A lot of hype has been placed upon the PSPgo. It's a sleek, sexy machine with some obvious flaws (battery life, no real new features), but it does sure look great. However, the PSPgo is not the only thing Sony is launching later next month, as there is a whole slew of new game types coming through PSN: the Minis.
There was some talk last week about these new, smaller, bite-sized games, especially in regards to the lack of multiplayer and updates to the games. Last week I was at a Sony PSPgo launch event, and I had the opportunity to speak with Eric Lempel, the Director of PlayStation Network Operations and Strategic Planning, about this very issue.
"So you can patch Minis," he said when questioned about the situation, "but we won't have multiplayer functions in the beginning. Basically, to get these developers on board, and to make it easier to test and get it through the pipeline, we won't be allowing that functionality for the first stage of Minis."
"It's something we will consider in the future," he added, referring to the posibility of game updates and multiplayer in future PSP Mini titles.
Ultimately, this is a situation that is not ideal for gamers, but is something that Sony can address at any time. I just hope that these restrictions don't become like Microsoft's handling of previous Arcade restrictions, where only certain companies and games were allowed to break the rules, because that's just unfair.
Expect more from the Sony Press Event later this week.
Contest:
2:30 PM on 09.20.2009
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@timtheterrible: They could atleast allow ad-hoc multiplayer.
And I can't bloody wait to get my hands on this little peace of sexyness and make love to it.
Ok, I better stop here. Gentlemen.
"If a dev wants to add multiplayer and accept a more rigorous testing standard or forgo multiplayer and speed through testing that should be up to them, rather than Sony making that decision for them."
They can. It's pretty simple, really. If a developer wants to get the game quickly to market with less testing and restrictions, then being a Mini is the way to go. However, PSP Minis are NOT the only way you can release games on PSN. And if they truly want to add multiplayer, the answer is simple, don't be part of the Mini lineup. Be a regular PSN release. Those have been as cheap as $5. The Mini initiative is simply to push yourself through QA as cheaply and quickly as possible.
I'm aware some people disagree with me, but that's my opinion on the matter.
Also, I like the old, not-slidy layout. Not sure why.
Regardless, yeah... PSPgo is not a good thing, IMO.
@timtheterrible: Peer2peer, A matchmaking server should not be more xostly than an IRC server, and I am guessing it would probably be much less costly.
If devs want to put out a good quality Mini and are willing to accept a longer wait for the Mini to hit "shelves" then let them. If not then they won't go through the trouble of add multiplayer.
Sony has really dug a hole for themselves by claiming they'll have a service that can stand beside the iPhone's App Store. It just looks more and more unattractive by comparison. They should've just stuck with outdoing DSiWare. I'd be a little more understanding.
Yep.
I will not buy this. I will make a point to not buy any game not shipped physically.
why have they been keeping this secret from me until now
Agreed. What about making a handheld more ergonomic? Sure the DS lite has better back lighting, but I don't have the same 10 year old hands to NOT get horrible cramps trying to play something intense like Mario Kart DS. I tend to grip the system like Heston and his rifle. The NES dog-bone controller is superior to the original rectangle of arthritic damage, there I said it.
If Sony can successfully articulate about how the PSP has 50 million units out there, explain how it costs next to nothing to put a game on it, AND showcase how their titles will be actively promoted (unlike WiiWare/DSiWare and, to an extent, PC) then Sony may have a shot here.