| ShadowSoldier said: As time goes on, we see the sales of Sony's PSP dry up. Software titles don't push as much as we all first expected when the handheld was launched and compared to the DS the library for the PSP is rather limited. But what was it that made the PSP this way? Was it the lack of a strong library? The lack of a second Analog nub? Piracy? What was it? I'm not too sure but for the first few months that they were both on market wasn't the PSP outselling the DS? Or was the DS' touch screen capabilities just to much for Sony's Black Blunder?
Thoughts? |
I think that there are many factors that affect the PSP.
1.Piracy: Producing a device that wasn't secure at first and how easy it was to pirate the content that you expected to sell really must have cause a bad reaction from the developers. No developer wanted at first to produce exclusive content for the system because of that. (I expect all pirates and console warriors to tell me that piracy has no effect in order to justify their trolling and delusions). After sony was able to produce a revision that increased the level of security the PSP was failing everywhere, after the PSP 2000 the original and exclusive content followed and the PSP experience a resurgence in JAPAN in regards to the software sold and it still continued selling hardware everywhere. But by then most western publishers and developers had moved on with their projects to more secure platforms and nobody but sony was creating exclusive content except a few exceptions. The problem with this is that Sony isn't really known for the strenght of their IPs, and most of them were unable to drive software. with the clear exception of GOW:CoO to validate this argument.
2.It was Sony first attempt to crack the stronghold of Nintendo in the portable segment, and in this area nintendo was able to outsmart sony producing more compelling software to appeal to potential users and with a more widespread demographic as a target. So the inexperience in this segment affected Sony's chances of success and they went to this arena with the console mindset and it wasn't as successful as it's competitors.
3. Sony wasn't able to change the western market inclination to piracy and go legit, like they were able to do in japan and start consuming software, That's the reason why hardware sales have slowed down and the most recent revisions of the hardware is unable to be craked and to run on a permanent way the CFW that allows people to circunvent the security measures on the device and enable the piracy of the content, also it seems that as the PSP is a multi-facet device the inclination to consume gaming content isnt that high on this new buyers.
Solution:
To put it simple Sony should try again to tackle the portable market, there is clearly enough space to make money on this segment as the PSP has Sold over 50 million units and Sony isnt losing money on the hardware, however they should kill the PSP 1st gen and Go, by a price reduction and announce a succesor, their focus when creating the device should be:
Portability, Conectivity, Backwards compatibliity to the content that's on PSN for PSP (PSP games/media/minis), Create Software that can be consumed on the Go,Security, allow developers/Creators in general to create apps for the device in order to increase funcionality, these apps can't be games and should Pass certification in order to mantain security and control over the platform and should cost from 99 cents to 10 dollars. This way all those software creations from the homebrew scene can be rewarded and remove the interest by this talented group to crack open the platform as you will be giving them legit access and rewards for their talents. The SDK for the Apps should be able to run on as many plaforms as posible PC/PSP SDK/PS3 SDK.
Get in contract agreements with the Telecomunications company in order to offer the system connected to their network.
there's more but I guess this should give a clear idea of what I mean.
