhone, were to come out, it would have to truly re-invent the phone industry and the gaming industry as well. Any Sony PSP released like an iPhone copy or simply a PSP with phone service, would be a disaster for Sony. They wouldn’t have a chance in bringing down the iPhone (much like other phones at this moment), but I’m sure Sony would come up with another marketing ploy saying, “the PSPhone has a Ten Year life cycle” or something to get you to get it. Don’t get me wrong, it will sell and probably sell very well and be a decent device, but will it be worth it compared to the iPhone?
Who knows… maybe they could re-invent or offer something new to the phone and gaming industry. You may not think much of PSN right now but it has grown tremendously in just 2 short years. I would go as far as saying PSN offers the same as XboxLive if not more, despite the lack of friends on your friends list. That is thankfully starting to change thanks to successful games like Killzone 2 and Little Big Planet. Which have helped boost most Ps3 owner’s friend’s list quite a bit. Sony even has plans to incorporate PSN into other devices including TV’s and other Sony products. They have already incorporated the XMB into new Bravia TV sets as well as Internet Video Link to stream HD video directly to your set over the ‘net.’ You can even access your PS3 through Sony’s Aino mobile phone.
Finally, we have new rumors of an actual “PSP2″ in production.
According to Kotaku:
Reports of a PSP2 has surfaced thanks to Eurogamer’s Spanish outpost reckon they’re in possession of some specs for an all-new PlayStation Portable. The Specs show it could output games on the same level as the original Xbox, and is built around a newer version of Imagination Technology’s PowerVR SGX543MP, which in its improved state would be a quad core chip. It’s claimed this thing would be able to run Open GL 2.0 and, somehow, DirectX 10.
If this is true and they are just planning another gaming machine similar to the original PSP then I will officially be left in shock at Sony for not reaching this product into the phone industry. My guess would have to be that the PSPgo is a product much like the iPod Touch, to test the release of a “PSPhone”. Sony better start moving quicker on decisions if they plan to stay ahead of the game.
Make sure to sound off below on what you think the future of the PSP should be.
