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Sony: Blame publishers for not getting PSP games on PSN photo

"Hi, we're Sony. We're going to make an all-digital PSP that costs lots of money and has no reason to exist, then take a totally hands-free approach and redirect all complaints to developers and publishers when consumers find out we've wasted their money," admitted Sony, in a perfect world. "We're making a habit of not fully supporting our own technology, releasing fabulous hardware that we've essentially self-sabotaged out of a subconscious fear of success."

A number of PSP games, such as Undead Knights, are only available in UMD format, despite having been released weeks ago. Recent titles like Half-Minute Hero are already on store shelves, but won't be hitting the PlayStation Network until after the physical launch. What this essentially means is that PSPgo users have been screwed out of getting games in a timely fashion, or even some games at all. Sony's response? It shrugs and says, "S'not our fault."

"It's up to individual third parties to decide if and when to publish their UMD releases on PSN. Most, if not all, are on board, as this is a revenue opportunity for them," says Sony's Eric Lempel. That's pretty much all he says on the matter, as if that's enough for PSPgo owners who want to play videogames.

Welp, it's not enough. It's all very well for Sony to claim that PSP Minis pricing and PSN releases are outside of its jurisdiction, but the platform holder needs to grow a pair and take charge, because this laid back approach is undermining the PSP. It's downright pathetic that the latest, most expensive PlayStation Portable cannot have full access to the system's library or play certain games when they launch, and for Sony to simply pass the buck is shameful. 

Sony could easily start making decisions here, but it's not. This half-hearted and lazy form of product management is what's keeping Sony behind.


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63 comments | showing # 1 to 50

dwolfwood's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:25
dwolfwood
Way to make a completely uninteresting statement entertainment. ;o

I think I may have had that Chip(or was it Dale?) toy.
artha14's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:26
artha14
-_-
mpgchulo's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:28
mpgchulo
That so sad.I'm glad that I decided to keep my old 3000
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:31
GoldenGamerXero
You know it's not going well when everyone's trying to point the finger at everyone else. It's like Sony's accidental baby and no one wants to be it's dad.
xaliqen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:31
xaliqen
Giving developers the freedom to chart their own course is the right call. Sony dictating what developers and publishers should and shouldn't do is a good way to get developers to abandon the platform altogether.

Meanwhile, consumers can also chart their own course and get a PSP-3000 instead of a worthless PSPvGo. So, what's the big deal?
Br0th3rGr1mm's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:34
Br0th3rGr1mm
Sombody hates the PiSPaGO!!!
Yougiedeggs's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:35
Yougiedeggs
My PSPGo is lacking Dissidia.

Sony, you've played me a sucker. *Grr*
Why do I have to pay tax on PSN? Pisses me off to get 2 $20 cards, and have to spend $34 on a download.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:37
Jim Sterling
xaliqen:

I disagree, obviously. Sure, Microsoft is way too overbearing and controlling, but Sony's gone in pretty much the opposite direction. Sony doesn't need to be an ironfisted dictator, but it needs a few "my house, my rules" policies to ensure that the PSPgo is actually worth something.

Simply putting the PSPgo out there and saying "deal with it" has been a dreadful strategy. Hell, it's not even a strategy.
Timmeh's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:37
Timmeh
On the bright side, Sony's piss poor strategies are only going to make publishers/platform makers less willing to go the download only route. That means a while longer before all our consumer rights are completely eroded.

See? Sony are really looking out for the consumer in the end, just not so much if you bought a PSP Go.
xaliqen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:38
xaliqen
Sorry if I hate the Go and it's ridiculous low functionality and high pricepoint. Feel free to love it all you want, far away from me.
ydarkage's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:39
ydarkage
So.. why they say we should buy this pspGO ?? They´ve a motive for us to buy it??
NoMoneyLeftBoy's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:40
NoMoneyLeftBoy
I think management at Sony has actually finally gone mental now.

First was the recent blocking of CFW PSPs to the PSN store - a decision that will undoubtedly reduce sales there over the coming month(s), and now this.

Yet again, they're doing the competitions work for them. Utterly senseless.
xaliqen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:40
xaliqen
@Jim -- Yeah, I can see your viewpoint, but Sony's in a difficult position in the handheld market. If they start trying to lay down the law with their developer-base, then everybody might just pack up and head over to the more fruitful DS playing-field.
TheGlue29's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:42
TheGlue29
Meh...my PSP Phat is on it's last leg and I'm picking up a PSP 2000. Hackable, wireless capable and still able to play Chains Of Olympus.

Not really sure why this is an issue, except for employees and stockholders of Sony. I'm neither.
CBunn's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:44
CBunn
It's ok, the warez groups already did put the games online.
xiaolinstyle's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:45
xiaolinstyle
Im sorry but how is this at all a surprise? I mean look at the frikkin PS3 and PSN for cryin out loud. Sony has half assed ALL of it.

It still absolutely blows my mind that some people will say that PSN is worth two shits when compared to XBL. Hell even if XBL cost a 100 bucks a year it would still be a good deal if Sony's online platform was the other option.

Bottom line Sony isnt really commited to doing ...well anything for their customer base. Just whatever happens to float around in those CEO heads in Japanaland.
CircleOfFire's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:48
CircleOfFire
The only thing I can say to this is no-one has particularly thought that maybe the publishers are the ones laying down the law on this. All it takes is one significantly powerful one to say they don't want day and date releases for whatever reason and Sony are up shit creek.
Kris S's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:49
Kris S
@dwolfwood

Nah I think you're right, it's Chip :)


Oh and @xianlinstyle

Japanaland? Really?
KwikPwn's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:49
KwikPwn
"Sony could easily start making decisions here, but it's not. This half-hearted and lazy form of product management is what's keeping Sony behind."

Maybe Sony likes it from behind....
Timmeh's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:56
Timmeh
I can't wait to see how much of a boost this gives to piracy on the system. When people start getting pissed off at seeing games come out on PSN after retail, or not at all, I'd be willing to bet a significant number of them will start looking at other ways to get the games. Really, it's in everyone's interests to push for parallel releases, especially if the are charging parallel prices.
readbigwordsisgood's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 13:56
readbigwordsisgood
welcome to the new dark age's jaguar 64.

dear diary - today I learned that first adopters of new technology are very often screwed raw.

platforms for games, being an incredibly notorious example.
Phantom Spaceman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:00
Phantom Spaceman
PSN needs Crisis Core.
xaliqen's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:01
xaliqen
@Timmeh -- More likely, I would expect savvy consumers to continue to purchase the PSP-3000. The PSP Go will be relegated to a footnote in the historical catalogue of bizarre publicity stunts gone awry.
zombielifecoach's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:03
zombielifecoach
@ xiaolinstyle

You are a troll AND a fucking idiot. Now instead of telling you why, I am simply going to leave it at that.

Out.
kariomart's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:09
kariomart
GOD DAMNIT SONY I WANT CRISIS CORE ON MY POSpspGO. How fucking retarded is it that I envy those with your OLDER model?!
Ganjookie's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:09
Ganjookie
If I where working at Sony I would recommend having PSPGo games release a week or two in advance of the PSP UMD to provide an incentive.
Space Moose's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:12
Space Moose
Sony fucking blows
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:27
vexed alex
It's amazing that they managed to undo all of the clean-up they did after the PS3's initial fuck ups during launch with another failed launch.
Carlton Banks's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:27
Carlton Banks
You ride Sony's dick EVERY day. Then buy their wares, the evil PSP Go, the PS3...are you an idiot or a hypocrite? Both perhaps?
TwinDad's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:28
TwinDad
You guys have it totally wrong.

Dale has the red nose and two teeth. Chip has a black nose and one tooth.
TwinDad's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:33
TwinDad
For those of you with a local fry's, the PSPGo! is $199 in today newspaper ad.

I don't get Sony they always blame others, when the developers (3rd party mostly) blame them. I suspect that it's mostly Sony. They could as Jim stated put down a few more rules to live by and have created a better experience.
ikiryou's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:34
ikiryou
"It's up to individual third parties to decide if and when to publish their UMD releases on PSN. Most, if not all, are on board, as this is a revenue opportunity for them," Eric snorted, as he proceeded to burn himself with his lit crackpipe.
Redeye's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:34
Redeye
Increasingly conclusive proof that Sony doesn't know their arses from their armpits where the PSPgo is concerned.
realyst's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:39
realyst
I'm going to employ your word here, Jim, and say "Sony has Sonied their products yet again".
Doomsday Forte's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 14:51
Doomsday Forte
@TwinDad: I could've sworn that's what it said, but I thought my eyes were playing tricks.

That said, I have to agree with the earlier statement that if games came out on PSN first, then maybe things wouldn't be so bad. Just, it's so heavy-handed the way that it's being handled. For the GO being touted as the logical end to the UMD format, it's not doing a very good job of drawing us away from it. =\
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 15:08
vexed alex
@Carlton Banks: Do you agree that he has a point, or are you just bitter that he's bashing the "home team"?

And as someone who covers video games I would hope that he has the very hardware and software that he's bashing. If that wasn't the case you'd probably call him out on that. So there really is no winning with you people, is there?
gordallott's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 15:18
gordallott
this is kind of a silly argument, sony does not own the content of old releases, nor does it own the copyright. thus it has no right to dictate that all software that has been released on UMD should be released on psn. sony merely licenses these games to run on the psp hardware.

now you could make an argument that they shouldn't allow any games to be licensed unless they are released at the same date on umd and psn, but that won't affect old releases.
Carlton Banks's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 15:22
Carlton Banks
Why on Earth own something to bash it? Maybe you own it so you can bash it? I'm more impressed when reviewers beat the games they review and like the systems and games they buy or are given.
Crunshii's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 15:47
Crunshii
well as a game reviewer you need to kinda test the stuff to review it. Whether you borrow it or buy it.

Now as for this, great subject Jim. You hit it right on target on this article that places Sony accountable for not thinking this completely through OR, remember that statement they mentioned a while back? That they did say they were going to find a way to transfer UMD to digital for PSPGo users? well they backed up and now they will pay the price with pure red hot flaming blogging FURY!

Carlton Banks's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:01
Carlton Banks
Since when did Sony have the power to dictate what games a publisher publishes? Welcome to the games industry kiddies.
Solid Squirrel's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:16
Solid Squirrel
Easy there Sterling. You're gonna blow a gasket. And those aren't easy to replace.
Solid Squirrel's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:19
Solid Squirrel
Oh, and by the way all, that's Dale. Learn your Rescue Rangers. Chip had the had, Zipper was the fly, Monty was the Aussie, and Gadget was the sweet sweet ass.
Inuboy1000's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:26
Inuboy1000
I want a PSPgo, I mean the ability to have every game I have in the handheld is cool and all. But Sony really needs to tell publishers to release it on PSN, so that way no one feels left out.
Rabite's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:34
Rabite
Carlton: Have you ever said one positive thing since you've joined this site? Every time I see you it's the negative bullshit and bashing people (especially Jim). I understand the idea of speaking out when you object to something, but the negativity in every single post you make is annoying. Most of the time what you say doesn't even contribute in anyway to the conversation. Why are you here? To troll? Or are you this negative about everything?
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:38
vexed alex
@Carlton Banks: So you think it's unreasonable that Jim picked up a PSP Go for work related purposes? You think it's unreasonable that even though he owns one he hates it? Would you rather someone who doesn't own one hate it?

What is wrong with you? Why aren't you acting like a normal rational adult?
Rabite's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:39
Rabite
And of course Solid Squirrel is right about that being Dale. That's not surprising that one rodent would recognize another.
Rabite's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:41
Rabite
Alex: Carlton hates the PSP Go and I doubt he has one, why wouldn't he expect others to do likewise?
Midgetsnowman's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:43
Midgetsnowman
@Vexed Alex: This IS the internet we're talking about here. And a Sony product. Sony products tend to attract irrational fan rages.
trsspidey's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 16:49
trsspidey
Carlton: Most adults don't have to convince themselves they like a product just because they own it (or had to spend money on it). People are unhappy with their purchases all the time (see your adopting parents for more info)

Also, You don't think sony has any say in what games are made for their platform? Wake up kiddy.
Tuxy79's Avatar - Comment posted on 10/16/2009 17:02
Tuxy79
PSP Go is a stupid idea. The only thing more stupid is the people who buy this thing.
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