Loose Threads: Are the DS and PSP dead in the water?

[Fraser]

You know the story with this one folks.

Dwindling if not dead third-party PSP support, a luke warm reception to the DSi, the iPhone's unstoppable success, Android lurking just around the corner. We're in for a bit of a seismic shift in 2009 and chances are, this time next year, the pocket gaming climate will be very different indeed.

But in the meantime, where does all this impending change leave the DS and the PSP?

You decide!

[klouud]

The DS and PSP aren’t going anywhere. True there may be a temporary lull at the moment... but Nintendo is a survivor and the PSP has seen some amazing games released lately. Although I can’t help but point out the advantages the iPhone has at economic times like these. The benefits are for consumer and producer alike. Direct release means a lower production cost and time. Lower prices means more sales.

Sorry for getting off topic. The DS and PSP aren’t going anywhere as of now. ... The N-gage on the other hand...

Klouud

[GideonB]

The DS is coming out with its usual christmas lineup, rushed games and the PSP has it's stellar PSN network games, Super Stardust Portable, and PS1 games to back it up with weekly updates, meaning that on christmas, you will have a reason to spend £10 on a great game. But unfortunaly the PSP and the DS are dead right now, and that's because of a lack of games. What else can you really say? The simple fact is that the PSP and the DS are dead.

[danskmacabre]

The PSP never really grabbed me, so I can't comment on that.

As to the DS, well it seems to be doing pretty well. It's true there is SO much garbage games for the DS, but it's easy enough to sift through all the dross to find many really good games.
I don't think they are dead, they seem to have a lot of support from consumers.
Personally, I buy probably less than 10 games a year, but I play them a lot.
As to the DSi, not for me really, I think it will be popular enough though, but I'm waiting for the next gen handheld really.
There's good year or so left in the DS (and probably PSP) before sales really start dropping off in a big way, although the party is already over for hardware sales.
I'm sick of these little upgraded versions of the same thing, I want a new handheld with lots of new features.

[hunter_alien]

Well to be honest Im starting to loose faith in Sony. Dont get me wrong Il be with them until the ship sinks ( if it will ) but their current situation is not great... hell even 06 was a better year for them with all the PS3 pricing fiasco. Now... I dont know, they do all the wrong steps: they destroy the PSPs software support, loose major PS3 exclusives, they barely have any adds and so on... Im not certain that they will make it trough this gen.

Nintendo... well its a totally different story. Their 1st party IPs are way to big, and that will keep them in the game. Yes it will survive and it has a fairly good chance to stay the #1 handheld for years to come, and Im not seeing the Iphone dethroning it. Could its market shrink thanks to the Iphone? Yes, but it will still have a solid foundation...

[SciFiTY]

I've been buying DS games ( here in US) at a rate of 2-5 per month. I don't see the list of good (adult enjoyed) games stopping anytime soon with the likes of Gauntlet, Moon and Trackmania on the nearby horizon. I'm ready to keep buying for a few more years before needing a console change up. I have 37 games for the DS lite now and play all till completion.

I also own a PSP which I love for racing games, but those good games that recently came out for THAT were released not that long ago for the DS lite, so there's no reason to rebuy most of them (N+,Batman Lego, Mr. Exit, Clancys;End War)...Now I have about 8 good games for the PSP but won't be needing any anytime soon while working on so many DS lite ones...

I am a DS lite fanguy for sure but I AM also lovin' the PSP for the racing titles.I hated Ridge Racer until I got hooked on the PSP version and don't even get me started on Star wars racer..er, um,..er I mean 'WipeOut Pure' and 'Pulse'...

Since strategy; turn-based-style is my thing; advance wars 3 & 4, fire emblem GBA, & Stones,Panzer Tactics (a sleeper) Age Of Empires 1 & 2 etc... there ccertainly no shorttage of those commin' out lately in the US. and during the next three months.

I have to admit, If it weren't for the likes of Lost Odyssey, Fallout 3, Dirt, Oblivion, my Xbox 360 would get awfully lonely, since the lions share of time goes to my DS lite.

So MANY great games so little time... where does it all go?

[Andrew Williams]

Considering the DS seems to be out of stock at most places in the high street (apart from Pink ones of course!), I'd say its future is pretty safe. The PSP is more likely to suffer under publisher 'cutbacks' though, I reckon.

[Mandark]

The DS is fine. It's the 7 year old's favourite! The PSP seems finished as a pure games machine to me. As I've said elsewhere, it's a more Archos these days than GameBoy. It's a very hard call to work out how the next gen of handhelds and smartphones will all fit together.

[TazUK]

Well, I have a PSP 1000 and liked it a great deal when the right games arrived.

However, the power connector in the PSP broke recently, and, although I've been meaning to fix it, I just haven't got around to it. To be honest I think this is because I've been a bit dissatisfied with the whole PSP Game scene, it just seemed laking in AAA titles.

So for PSP I don't think it can last much longer, not unless Sony pushes the area where it should have excelled from day 1, i.e. Games. The fact it could do media tasks should have always to me been an additional plus for the device, Sony should really have pushed the Games to gain a greater market share up front.

For me getting the PSP repaired/replaced as become one of those things I'll do when I get the time/money, or if any decent games appear that I really want to play.

As for DS, I think it has few years yet simply due to its strength in the market. Although, I don't own one I can see the appeal.

For my future gaming needs, I will be buying an iPhone in Q1 2009, simply because I can play casual games during my ride to work, which is all I do at the moment. It's also a plus that I'll only need to carry 1 device for music, phone and gaming. Currently I carry iPod, Phone and PSP (Until it broke).

Taz

[SciFiTY]

Alright, try this and YOU decide. A have already said I'm a DS fanguy who owns and really enjoy my PSP. I'll keep both until I'm old (er) and grey (er)..
Go to the 'Game stop' web site.. really, read this and then DO IT.
Each console (PSP, DS, 360, PS3 has its own heading, click on each oen, in turn and see the number of pages (listed at bottom in the manner of traditional numbering of pages; bottom center)
The 360 has a few (lets say 6 pages) which mesn each page has about 8 games.. thats 6X8 games that are due our within the next say 6 months..., do the same with the PSP There are ONE SINGLE PAGE of games due out tht mens there are about EIGHT games due out in the next six months and most of those are repeats of sports titles. (uch)

Now click on the DS Header.... THERE ARE ABOUT TEN PAGES BEFORE THE 'NEXT' icon which hides the NEXT TEN. Each of these pages have about 8-10 titles listed. Thats about (very roughly) 80 games scheduled for the DS to release in the next five months conpared to PSP's 8! DUH!

ANYWAY.. I stilll say GRAN Turismo on the PSP will give it a reall life line breathing tank.. what's holding them up already? Originally they said thier time was being divided on other games needing attention but I think those have been released already...

ANYWAYYY. I'm not real jazed on the DS i though. A better web browser would be nice fr the DSi, but I won't hold my breath on that one. If it reads Opera ver. X.anything.. count me out. I don't dislike opera but they just don't have what the cutting edge speed needs. Cameras? (ever hear of Cellphones? and I don't even use it there!)
Now let them release a DS Micro (without touch screen functionality and I'm in Like FLint!

I have three games, well five slated in the next six months with street dates and another 10 due for streetdating. that have no child related art or gaming and will sell mainly to adults.

See, People are tactile individuals, Nintendo knowns that, kids touch things when they go into stores, people touch things when they buy something at the store and so forth... the Touch screen was a No Brainer, it willl even sell BAD games if the interface responds quickly enough Think Bubble Rap here. Quick popping is pleasurable to the senses for whatever reason. For this same tactile need games such as ZOO KEEPER the gem breaker style game features highly responsive animals, which move quickly. Add to that sounds which when activated remind us of the sound of something being broken or destroyed and you have a selling game, add a little fun or leveling to it and you have a GREAT selling game.
Really Millions of dollars yearly are spent on deciding what tactile sensations both children and adults are attracted to. They are often BOTH attracted to the same sounds and tactile sensations. Package the responsive action/reaction with a cool damage like sound and BRIGHT (FIREWORKS LIKE) sounds add scoring and levels and we have a great sellling game "Geometry Wars" ANYONE? Think about it, especially about the 'casual games that you enjoy (hey we all do just admit it.. it's the first step to recovery...lol)
Now think about exactly what it is about the game, the sounds, the sights the tactile sensations (Rumble Paks Anyone? Force Feedback Steering ANYONE?)

Now it definately doesn't hurt to throw i some really good idea for a game either, but it's just those basics that shovel ware is made up of.

The same could be said about AirBrushed TeeSHirts in comparison to the standard teeshirt that you can buy around your home town. The FIxed lines in contrast to the tones for shading... take an art class you'll study just thouse esthetic things that make one media more apealing than another, or one sound more appealing (to a certain deomgraphic), or textures more appealing to wealthier people.. think rugged, western, what comes to mind... not fleece, but Denim. See what I mean?

Give them something that fits or appeals to thier sense's, Sight, Sounds, SMell, Taste, Touch etc... It can really be all that simple. But that's what seperates the real game as an art and the game that's created just to cash in on a few old names and art styles. Now THATS' WHAT these sites that rate games, should be focusing on, not just the same drab,routine, set-in-stone, basic topical concepts they do today. What ever happened t flexibility? and Cretiveity? They boxed it and sold it.

SEE ya later,
Can You Feel What I'm saying?

Later
Tyger

[wilstreak]

There still plenty of great game coming to PSP this year like FFXIIIAgito,KH Birth by Sleep,Parasite Eve 3rd birthday,Tenchu4,Resistance,etc.
Same goes on NDS,great game like KH 358/2 days,FFC Echoes of time,Blue Dragon,FF5&6(MAYBE),GTA,etc
They are still far from their grave.To be honest,both of them are still better than iphone in term of game selection

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