Although the PSP is steadily increasing its worldwide user base every month, Sony's handheld is still lagging behind the massive sales figures of the mighty Nintendo DS. Even the PSP's recent price drop has not had a significant effect on sales results, since even some Sony representatives feel that it still lacks "the one title that defines the product". Tony Buckley of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe hopes that his company's upcoming title, WipEout Pulse, will help in some small part to change that. In a recent interview with CVG, the game director lists the game's online functionality as a major discussion point, although he also admits that his development team hasn't revolutionized the series with this particular game.
"Some feel you should always look to re-invent a game, and we're dead against that," Buckley asserted. "We feel like we've got a winning formula and as long as we can invigorate it we can please the solid install base of WipEout fans. We've got to cater to them first." Yet, despite WipEout's popularity over the years, it's unlikely that the title will completely change the way consumers view the PSP. That is why Buckley feels that developers for the system need to change their approach by utilizing "other areas of the machine".
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News source: PC World
"Some feel you should always look to re-invent a game, and we're dead against that," Buckley asserted. "We feel like we've got a winning formula and as long as we can invigorate it we can please the solid install base of WipEout fans. We've got to cater to them first." Yet, despite WipEout's popularity over the years, it's unlikely that the title will completely change the way consumers view the PSP. That is why Buckley feels that developers for the system need to change their approach by utilizing "other areas of the machine".
View: Full Story News source: PC World
I was surprised to see that in my company (a large multinational) there is a group of business types each day that play with the PSP together at lunch time. But I think that Sony just doesn't do enough to exploit the good points of the PSP. In effect like the article says: it lacks imaginative games, games that make it fun to play together (the typical ones the group above play: formula 1 and soccer games don't interest me much).
So I don't think it's dead yet but they really have got to convince some developers to start making some interesting games!
edit: I agree with Crikey here that the UMD format is a disaster, even though watching movies on that screen is not bad! Just wish they had left out that drive and put in a HD so I could put all my music on it.
The title is completely inaccurate. It should say "Sony calls for LESS creativity with the PSP."
Lumines was the best game to hit the PSP. Hopefully all the 3.50 homebrewers will actually play their copy and see how lumines is for the PSP console.
The GPS and the camera exist and are on sale.
Sony is completely alienated from the client base, in my opinion. It's like the marketing dept. went to BigLots! and bought a Be Hip Guide for Dummies. And the book cost 50 mil.
I love my PSP...I wish someone else made it... :/
They were destroying the DS in sales, but when then the DSLite came out they lost their ground.
They were destroying the DS in sales, but when then the DSLite came out they lost their ground.
I don't know what planet your living on but the DS has always killed the PSP in sales and that's because of the games.
Everyone I have ever talked to who owns one says that there are so many great games for it that it's a no brainer buy. The poor PSP on the other hand has a few good titles and crappy marketing (or lack of) by Sony which is causing it's death. Too bad too, it's a great piece of hardware.
and then make it smaller loose some of the uneeded dead border and even add built in phone capability's and some virtual console wouldn't hurt
esp of the handheld kind [i.e game gear /wonderswan lynx etc.......... ]
There's no denying, it is an amazing piece of kit, but the only reason i actually bought one, was for the emulators and homebrew, i have to admit, except for a few games, all of the retail PSP games have sucked, big time.
Going on the Custom firmwares, it has a lot going for it:
-N64 Emulator (Plays a few games pretty solidily atm)
-ALL firmwares now dowgradeable
-PS1 Emualtor (Plays all games, PS1 direct rips)
-SNES
-SMS
-Mega Drive
Basically, I see this as my retro device.
If i want to take Alex the Kidd on the move, or Super Mario, i can.
I Can access Wi-Fi hotspots, go on the internet, watch films, pretty much a PMP.
But can i play any decent retail games ? Not really, No.
Well said.
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