Is the year of the psp really here

[staticshade]

it's april and here is a list of announced games for the psp in 2009 so far that some might not make it outside japan this year but will probabably be translated

fireteam bravo 3
motorstorm artic edge
little big planet
final fantasy agito
kingdom hearts birth by sleep
persona
ushiro
cardboard senki
jak and daxter lost frontier
armoured core 3
rockband unplugged
assasains creed
disaster report
fate unlimited codes portable
tales of vesparia
silent hill shattered memories
steambot chronicles battle tournament
holy invasion of privacy badman
monster hunter freedom unite
yuusha 30
growlanser
valhala knights 2 battle stance
dissidia
.hack//link
obscure 2
blood bowl
cid the dummy
undead knight
class of heroes
crimson gem saga
duke nukem trilogy
ys 7
dynasty warriors strike force



and i'm sure i've missed out some,

it's not even E3 yet where loads more games a supposed to be announced.

i have started saving money like crazy my mind is blown
i'm not sure how many of these are actually going to be any good or even revolutionary but heres to hoping

[Pants McGewen]

There could be a handful of genuine classics in that list - as long as the developers remember they're making portable games. Surely they've realised by now that going for the full-on console game approach is only going to meet with limited success.

For example, it'll be no use giving us ten-minute laps on Motorstorm. Fine for the PS3, not so when you're grabbing your gaming fix in short bursts or on the move on PSP.

[OutRun]

Seems solid, but I'd argue that 2007's line-up (or even April 07-08) was stronger still and outside of Japan PSP failed to significantly convert many more to its cause. The problem isn't necessarily the machine, but the fact Sony's attention was focused on PS3 (and even PS2) rather than its handheld at a crucial time. At the moment it feels like too little too late, but I'll be happily proved wrong - even with the DSi here, the shine has rubbed off Nintendo's portable so there is room to strike. Sony appears determined, but forgive me if I remain doubtful.

[staticshade]

sony has got a decent no of psp units out in the wild but failure to support it with decent games and the ridiculous amount of piracy have contributed to their current state so lets hope the the get their stuff together

[chris_pg]

The fact that the PSP is still doing okay is completely in spite of Sony's work on the plaform, if they actually get behind it now then the psp could be on song.
It's probably Nintendo's time to take their eye off the ball anyway and with poor attachment rates, lack of hardcore titles and DSiware looking pretty poor there could be an opportunity for them to claw back some ground...
...unless Apple takes it all!

[PGTracy]

The DS doesn't need hardcore titles to succeed, though, Chris. Look at GTA: Chinatown Wars versus Pokemon Platinum. The titles driving the DS's continued success are more casual or mainstream in nature.

If Sony wishes to retain a section of the handheld market, I think they need to wholly embrace their hardcore appeal. Quit trying to compete with DS on every front and start delivering experiences to energise their core; after all, these are the people driving their business. Assassin's Creed, MotorStorm: Arctic Rush, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, etc. aren't going to be bringing in new PSP users. Instead, it will activate those PSP owners who have had the handheld sitting around in a drawer somewhere to go out and actually buy software--something that they haven't been doing for the greater part of a year.

[Spanner]

I know it sounds like PSP bashing (which isn't my intention - I think it's (potentially) an awesome bit of kit) but I have a sneaking suspicion that the big PSP push from Sony is a way to shore up the money for manufacture, promotion and release of the PSP2.

The fact that there's a good long list of interesting titles for the PSP is no bad thing, of course, but it'll taste a bit sour for those folk who buy a bunch of these games just in time for the new hardware to come out - which probably won't play those games.

I'm open to the possibility that I'm wrong about this, mind you. It's just speculation

[OutRun]

I don't think you're far wrong with that analysis, Spanner. But I'd also add that in addition to an immediate commercial benefit, the timing also seems to suggest PSP is being used as a vehicle to drum up enthusiasm - both at consumer, retail and publisher/developer level - for the handheld's expected follow-up. Win the hearts and minds, and their wallets will follow...

[Spanner]

I don't think you're far wrong with that analysis, Spanner. But I'd also add that in addition to an immediate commercial benefit, the timing also seems to suggest PSP is being used as a vehicle to drum up enthusiasm - both at consumer, retail and publisher/developer level - for the handheld's expected follow-up. Win the hearts and minds, and their wallets will follow...

Yes - excellent point. It's putting Sony back in the handheld gaming limelight. We'd pretty much forgotten that Sony was even a contender, but as you say, getting interest ramped back up in the PSP also rejuvenates interest in Sony as a system manufacturer. That's going to be very valuable to the company when the PSP2 is released.

[staticshade]

soul calibur broken destiny
tekken 6
dantes inferno

to add to the list at the top

[Fraser]

I reckon your pretty much on the money with Sony's strategy there Spanner, though I'd sooner have a PSP2 than another revision of the current hardware.

Just a couple of thoughts I've had on this debate.

If Sony goes the digital download route for the PSP Go! (or whatever it ends up getting called), there's a good chance that the following PSP 2 will also opt for the same method (i.e. no physical media). That means that while adopters of the PSP Go! won't be able to play PSP 2 games on their new machine when they arrive, the reverse may well be possible.

We could potentially have the situation where, by being backwards compatible with a growing stable of digitally available PSP one titles, the PSP2 has a ready made software library when it's released. If it's all dealt with via the same PSP Store account, there's no reason why transferring purchases should be a problem.

[Owain]

If we were in Japan we wouldn't have to ask the question - we'd all be too Monster Hunter crazy for it to cross our minds.

[staticshade]

they do love monster hunter a lot

[careface]

I just want to play kingdom hearts birth by sleep on the new psp go! On the train..
It's going to be so F*CKING epic.. Well, I wanna play LBP and J&D too ofc! )

[staticshade]

kingdom hearts can't wait for that either