I recently received a very interesting email from one of our readers who detailed his near impossible search for PSP games in East London. After finding the local Morrison's bereft of PSP games, reader Oolong checked out Blockbuster only to find a similar phenomenon:
I went into my local Morrison's this weekend and you know how they sell your usual top 20 crappy titles? A few doggy DS games etc .. I was having a look and I noticed no PSP games, odd I thought but no biggie. So anyhoo later on I went over to Blockbuster .... annnnnd no PSP games. Well except a few in the bargain bin but they had completely removed the main PSP display.
There's one of those 'Game Station' or whatever it's call in there so I asked the chaps what's happened to the new PSP games and he said ''We've been told to take them down due to them not selling. We've put up more XBOX 360 stuff in it's place.'' I was a bit shocked and replied 'But the PSP is selling bucket loads in Japan it's finally coming into it's prime' and the guy concludes ''Yeah so I hear but we can't sell the game at all here, so they're being taken off the shelf.''
Speaking for myself, I can confirm that the Gamestation portion of the Orpington Blockbuster has a lot of PSP games, but I actually I can't recall ever seeing them in my local Eltham Blockbuster. Either way, I can get them in this area if I want them. Perhaps PSP games just don't sell in East London? Either way, this calls for investigation and I shall find out what other game stores make of the PSP's sales.
It would be a shame if stores are actually starting to do that though, since I'm fond of the PSP and think it could have been something special. It really has quite a few worthy titles these days, and it'd be sad if some stores aren't putting them out anymore.
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.
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Contest:
5:31 AM on 05.29.2008
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P.S:you fucktards downloading isos of games should be ashamed of yourself
I guess that's to be expected though, I certainly was always a bit ired by new PSP games costing the same/more than new PC games..
Your ignorance is astounding. Maybe there isn't as much marketing as for the DS or other consoles for that matter, it just isn't that popular.
Back as far as when I had my Amiga as a youngster and was too poor to buy games I had boxes and boxes of copied disks, as did my friends. Everyone always knew where the local bootlegger lived, living on council estates as I did.
Of course back then if a publisher released shit they were less inclined to proclaim it as gold and blame piracy on crap sales. Maybe you should try thinking for yourself instead of being brainwashed by publishers and the media.
sony should get its head out of its ass
MGS:portable ops
sony should get its head out of its ass
MGS:portable ops no ads
syphon filter no ads
god of war hardly any ads
patapon nope,not for this game
...
(that's on European TV)
Most of the other games are either bad, or are good but are essentially ps2 ports which were better on the ps2 (GTA games, God of War, etc). Theres a few exceptions but probably not enough psp gamers willing to gamble their money.
This is just an indication of the PSP doing poorly when it comes to move units. Yes its sexy, it runs movies and music, when games are not the decisive factor obviously sales are going to hurt.
By looking at the PSP and the PS3 and seeing sony try to push proprietary their formats from other industries ( music, movie and yes Blueray its almost like their proprietary format even if it succeeded ) Sony forgot apparently that selling consoles, no "Multimedia supercomputers!" at lost only works if your software sales follow.
Spend on game development next time, that is all.
1) There's no shortage of more casual friendly titles on the PSP either - there must be a market there for it.
2) I'm pretty sure the PSP is bought by many, many parents as a gift, along with games for the little'uns. Are you really saying this isn't the case? And that PSP owners who migt even want those titles don't exist?
3)Are you saying that despite the fact running homebrew/bootleg stuff on the PSP requires someone to be far more tech-savvy than with the DS, they are STUPIDER than "clever" DS users that realise massive scale pirating will hurt development?
Sorry, but your argument is made of fanboyism and BS. the main issues are with marketing and perception.
And no, I don't own either console, not a fan of handhelds myself.
GAMESTATION R FANBOIZ!
The lack of blu-ray burners in peoples pc and the ease of upgrading your PS3 HDD with ease points to back ups running from the HDD. Hell they are already working on it.
Anyhow, my point is dont place blame on the lack of sales of games on PSP due to piracy. Its even easier to mod a 360 and they are selling games like crazy.
I live in America and never see many PSP on shelves, maybe 5 to 10. I love my PSP/PS3... Just hard to find any PSP games.
I usually end up playing ISO's to try and if I like the game the much I buy it (looking at you GOW and FFCC).
Capcom needs to market MH better , I'm a huge fan of MHF2 and MHP2G