With the PSPgo, it’s very clear that Sony is planning to seriously compete when it comes to digital entertainment. In order to do this, iPhone App creator Russel Black has strongly advised that Sony embrace the non-game, and claimed that the PSPgo doesn’t always have to be “fun” to be a successful gadget.
“The main thing that I think Sony could learn from what’s happening already with the App Store is that applications don’t have to be games in order to be fun,” states Black. “Even applications that aren’t fun might help you get your work done more quickly, giving you more time for things that are fun.
“If you look at what’s popular in the App Store right now, you’ll find things that you never would have expected, and more appearing every day. Even with the more game-focused audience that the PSPgo is likely to attract, I think that even Sony will be surprised at the kinds of things people want to use their ‘games device’ for, other than just playing games.”
I would definitely be interested in seeing what kinds of cool apps the PSPgo might offer, but at the same time, I really don’t want Sony to forget that the PlayStation Portable is, predominantly, supposed to be a game device. Sony forgot that when it tried to market its handheld as “the walkman of the 21st century” and ended up with a device that does a variety of tasks, but performs them nowhere near as good as more specific and optimized devices.
Non-games would be cool little extras for the PSPgo, but never at the expense of actual videogames. Oh, and let’s pleeeease not have ten thousand clocks like DsiWare has.
