Things are not looking for Sony's handheld. After what appeared to be a successful resurrection with the redesigned PSP-2000, things have slowed down significantly for the system. EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich noted that sales of PSP have dropped quite a bit from its previous highs. In fact, it sold 17% less systems in May 2008 as it did in May 2007. Momentum is significantly dropping.The outlook for PSP is going to be much worse before it gets any better. According to Divnich, "this trend will likely continue, as we do not see any significant PSP titles in the short-term pipeline that could drive hardware sales in Sony's favor." The PSP software drought certainly isn't going to help.
For one reason or another, PSP software sales are also significantly lower than on any other platform. Divnich noted. "Furthermore, PSP software has consistently been last in software unit sales among the next-generation consoles and handhelds. Additionally, the PSP was the only console not to have a title in the top 10 of unit sales, even the PS2 managed to creep into the top ten with sales from Iron Man." So long as PSP software continues to flop, publishers and developers will have no need to create new content for the system.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
6-12-2008 @ 11:05PM
Wrathbringer said...
Homebrew and piracy FTW!
RIP Sony's PSP, you had a good run.
Reply
6-13-2008 @ 2:48AM
pixelator said...
STFU with your moronic piracy conspiracy bullshit. You can thank SONY for what has happened to the PSP. It was their system and their responsibility - from the flash card security on up to the lack of games.
6-13-2008 @ 7:25AM
Jayme said...
If the psps sales were low world wide i think there would be more concern.The fact is sales in japan and most of europe are solid.
6-13-2008 @ 11:55AM
required said...
NOTE: these types of articles started to appear on the same day the PSP began outselling Nintendo's wares in Japan.
6-14-2008 @ 12:06PM
Saigon said...
There is no solid proof that piracy is NOT seriously harming psp. Look at the freakin' number of people downloading psp games on that one torrent site, that pspfanboy showed a while ago. Fact is, no one for sure can say that piracy is or is not destroying psp.
6-12-2008 @ 11:59PM
Keef said...
Yeah, piracy is killing the PSP. Shame too, it's got some solid games and a lot of potential as a multimedia device. *frownie face*
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6-13-2008 @ 12:18AM
Daniel said...
Yep. Piracy bad for PSP.
I sond like a caveman LOL
But seriously. People are stupid. They are killing off the very thing they are using to pirate on. People have no brains.
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6-13-2008 @ 12:50AM
held225 said...
I have a good solution for this problem, Sony should build a safety system into the PSP. So as soon some idiot hacker opens up the PSP it will fry its own circuits, rendering it useless. Kinda like a self destruct mechanism. That should teach those low life hackers a lesson
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6-13-2008 @ 1:47AM
Ginji said...
I think there's a law that prohibits this kind of methods, if not then i'll make sure to sue sony for pain money and buy a shit load of nintendo games.
6-13-2008 @ 2:05AM
Niko_Bellic said...
The problem is that it's so easy to hack. All you need to do is install the latest custom firmware, and you're free to start downloading games. (Not that I condone that sort of thing.) The 360 is a little more complicated; the PSP's just so easy I think it's almost hard for people to resist the temptation.
6-13-2008 @ 2:22PM
pixelator said...
Not that simple. Since UMD's can't have custom chips built into them like cartridges (that worked fairly well for the SNES, N64 and even some GBA and DS games), there's no real hardware 'key' you can call from the game that exists in the PSP. Again, they set that up poorly, but it's not the true culprit.
As has been exhaustingly covered elsewhere, there's little solid proof that piracy is what has caused the US sales slump (especially since there's plenty of piracy overseas and the PSP is doing far better there). It's Sony's support - period. No TV, GPS or online video downloads here to speak of. Multiple colors that come out in Japan fail to make it here. Few localized Japanese games, some of which could do quite well here if properly marketed (the DS has shown oddball JP titles have a big following)... To say nothing of advertising snafus.
6-13-2008 @ 1:32AM
mike said...
Not even the b-ray copy function in a coming update to the ps3 fw will save the psp then?
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6-13-2008 @ 6:22AM
McDoobie said...
People want games, not movie copy abilities.
6-13-2008 @ 1:44AM
Neil said...
Yeah this news really isn't news....it's been a long time coming. I always laugh when I hear people say they're hacking their system just to "added functionality" that Sony didn't put into the PSP, but then they never seem to know what "added functionality" they're getting from hacking the system....no one wants to admit that they're hacking their system to play pirated software, some of which wasn't even made for the PSP.
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6-13-2008 @ 1:44AM
jitty said...
"For one reason or another, PSP software sales are also significantly lower than on any other platform. "
O rly? Where are those guys that were justifying piracy a little while ago?
Reply
6-13-2008 @ 1:55AM
blindelf said...
Just earlier today I was thinking about how the recent surge in PSP popularity in Japan should bring a fresh wave of games being announced...maybe not?
Will there be a PSP2?
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6-13-2008 @ 2:38AM
Zippon said...
Just wait for it, guys. Pixelator will be on soon and will announce that nobody buys the current software because there aren't enough commercials for the PSP. People sit at home with their PSP's, trying to think of games to buy, and they never look at the internet, they simply wait for commercials on TV.
Or they'll say that there are no good games, which is why nobody buys games even when good ones come out (a logical pretzel that I've never quite understood).
Remember: It's never the pirates fault. Piracy is 100% identical on every system (there is no way that PSP owners are more technically savvy than DS owners and try hacking their units more---ZERO chance of that), and since piracy has always been around, we should ignore it and never try to stop it or factor it in. Like all crime, it's better to capitulate.
RIP PSP. It's been a fun ride.
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6-13-2008 @ 10:23PM
Niko_Bellic said...
Yup. You called it, right on the money..... By the way, I've, for a while now, pretty much been saying, what you've just said.
6-13-2008 @ 2:54AM
Jacksons said...
Aw, I hope it doesn't fade away. I get more use out of this thing than my other consoles by a considerable margin. It might be time to throw some high quality casual / kid games at it to expand the audience.
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6-13-2008 @ 1:42PM
Don said...
"I get more use out of this thing than my other consoles by a considerable margin."
Yeah me too.... I've used my PSP(s) almost every single day since I first got it in May 2006..... Sony's made some *major* stumbles but I hope the PSP survives....