It’s hard to think along the same lines of a casual gamer when we’re surrounded by news, reviews, previews, features and blogs not too different from this one on the internet. After all, their reactions to certain things can be very different to ours and it’s often easy to dismiss their views and instead head to a trusted source – a hardcore gamer, if you will. Sometimes, however, we should listen to what they think very clearly; after all, it’s mostly them that make up the all-important sales.
[drop2]Just look at the Wii, it’s not the most powerful console, it has lots of games that lean towards a casual market (and a good core line-up too, but that’s beside the point) and it threw traditional control schemes out of the window for a more active experience with the Wiimote. We all know what happened next of course; it sold exceptionally well, partly due to the games and controls, though mostly due to the approach for the main market with a comfortable price, rather than a focus on core games with a high price tag.The DS, too, managed this. It’s a fun console with a large variety of games, again opting for a different control scheme in the form of the touch screen, rather than a top-end system that alienates the casual market.
Now, this is where the PSP comes in. Sony’s approach for the PSP is neither here nor there, it never really picked up the momentum it needed with big gaming fans due to the lack of key titles – something Sony have corrected with the Vita by the looks of things – and it didn’t appeal as much as Nintendo’s handheld to everyone else.
At first, it was hard to see why Sony announced a new PSP at the eleventh hour; met with both laughter and confusion from everyone watching Gamescom. Even our news story’s title has a hint of sarcasm in there, “all new” indeed.
Now though? I’ve been thinking about it, and realised it’s actually one of Sony’s best ideas in a while. In fact, I’ve been speaking about it with my younger sister and she managed to boil it all down to something so simple, saying it is at “such a good price”. And that’s when it hit me: I’ve been blinded by all this talk of new games, operating systems and RAM specifications for the new Vita, not opening my eyes to see that the old PSP at 99€ is a superb strategy.
It just takes one passing comment from someone who isn’t looking at screenshots and watching videos of games months before release and suddenly I’m looking at things differently. Children, teenagers even, that haven’t had a PSP before could get one of these at Christmas and be very happy with their new system, for a budget price. In fact, it’s not just the casual market that will be buying this “new” PSP – many people that haven’t had a chance to pick up some of the great PSP games that they are aware of will take the plunge, I’m sure.
[drop]Having a low-spec console alongside your new high-end system looks to be the way forward for gaming: it’s happening right now, in fact, as it has in the past – the lines between this generation and the next are blurring, with a system on the market at the same time as its predecessor becoming the norm. Sony still pushed the PS2 well into the PS3’s reign, Nintendo are still selling the DS alongside the 3DS and it looks like this is how it’s going to stay; Sony will still be selling their first portable console whilst their second – PlayStation Vita – is out. It’s just a matter of how they do it, they need to balance the advertising well with clearly defined differences, making sure not to undersell either product, and everyone will be happy.If they don’t do that? Well, we’ve seen that happen with Nintendo’s latest release; too many people didn’t realise the 3DS is much more than a DS with a 3D slider. The new advertising combats this, showing the improved graphics and stating bluntly “this is not a DS”, setting a great example for Sony to follow. Microsoft look to be adopting this two console strategy too, with news that there might be an overlap with the new Xbox and the current generation – Peter even speculated that this could happen, with the new console perhaps catering for the hardcore audience and Kinect being “perfectly poised to pitch the Xbox 360 at a younger, more casual audience” .
Yes, the PSP E-1000 might be going back to basics with the lack of WiFi and on-board storage, but that means low production costs for Sony, which leads to the low price and, in theory, massive sales as the console’s final hurrah. Whilst we won’t appreciate it once we get our hands on the shiny new Vita, those that will most certainly never read this article will… and I’m sure Sony will too.
Image Source: Kotaku
Sympozium Pawa
I play a lot of Monster Hunter on the PSP through Adhoc and well the removal of Wi-fi is at best baffling to me. They could’ve priced the 3000 at £99 and you never know could be more people with the same game?
>_> Fighting games, racers, Co-op Rpgs, Ben 10… casuals can play these too.
fattyuk
Because you already own you’re wi fi enable PSP and use this feature.
This PSP is aimed at a different Market and not an upgrade to previous PSP owners.
colmshan1990
Wifi IS a big loss, one I really don’t see the point of, it should be cheap enough nowadays.
Reducing the 3000 would probably have been a better idea, but this’ll do I suppose. I always felt that single-player was better for MOST games than multiplayer. The few exceptions being stuff like Resistance, FIFA, and Monster Hunter. The loss will be biggest with Little Big Planet though.
Sympozium Pawa
I’m sure that Market would be playing Fifa right? £99 is a great for a PSP and now the games are quite cheap thanks to the PSP essentials line-up.
Adding a Wi-fi-less PSP to the Playstation family… is strange.
hazelam
i don’t see that a wifi free psp is a bad addition to the psp line up, there are a lot of games you can play fine without wifi.
it’s only really needed for multiplayer and the browser, and the browser on the psp is really not very good.
now i think about it, i don’t think i’ve ever played multiplayer on my psp, i’ve used wifi to access the store, but not multiplayer.
i keep meaning to try that adhoc party thing, but never get round to it.
anyway, i can see people having a psp and never using the wifi.
as long as it’s only one of the options then i don’t see a problem.
i’m not 100% sure what no on board storage means.
if it means it doesn’t have any storage space for games or saves built in, well then most psps don’t have that either.
in fact only the go had that and that was only because it had no umd so all the software had to be downloaded, so they had to have somewhere to store it built in.
so long as it’s got a umd drive and a slot for a memory stick, i’d consider buying one of these if i ever have to replace my psp again.
does it have the tv output?
i’ve got a fair bit of use out of that feature since i got my psp slim, so i’d definitely miss that.
Smallville2106
To not have Wi-Fi is a really bad idea nowadays. Isn’t it pretty much the norm on stuff like this now?
fattyuk
Yeah hence why we’ve got several PSPs with wifi. PSPgo being digital download only and now this is the other end of stick. My 8 year old nephew won’t be needing wifi when he buys his I can assure you that.
mynameisblair
The casual market wouldn’t be commenting about the lack of WiFi, they’d be over the moon with the budget price, I’m sure. Then again, they wouldn’t be commenting at all.
tom_lord
Wonderful article Blair, hit the nail on the head. Sad to see people in the comments still don’t understand it, but as you say, this device is absolutely not for them in any way, shape, or form. At the end of the day, focussing the PSP at children with games like Eyepet & Invizimals, at a budget price, is a nice way to see the PSP last for at least another year.
mynameisblair
Yep, when kids/parents see Eyepet and Invizimals for £10 or less brand new, they’ll jump on board I’m sure.
deadwelsh
people that buy apple products are chumps with too much money who pay to look cool, they are welcome to everything that comes with their purchases.
fattyuk
If anyone else understood that comment plmk.
Oh and im a chump, I own an iPad – it’s good for when I go on long flights for watching films, hardly anyone who knows me even knows I own one as it only ever leaves the house when I go on holidays,
deadwelsh
please see above post :p
mynameisblair
This has nothing to do with the article.
deadwelsh
it was in response to an earlier comment by fattyuk, i couldn’t be arsed to explain why it was i the wrong place, but it appears now that i must :(
fattyuk
Oh I get ya now! Ok anyone who owns apple products only pay loads of money to look cool.
Remember kids it’s “cool” these days to hate popular products not the other way around, apple owners and cod fans pffffttt.
Anyone this has been completely off subject. END
nemesisND1derboy
Exactly what I’ve been saying all along. Nice article Blair, someone has sense it seems :)
fattyuk
i’m pretty sure there’s others out there aswell :oP.
I feel like I’m part of a long lost tribe that actually understand the point of this model.
colmshan1990
Do you think Sony could sell a wifi attachment separately?
You’d still have a PSP at a magic price-point, as well as a chance for multiplayer after you’ve got somebody properly addicted…
fattyuk
Doubt it, didn’t think there was hardly if any multiplayer aspects to the PSP.
colmshan1990
Tell that to Resistance: Retribution or Monster Hunter, which was probably responsible for at least 20 of the 70 million sold.
fattyuk
So those people who play them games online already own there wi fi PSPs then yes.
lol
colmshan1990
You missed my point.
I’m asking if Sony could make an attachment.
Look, suppose I bought one of these new PSPs tomorrow.
I pick up Monster Hunter.
If I later find out, via a friend or whatever, that I’m missing out on a massive load of fun because of lack of mulitplayer, I’m probably not likely to go out and buy a 3000, as it would cost (at RRP) well over €99, which is what I paid for the console.
If I could get a cheap accessory, on the other hand, well…
Sony just made more money off of me, and also got rid of a lot of the negative comments about this PSP.
Just make a USB accessory.
nemesisND1derboy
Wasn’t Monster Hunter only playable via ad-hoc, not infrastructure? That’s to do with the IR port, not the wi-fi so Monster Hunter wouldn’t matter a jot really.
As for attachments go, the PSP 3000 is still on sale with wi-fi, so your alternative is there. I don’t think it would be wise in terms of business for them to sell an attachment. I’m sure they could, but I doubt they would :)
fattyuk
Yeah ok I get ya.
Yeah guess they could make an attachment but that would be pointless as if someone wants a wi fi PSP guess what…. go and buy a wi fi PSP!
SYY2127
In the US they would at the very least have to make it $99 to effect sales (effect means to bring about for those who think affect and effect are the same). What was the price of the PSP before in Europe?
I know just converting the price doesn’t show the actual prices in the different countries but 99 euros is about $115 in the US, which is only $15 less then usual.
colmshan1990
But the definition of affect means to change, so surely it would fit there?
Affect is the verb of effect’s noun, but both would actually fit in that sentence.
nemesisND1derboy
Right your are Colm, affect would actually be more appropriate. Affect is the verb, effect is the noun, as in it’s an effect of something, rather than it’s affecting something.
fattyuk
Dunno if it’s the beer inside me but that comment hurt my brain :o(
:o)
moshi
To me it hark back to the days of Gameboy’s and Gamegear’s, you just picked it up and played. Why does it have to be loaded up with bells and whistles, I’m getting one for that half hour of tv the misses watches, the spare 10 minutes you have and the daily commute to work and back.