Do We Really Need Another PSP?
If you can believe it, it’s been almost six years since the PlayStation Portable debuted, and while there have been a few notable titles, its library seems scarce when compared to the competition. Sony’s attempt at staking its share of the handheld market has been an uphill battle from the outset with Nintendo having practically dominated the market since the late 80’s. It’s not entirely Sony’s fault. The system does make use of the proprietary UMD disc format, which I imagine can cost publishers a bit to produce. The system’s digital market also remains seemingly stagnant, despite the introduction of the PSP Go.
I applaud Sony’s attempt to breathe life into their handheld by releasing the slimmer PSP models and the digital-only PSP Go, but developers lacked the motivation to produce software for the platform. That, coupled with rampant piracy and Sony’s attempt to circumvent it through forced firmware updates caused both gamers and developers to lose interest. The fact that the technology has aged considerably since its inception hasn’t helped either.
So, why wait until now to announce a new handheld? Nintendo’s on the brink of releasing their 3DS to the Japanese market. As a result, I find myself questioning Sony’s marketing tactics. It’s not that they don’t need another PSP — hell, that would have been a great idea a year or two ago — but, you’d think they would have cause for concern.
With all the hype surrounding the Nintendo 3DS, you’d think they would have wanted to drop some hints a little sooner. Maybe they just want to steal Nintendo’s thunder, but after the reception they recieved at last year’s E3, I seriously doubt that’ll be possible. Perhaps Sony has an ace up their sleeve? Who knows. Let’s just hope their handheld delivers this time around.
Tim is a pro-blogger and freelance writer out of San Diego, California. In addition to Fanboy.com, he contributes to the ModernMethod Network of sites as the Features and Reviews Editor for the Japanese culture and entertainment blog, Japanator. He’s also an Assocaite Editor for their popular gaming blog, Destructoid, and the collectible toy culture blog, Tomopop. For more information, follow him on twitter, or check out TimSheehy.com.