Sony's pocket-sized PSP Go is finally out in the UK this week, with SCE ditching the unpopular UMD disc format in preference of digital downloaded games from its online store.
And while Sony has come under fire for not making the entire PSP back catalogue available to PSP Go gamers, the new machine is certainly a looker and has the huge advantage over its bigger, older brethren in the PSP family in that it pretty much fits in most pockets.
And yet while some traditional retailers bemoan the fact that they cannot make money from downloads and that small (yet vocal) hardcore PSP gaming community mocks the fact that their favourite games are still only available on physical discs, Sony is sure to make a splash in the run-up to the busy Christmas gift-buying season with the new PSP Go.
Sony's Claire Backhouse, Product Manager for PSP in the UK is quick to point out the differences between the new PSP Go and PS3 Slim, telling GamesIndustry.biz: "The Slim is actually taking over from the old PS3, whereas with PSP Go we're not taking over from the PSP 3000, it's very much a console that's going to sit alongside the PSP 3000."
Movies, Facebook, Skype
Sony is aiming to take a slice of the older gaming market, those, "16-34 year olds... like iPhone users who watch films and want high quality downloadable games on the go... that suit their lifestyle."
As for non-games download plans for the PSP Go, the Sony exec admits that, while at launch they are "very much focusing on the gaming part of it... in the next couple of months you'll get other people that are interested in just general entertainment and things like Skyping - you can Skype on the console really easily - and going on the net, checking Facebook, that sort of thing".
Perhaps, most controversially, while she admits that Apple's iPhone has opened up the casual "social gaming on the go market" Backhouse thinks that "PSP Go is... even better than an iPhone" when you consider the range of gaming and entertainment services on offer.
A bold claim indeed and one which only time and the ever-changing whims of the mass market consumer while bear out.
Your comments (6) Click to add a new comment
padstar
October 1st
6. The PSP certainy isnt a lemon. I bought one of the origianls a few years ago and have definately had my monies worth. It didnt take long for the original firmware to be cracked. How long do you think it will be before the home brew community do the same to the GO. except this time Sony has given us a hard drive to store all our hacked and homebrew titles on. No more over priced memory sticks.
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psyfur
October 1st
5. Well I'm getting and don't care for second gaming market. Buy from the states though to save big £££
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boybunny
September 30th
4. Well after purchasing an original PSP using a rewards program, I paid $5 US for it (shipping costs), I can say that I overpaid.
In fact it was so bad, that when it gave out after being carried from the car to the house in light rain (the contacts on the motherboard RUSTED two weeks later) I contacted the local Sony office and told them that I would not spend $3 on a replacement motherboard because $3 was worth more than the PSP itself.
Sony is really pushing a lemon with the PSP folks.
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cannonfodder
September 30th
3. hmm. well if sony thinks that destroying the second hand games market by making all game purchases worthless as you are now blocked by sony from, lending YOUR games, trading YOUR games, selling YOUR games OR EVEN GIVING YOUR GAMES AWAY FOR FREE.
THEN THEY ARE RIGHT.
This is yet another anti-consumer move by sony forcing everyone to purchase a new game from their authorised distributors at full retail price even though their overheads are significantly reduced.
bend over and lube up people sony wants to **** you up the a**e!
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louis058
September 30th
2. Damn it, why can't companies focus more on games these days, I swear all of them are making their gaming products all-in-one products instead! Except for Nintendo. Technically.
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holness
September 30th
1. A PS3 is 'technically' better than an Xbox but as ever the better version is on the Xbox.Skype is great but you do need a network to use it on and so I think I will stick with my iphone. Also I wonder how the second hand market fares when using online store only?
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