Sony won't win the hearts and minds of the GBA/DS crowd until their system adopts some mascots, like maybe Loco... And work HARD on their PR and game image (both worldwide and Japan).

For one thing, the DS just has too many titles that fall into the category of 'evergreens' - that's basically every Mario or Mario-related character. When you buy a Nintendo, you're buying into a veritable Disneyland of characters, and many of these 'chara'-games (while not necessarily as original in gameplay as some DS Fanboys might have you believe) are pretty good renditions of tried and true vehicles.

Then there's the smattering of original or 'unique' titles like Kirby Canvas Curse, Trauma Center, Phoenix Wright and the Brain Age series. Not all blockbusters, but high enough profile to lend the DS the coveted title of having the most original handheld games.

Although not as unique or original in basic concept, Nintendogs didn't hurt the overall score, either. Nintendo KNOWS how to market characters and cute stuff, and they're cashing in bigtime on the Japanese infatuation with 'kawaii' visuals. Retro graphics are also 'in' with the Asian markets, with toys, mini dioramas and other well-marketed trinket items focusing on vintage Nintendo stuff (keychains, gashapon figures, etc). The secondary product market for Nintendo and their game characters is MASSIVE, and Sony has nothing to compare.

All this in addition to the simple facts that Nintendo just fixed most of what was wrong with the Phat with the Lite and have maintained a cheaper entry pricepoint than Sony since the beginning equals certain dominance in the Japanese market. In fact, I'm surprised the PSP has done as well as it has, keeping a solid second place up since it had that initial surge back in early 2005.

Honestly, I think it's all we can expect from the PSP for now, until it its games and history resonate more with the Asian culture and markets.

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I don't know about the rest of the industry but people are making these sales figures a bigger deal then usual. I mean yes they are important but not to the point where we fanboys start bragging about it, I'll leave that to the suits.

I don't care if Playstation 3 or PSP is going to be in third place in the market place. When I'm playing Metal Gear Acid 2, I'm not thinking about the fact that the handheld I'm holding is #1 in the market, I'm thinking about the next move I'm going to us against my enemy. I'm pretty sure long time gamers know this. As long as Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are still in business is what matters more then who's #1, to me anyways.

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Yo Marco Cano, go ask Sega what happens when you end up in last place too many times.

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Why don't you ask Nintendo? They did it with their last two consoles.

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Sega was in last place the past two generations pixelator. The correct answer was in the very comment you were responding to.

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