Focus on PS3 harming PSP, say developers

Following a slew of PSP2 rumour-denying from SCEE yet again this week, games developers have criticised Sony's overall PSP strategy, claiming that the business model isn't currently viable.

Laurent Benadiba, CEO of Smack Down Productions told GamesIndustry.biz, following work on a canned PSP racing game project:

"I worked for two years on the PSP, as one of the only developers then, and I really believed in the platform at the time... I still believe there's potential, but it's like self-confidence - if you trust yourself, maybe others will trust you. If you don't trust yourself, nobody will trust you.

"I think that's what's happened with the PSP - Sony released the product, but they never put enough of a push behind it. Games, ads, better shelf placement - trying to make an effort. I think it was also released at a time when they were still very focused on the PlayStation 3, trying to get it out of the door, that they slightly forgot about it."

DS rules the roost

Comparing the PSP with the DS, the developer added: "Look at it: it's so much more powerful than the DS, and it's a beautiful object, it's like an iPhone... [it's] amazing, and the technology behind it is great. I think they expected the platform to just work on its own.

"First they need games - the Wii has Zelda, or Wii Fit, or Wii Sports, it's got triple-A games that bring the platform forward. I think the PSP is lacking this - it's got Grand Theft Auto titles, Daxter, but they need more of those platform-specific ground-breaking games."

The Smack Down Productions man also revealed, tellingly: "The other day we were with a publisher, and trying to figure out a business model for a PSP game.

"It was a big IP, a big license, a top-five racing game and we couldn't work out how we could break even. Because there are so few sales on the PSP in Europe now that you have to make a huge title on a small budget just to break even."

Check the full interview with Laurent Benadiba over on Gamesindustry.biz.