The PlayStation Portable might be doing well in Japan, but the same cannot be said in the United States. The system's sales have dropped off a metaphorical cliff in the US, with sales down 58% from last year. This includes both the PSP-3000 and the rubbish PSPgo.
100,000 PSP units were sold this January, according to the latest NPD data. Compare that to 2009, when Sony shifted 172,000 of both units, and we're looking at a 58% sales drop. I guess the American market just wasn't ready for an innovative new PSP that forced high game prices, dropped functionality, and couldn't even improve the system's outdated Wi-Fi connectivity despite marketing itself as a digital platform.
Oh well. Maybe this year's inevitable PSP rehash will improve things.
PSP sales continue to crater in the US [Pocket Gamer]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
47 comments | showing # 1 to 47
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
12:00 PM on 02.12.2010
| 
And to add to that, the only game I consistently play on it is, in fact, Japanese.
Well, the PSP is too. So I guess I'm partially to blame for this. My money is in Japan somewhere.
i can see pictures & shoops of PSP/PSPgo committing forms suicide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZSkM-QEeUg
Maybe if Sony would get around to giving US users Vargant Story they'd see a bump. The idea of having a portable Vagrant Story was what tipped me over the edge into buying myself a PSP for Christmas.
"a really shitty, shallow library."
Have you actually LOOKED into PSP games? If anything, PSP's problem is it doesn't have enough shallow and shitty games that directly compete with Scribblenauts and Nintendogs. Depth and quality are NOT in short supply here.
What IS in short supply are people willing to actually PAY for the games. I do love the irony as someone telling me PSP doesn't get enough of the good games from Japan when he torrented Phantasy Star Portable 1.
DS is not only harder to do (not by much but it takes some effort, unlike PSP), but DS is cheaper to develop for as well.
So when your a company looking at these two which would you pick?
Your use of "everyone" is flawed. It's "the west" that won't buy games. It's "Western" companies who are hesitant to develop for the PSP. In Japan, PSP games sell great and piracy isn't nearly as big of problem there as it is in the west.
Besides this, there are not enough casual games for kids and non-gamers.
Piracy is a problem on the DS, except it's a problem reserved to the hardcore segment of owners, just like the PSP. The difference is, the DS has a diverse enough catalog of games and diverse enough group of owners that the piracy barely makes a dent in Nintendo's profits.
this ---^ Why buy a PSP game for like $40-$50 when I can get it for $20 retail box. It'll be a long time till many games drop in price because sony controls it and you can forget about borrowing or renting. Don't like a game lulz can't refund it or sell it on ebay.
I got Patapon, Brave Story, and Crimson Gem Saga so far. I plan to get the Persona games on it, the new Lunar remake, and eventually the .hack//Link game. I'm not without games to play.
Still, I haven't played my PSP in about 2 months, so I would agree with those that say we need more good PSP games. I can't even recall a single PSP game worth buying in the last 2 months OR in the next 2 months. Generally, that's a bad thing.
Metal Gear Acid 3 would be great. Or Megaman 2 Powered Up. (Or just put MM10 and Sonic 4 on that sexy beast. )
I guess Sony forgot to tell people to KEEP making MORE games for the PSP.
To be honest, I think Handheld gaming as a whole is suffering as of late. I'm truthfully done playing just about every game that I WANT to play on both the DS and PSP.
The DS needs more games like The World Ends with You and the PSP needs more like Jeanne D'Arc if they hope to hold my interest for much longer.
Sony needs to market the thing better.
In my opinion it's library of good games is about the same quality wise as Nintendo's actual good games.
All it lacks is a hoard of shovelware and Petz/Bratz/Babyz crap.
PSP needs to stick to marketing towards adult guys and teenage guys and firls though.
I love how fanboys of Nintendo defend the DS because old people and kids prefer it. Is that something to brag about?
But seriously, if KH birth by sleep doesn't come out soon, my PSP might be next to go.