Should the PSP be viewed as a succes or a failure?

[Final-Fan]

The PSP is DEFINITELY a qualified success.

It certainly didn't beat the DS, but then, the DS is currently an unstoppable juggernaut.

I believe that the PSP has succeeded by carving out a completely unique place in the market. It's part gaming machine, part movie player, part multimedia device, and part homebrew kit, a combination I believe to be unmatched except by the PC. [edit: ...and perhaps, interestingly enough, the PS3.]

I have a friend in my hometown. He bought a PSP soon after launch. He bought a couple games, but hasn't played most of them in many months. He got a couple secondhand UMD movies, but again -- didn't catch his interest. What he's used it for the most is putting pictures and short home videos on it, and mp3s to listen to.

For my friend, the PSP is more like an Ipod that can also play games.

That, I believe, is why the PSP's software sales lag so far behind what might be expected given its robust hardware sales. But it is very much a success -- just not the success Sony wanted it to be.