Trip Report: MGS4 Launch Event
How long did people camp for?
Posted 03-17-08
Written by: Christiaan Allebest
Written by: Christiaan Allebest
3. Make everyone's criticism, the PSP's strengths.
In addition to the lack of a second analogue stick, early critics complained that the PSP felt more like an all-around personal media player, than a gaming device. Rather than undertaking any significant effort to re-frame the perception, Sony sat still. In the new age of exploding casual gaming, perhaps the better answer would have been to say, "Well of course it is more than just a gaming device! Just look at all the things it can do!" Release the oft-rumored keyboard, develop the Personal Information Management applications, make Location Free TV more accessible. Broaden its' appeal. Extend its capabilities.
4. Open it up.
No matter where you get your guiding principals from, there is a law of the universe that many big businesses have trouble grasping. In his Seven Laws of Spiritual Success, Deepak Chopra calls it the Law of Detachment, but I think Princess Leia makes it a little easier to understand in her smug chiding of Governor Tarkin, "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." It's the antithesis of the RIAA and the reason you can network auto-update your PSP's firmware to 3.91 (as of this writing).
Sony needs to ask themselves, would giving hackers unrestricted access to the PSP be such a bad idea? What would happen if a large community of volunteer programmers spent their time developing hundreds of very useful applications for the PSP, rather than fighting just to make it so they could develop them? What if it was suddenly very easy for consumers to find countless applications that made the $169 MSRP so much easier to justify? Would turning it into the uber-gadget for hackers and chic geeks be such a bad idea?
No one knows the answer, but the one company that could benefit from having tech mavens everywhere flashing around their PSPs in front of friends seems to have failed to even ask themselves that question, and has instead fostered one of the most adversarial consumer/manufacturer relationships many of us here have ever seen.
We'll have even more finger-pointing, "I told you so's”, displays of perfect hindsight, and answers in part two of "Saving The PSP" posted later this week. In the meantime, can you shout out the best solutions before we do? Use the comment section below to trump us and offer even better answers to Sony's handheld problem.
Posted 03/18/08 By: mbutrovich
I'm going to respectfully disagree with some of Christiaan's conclusions here, and offer my own thoughts on the present PSP market. The price difference is a non-issue since the most recent drop, and sales have actually been pretty good since the redesign. Also, I'm sorry but you're not going to get a second analog stick until the PSP2.
In fact, it doesn't really need saving, and the only major flaw in the platform that I can find is the software, which is mostly hurt by publisher confidence, or lack thereof. Piracy is still disturbingly high among every PSP owner I know, and software sales suffer because of it. If software won't sell, publishers won't take risks on big budget games. Occasionally you'll see valuable, exclusive IPs come to the platform and bolster the PSP's library, but there's always that safety net of PS2 ports to make up for any lost sales on the PSP. See: GTA: Liberty City Stories, GTA: Vice City Stories, and Silent Hill Origins. Also count on God of War: Chains of Olympus making its way to the PS2 before all is said and done.
While enabling homebrew out of the box is an easy solution for many onlookers, the PSP really isn't that locked down to begin with. Anyone can buy a PSP Daxter pack, and in half an hour have it running the latest custom firmware thanks to all of the easy to follow guides floating around on the web. It's this ease of hacking that makes piracy such an issue. Perhaps the best middle-ground would be to block the piracy efforts but still allow homebrew. Unfortunately, if that were possible, you'd think it would have happened already. Once a system's hacked, the flood gates are open and there's really no going back.
So what's the ultimate solution? It's not a hardware redesign. Sony really can't tweak the PSP without going all out on a PSP2. Sony would probably like to get 5 years out of the PSP, so I can't see a successor coming any time soon, but if they truly can't plug the piracy hole then we may see their hand forced much sooner than they'd like.
So if they can't touch the hardware, what can they do? Software and services are the key. Convince developers to make more original, but lower budget games like Patapon. Casual and indie games are all the rage in the industry right now. Release a public SDK a la Microsoft's XNA that would encourage legitimate homebrew development.
If Sony doesn't get on board with this concept in the mobile space, they're in for a losing battle with Apple and the iPhone, which just had its SDK released and is capable of some extremely impressive games. EA and Sega are already on board with Spore and Super Monkey Ball respectively. Apple's also got $100 million lined up in funds to help any would-be developers get their products off of the ground. Lastly, they've got the sales framework in the iTunes Store to distribute titles to consumers. Sony could counter it with their Playstation Store, but they need to get moving fast or they'll be eclipsed very quickly. Imagine the success the PSP would have if games like Fez and Audiosurf were released on the Playstation Store, rather than Steam and other PC digital distribution networks.
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I think you have a point. The PSP Slim doesn't have any significant changes! infact if anything the video output should have been there since day ONE on the Phat.
I think the PSP needs just 2 things to sweep the market.
1st GET THE SECOND ANALOG STICK!!!!!!
2nd I think they should turn the PSP into a portable PS2. I mean common Sony PSP games are just TOO damn close to the PS2 games. the ps2 just seems better polished with better controls.
As an owner of both I can't help but think the PSP versions are ripoffs. I'd definatly prefer the PS2 version. But if they can pull it off (make the PSP run as smoothly as the Ps2) I think the PSP would share the same success as the PS2 did not to mention all the Ps2 games that could be revived!
They might need a Blu ray UMD to fit the PS2 games but hopefully you guys get the point that its all within Sony's grasp without the PS2 as the PSP's main rival it can have its own identity!
I think the PSP needs just 2 things to sweep the market.
1st GET THE SECOND ANALOG STICK!!!!!!
2nd I think they should turn the PSP into a portable PS2. I mean common Sony PSP games are just TOO damn close to the PS2 games. the ps2 just seems better polished with better controls.
As an owner of both I can't help but think the PSP versions are ripoffs. I'd definatly prefer the PS2 version. But if they can pull it off (make the PSP run as smoothly as the Ps2) I think the PSP would share the same success as the PS2 did not to mention all the Ps2 games that could be revived!
They might need a Blu ray UMD to fit the PS2 games but hopefully you guys get the point that its all within Sony's grasp without the PS2 as the PSP's main rival it can have its own identity!
Posted Mar 18, 2008
( +1 | -1 )The Staff Commentator is correct; hardware changes should not be mentioned as a way to save the PSP, as it just is not going to happen until the PSP-2 is introduced. That is when you will see your second analog nub.
This leaves software as the only avenue in which to save the PSP. Personally, I think the Playstation Store will will be the savior, Sony is just taking too long to get it going.
First, they have to allow for direct access to the Playstation Store from the PSP. The PC/PS3 solution is just too cumbersome
Second, they have decrease the cost of Memory Stick Pro Duo's to the consumer. Get it priced lower than Secure Digital cards. This will allow gamers to keep multiple games right on their PSP without having to lug around a bunch of UMDs. Additionally, running games from the memory cards extends battery life because power does not have to be used to spin a disc.
Third, downloadable movie rentals. This should be easy since Sony already has a large catalog of movies.
Fourth, after seeing how good God of War: COO was, most games should debut at
This leaves software as the only avenue in which to save the PSP. Personally, I think the Playstation Store will will be the savior, Sony is just taking too long to get it going.
First, they have to allow for direct access to the Playstation Store from the PSP. The PC/PS3 solution is just too cumbersome
Second, they have decrease the cost of Memory Stick Pro Duo's to the consumer. Get it priced lower than Secure Digital cards. This will allow gamers to keep multiple games right on their PSP without having to lug around a bunch of UMDs. Additionally, running games from the memory cards extends battery life because power does not have to be used to spin a disc.
Third, downloadable movie rentals. This should be easy since Sony already has a large catalog of movies.
Fourth, after seeing how good God of War: COO was, most games should debut at
Posted Mar 19, 2008
( +1 | -1 )This not an article about how to maximize the features of the PSP with the least amount of effort. if it was done with out any hardware changes then it would look exactly as the slim does now(NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES)
I've had the PSP since day one (I bought it to play games foremost and all other media features are considered extra) now forward a couple of years later and i cant help but look at it as a media player that can play games as extra. Why? simply because PSP games play worse than any of their PS2 couterparts.
Thats the same reason why I prefer pirated games on the PSP. Because every game i've purchased resembles their PS2 counterparts with worse graphics, worse frame rates, AND worse controls.
So Sony pretty much gave me no reason to go buy the game. Why should I pay money to get disappointed? I could do that for free!
if anything, the PSP gets compared to the PS2 more than its main rival the DS!
It should stand out as a SUCCESSFUL gaming device (that rivals other portable gaming devices not a console) first and foremost and everything else should come extra. Not a half assed PS2 that can play videos and mp3. Instead of trying to be like a PS2 simply make it a Ps2 just like how the DS is exactly ike the N64 only has different controls that actually does fit with its games.
I've had the PSP since day one (I bought it to play games foremost and all other media features are considered extra) now forward a couple of years later and i cant help but look at it as a media player that can play games as extra. Why? simply because PSP games play worse than any of their PS2 couterparts.
Thats the same reason why I prefer pirated games on the PSP. Because every game i've purchased resembles their PS2 counterparts with worse graphics, worse frame rates, AND worse controls.
So Sony pretty much gave me no reason to go buy the game. Why should I pay money to get disappointed? I could do that for free!
if anything, the PSP gets compared to the PS2 more than its main rival the DS!
It should stand out as a SUCCESSFUL gaming device (that rivals other portable gaming devices not a console) first and foremost and everything else should come extra. Not a half assed PS2 that can play videos and mp3. Instead of trying to be like a PS2 simply make it a Ps2 just like how the DS is exactly ike the N64 only has different controls that actually does fit with its games.
Posted Mar 19, 2008
( +0 | -0 )
