If the PSP Go has one thing going against it, it's the fact that the bloody thing costs so much money. Sony loves expensive hardware, and when it was revealed to cost a princely $249, people balked. Even worse is the case of Europe, where it'll ship for 249 Euros, with absolutely zero concession made for the higher currency strength. That's akin to almost $350, but luckily for Sony, it doesn't give a crap.
"I don't think so," states SCEA CEO Andrew House when asked if the price would be a problem for the system. "If it's cheaper would we sell more? The answer would probably be yes.
"I think on PlayStation 3, and the potential with an extension of PSP, we've got an opportunity to go even further on that. The overall value proposition which, by the way, European consumers get very, very well, I don't think they are as price driven as other markets.
"So the overall value proposition is really strong and trends towards that lifecycle. And then you've got for the first time a networked community for the business and the strength that implies. That's a huge factor in retaining people for a longer lifecycle with the product they have, because now they've bought into not just a packaged media relationship with games, but they're bought into a community that they're sharing with people and they're interacting with"
I ask our Europeans: Are you really not price-driven, as House suggests? Could Sony effectively charge anything and you'd be more than happy to buy it? I know I'd be uncomfortable buying something that costs the same in Euros as it does in Dollars. I only dread to think how badly Sony will shaft the UK when it comes to pricing the system there.
Contest:
11:00 AM on 06.09.2009
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I'm not getting a better version of the PSP at that price. Maybe at 200 Euros.
I wish I saved a picture I saw back when the PS3 was $600. It was obviously some weird promo pic of crazy "put things in Japanese school girls' mouths" porn (I think?) but it was photoshopped Kaz Harai and Ken Kutaragi shoving a PS3 in her mouth with "or no final fantasy for you" on top
long story short, that picture is appropriate right now.
They make Sega's decisions with the Dreamcast look positively intelligent.
Oh, PSP you say? Quite expensive in euros, but people here do love their PSPs.
I really hope your just trolling with that comment.
But so far, I am to understand that the PSP Go is essentially a new visual design. And considering trade-in values, I will not be trading mine in, as I can probably buy a rather sizeable memory stick for the difference, and keep my larger screen.
That's if I decide I want one. Which I won't, as I do all my commuting by car, and I think I might crash if I try to do both.
That and I don't really get on with games on iniature screens.
Since the PS3 is the superior and best selling console on the universe, why they can't go down with the prices? We all know, sony isnt that diabolic and moneydriven as M$crosoft, so for what they need more money?
Rant over, I have heard that they will keep the price as is (PS3) to sell through consoles already shipped etc on the back of a pretty good E3 and look to drop the price before x-mas. That may have been an analyst so don't take it as gospel but does seem fairly logical.
Sorry. But i wasnt. PSP games look better than Wii titles in my opinion, the Go's actually going to have a respectable amount of integrated memory, the integration of the PSN Store is an instant bonus because its the best console marketplace in existence, and I own and enjoy more games for my PSP then I do for my Wii.
I would'nt pay that price especially for a handheld
Am I saying that makes the PSP a better system then the Wii? No, but on a technological level, the price of the Go is justifiable.
I'll stick with my PSP-2000. CFW, and I buy games for it. Tangible physical discs, that I rip and play from my memory card.
Seriously, at that starting point, they are begging for a huge CFW movement on that thing.
The question I wish somebody would figure out is how much is that margin, and are we getting raped as much as I think we are.
The question I wish somebody would figure out is how much is that margin, and are we getting raped as much as I think we are.
The question I wish somebody would figure out is how much is that margin, and are we getting raped as much as I think we are.
@ SephirothX
I don't get why people call anyone with a different opinion a fanboy. If you like your PSP that's cool dude as long as you don't act as though it's the ONLY good choice for a handheld.
At that price, it's still a no-go for me (hurhur).
PSP 3000 can basically do the same exact thing the PSP Go can do it can download full games and has most of the same features.
The only thing your paying for that you can't already get on the PSP 3000 is the look of the new portable, No UMD Drive, and more memory.
Besides PSP 3000 has a bigger screen and I want bigger not a smaller screen.
But I'm at least glad Sony is still continuing to support the PSP 3000.
Thank God!
$250---PSP Go (Ouch!)
$170---Basic PSP 3000
$200---Ratchet & Clank PSP Bundle w/ a 1GB Memory Stick and a UMD movie National Treasure 2.
Come on now.
I know, people are stupid. And no, I dont think the PSP is the end all of hand helds (thats why I bought a DSi). But with your 120GB Xbox thing, that's also a difference with console/desktop technology and portable technology. Historically portable shit is always more expensive, so its kind of apples & oranges (thus why my Wii comparison isn't exactly perfect either).
Well put. PSPs don't build themselves, and with the kind of power retailers like GameStop hold over the mass market, even hardware producers like Sony have to cater to them, ESPECIALLY in this case, as the Go! is all-digital. A potential PSP owner may only go to GameStop ONCE, to buy his hardware, and never again. No profits from trade-ins or used purchases, no profits from preorders, nothing for GameStop PAST the original hardware purchase, and they have to split THAT with Sony.
And PLUS, there's that goodwill program in the works for PSP phat owners to trade in their UMD games for digital versions. The most likely people a UMD owner in the US is gonna go when he buys his new PSP go to get Crimson Gem Saga digitaly? GameStop.
I didn't call him a fanboy, the guy just seriously with a straight face said the psp has better graphics than the wii. When the truth is the psp has barely better graphics than your average ps1 game. I'm no Wii fanboy and I hardly ever turn my on except to play the occasional gamecube game, but even I can see the Wii has better graphics than the psp. I love my PSP as much as the next person but I'm gonna sit here and make up bullshit about how it has better graphics than any last gen console.
You should learn to read everything I say instead of just skimming through articles. I acknowledged that Schafer had the Brutal Legend idea a long time before hand, but it was awefully ironic that he pushed for this project again, and got it green lit finally, just as Guitar Hero and the music game's become super popular.
I whatever magic PlayStation 1 console & games you have because it apparently was way ahead of its time. Did you not see what God of War and Crisis Core look like on PSP? They look better than a good deal of the PS2 games out on the market...
Yes I have both of those games and I don't see how they look any better than glorified ps1 games friend. I would like you to show me a psp game that looks better than MP3, Mario Galaxy, No More Heroes, or Madworld. Please show me because I want to play them.
Yeah I realised that while posting it sorry ^^ Again everyone has the right to they're opinion as long as they don't try to claim it as fact.
their aiming for the I phone crowd, people used to paying an outrageous price for something.
To be fair he was only speaking his mind and the Brutal legend one wasn't that bad, he just doesn't like the game but made pretty crap reasons for it. (sorry seph ;)
@unangbankay
I get what your saying but the production costs on the PSP by now should be pretty cost effective. In fact I'm pretty sure that by taking out the UMD slot they will have saved money.
That was a really good point about add-ons though. I used to work in an electrical/games retailer and the margin on consoles is pretty low so being paid on commission it was always a pain selling them without add-ons. Memory cards(PS1+PS2) at the time had almost 50% margin!
I just still can't see the balance though.
I'm not because they don't exist. But if you really think Crisis Core or God of War look like glorified PS1 games... well then you're at the point where I cant help you anymore.
But I don't get why $250 bucks (US dollars) is so much to ask for. It costs just under a hundred bucks more then the high-end version of its more direct competition, the DSi (those games are, graphically, a glorified hybrid between SNES and N64 games), and it has a lot more to its' specs.
Actually I find that Nintendo Handhelds are usually about 2 generations behind the current home console generation so the GBA would be the SNES and the DS would be the N64 (As shown by the remake of Super Mario 64) On a sidenote I can't wait to see a handheld gamecube. That's going to rock.