Opinion: Three reasons to be cheerful about the future of PSP

The PSP has been kicked, punched, bludgeoned and grievously assaulted by a rabid press over the past year. In a pastime that is both fickle and happy to bear a grudge, the PSP has become the whipping boy.

But are the attacks really warranted? Is it fair?

When the PSP was first unveiled, gamers were in raptures over its sense of style. Sony had built a handheld console resembling an hors d'oeuvres tray designed by Gucci; at once seductive and iconic, its svelte lines and expensive looking glassy finish made a mockery of other console's lack of refinement.

PSP had brains as well as beauty, too – video playback, MP3 functionality, wi-fi, an in-built internet browser, and most importantly 266 MHz of processing horsepower capable of handling near-PlayStation 2 quality games. Every gamer wanted one, and Sony's claim that the PSP was to be the Walkman of the 21st Century didn't sound that far-fetched.

When the PSP finally hit the high street here in Europe, great first titles like Wipeout Pure, Lumines, Everybody's Golf and Ridge Racer crystallized the package, convincing 185,000 UK gamers on launch day that the system had a bright future ahead of it (more than double the amount of DS launch converts, for what it's worth).

Build 'em up, knock 'em down

Cracks soon appeared, however. As predicted by pundits, users complained about poor battery life and many felt the system's reliance on the (then) expensive Memory Stick PRO Duo format for its media capabilities was a hidden cost.

There were issues with the games, too. The PSP's repertoire became clogged with lacklustre PlayStation 2 rehashes. Even when AAA franchises like Grand Theft Auto were ported successfully, they failed to make the same impact they had done on the PS2.

Finally, there's no doubt PSP caught some flak for the market's frustrations over Sony's PlayStation 3 strategy, through no fault of the handheld's. Sony didn't help matters by apparently forgetting about PSP for a year.

And what of the DS threat? We don't typically compare PSP and DS directly here at Pocket Gamer; we think they're different machines offering different kinds of games, and arguably meant for different audiences. But we accept the rest of the world does make that comparison, and it's hard not to compare PSP's fate with DS's in a summary like this.

And the fact is that all the while the DS was gathering momentum, wowing critics by side-stepping the PSP's graphical prowess with its innovative Touch Generations titles, and cleverly playing to the handheld zeitgeist for retrogressive game design with New Super Mario Bros. Today DS is perceived as having streaked out ahead of PSP, thanks to its confidence, varied and unusually innovative titles, and the DS Lite makeover.

The twenty five million console question

So what went wrong for the PSP? Well not an awful lot really. The PSP may not be perfect, but it's far from a failure, even if it hasn't managed to knock Nintendo off of its lofty perch in handheld gaming.

Sony's console has sold nearly 25 million units worldwide. To put that into perspective, the original Xbox sold 24 million units in its entire five-year lifespan.

There are few who would call Microsoft's first gaming console a failure; most would rightfully cite the Xbox as Microsoft's successful entry into the games hardware business. Despite selling less than a quarter of the number of PS2s in the same period, the Xbox did what it needed to do. It introduced Microsoft as a competing gaming force and laid the groundwork for the Xbox 360, which is currently performing well at retail.

Sony has achieved something similar with the PSP. In two short years, it has gone from being a non-entity in the handheld market to a worthy competitor, capable of competing on some level with seasoned handheld pro Nintendo. The latter is the giant here, remember, having sold close to 70 million Game Boys.

PSP has also brought plenty to the portable table that will be passed onto the next generation of handheld consoles. For example, much as how Xbox Live has become a core selling point for Microsoft with its next generation offering, integrated media functions will no doubt play a big part in the next gen handheld rollover for Sony.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves; the current PSP has a plenty of life ahead of it yet (we'd guess about another 1-2 years in Japan, and 2-3 in the West) and Sony claims to have lots planned for it.

Still not convinced? Then read on for some reasons to be cheerful about the future of the Sony Playstation Portable.

Reason 1: Improved services

There are several new PSP services to look forward to. After all, one of the great things about the PSP (unless you're a cheeky modding type) is that the firmware upgrades allow for new features to be continually added.

This year should see the PSP Location Free Player finally have a chance to fully stretch its legs. There is also hope that some sort of PSN integration with PS3 will arrive (PS1 emulation, anyone)? What's more, there is good reason to believe that Sony plans to integrate PS HOME into the PSP in some form. That is not to mention the extensive coverage of wi-fi PSP HotSpots expected in the near future.
Reason 2: PSP games are getting ever better
One of the most enduring criticisms levelled at the PSP is that it has few good games. But in reality, the PSP has been quietly finding its feet in the games department. Developers have begun striking a much more measured balance with portable versions of established PS2 franchises. Not only that, but the PSP has discovered a knack for doing the unthinkable – making puzzle games trendy.

In just the last six months, the PSP has brought an avalanche of fair-to-great games into the Pocket Gamer office including (deep breath): Mercury Meltdown, Guitaroo Man Lives, Power Stone Collection, GTA Vice City Stories, Every Extend Extra, Lego Star Wars II, Lumines II, Ace Combat: Skies of Deception, Medal of Honour Heroes, Pro Evolution Soccer 6, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, Sid Meier's Pirates, Metal Slug Anthology, Chili Con Carnage, The Warriors, Race Driver 3, M.A.C.H., Call of Duty Roads to Victory, Ratchet and Clank Size Matters and Virtua Tennis 3.

There are many more potentially great games to come this year, too, including Cube, Crush, God of War, Beaterator, Impossible Mission, Brooktown High, GRAW 2 and Wipeout Pulse. The list is growing all the time.

Reason 3: PSP is getting cheaper

Sony's recent revelation that the PSP is to have its price cut by $30 in the US is certainly welcome. It may not sound like much, but in comparison the DS Phat only had its price cut by ₤10 before the DS lite was introduced to bump the price back up to the ₤100 mark.

If the European PSP price cut is as generous as the American (fingers crossed) the PSP could end up being cheaper than the DS by the end of the year: a steal at ₤86. In reality, it'll almost certainly not translate like that, but a £99 PSP by Christmas does seem possible, even if a £125 price tag is more probable.

Add to a lower price the tumbling cost of the Memory Stick PRO Duo format, (when the PSP was released in 2005 a 1GB card retailed for around ₤150, and now the same card costs a paltry ₤30), and the PSP should soon boast genuine value for money.

Far from being at death's door, then, the PSP is fighting fit and in good health, and by all accounts the best is yet to come. Bookmark our PSP section and stick with us for the rest of the ride!