Confirmed: Sony to target younger audience for PSP

The PlayStation was the console that convinced the world that games could be more than mere child's play. Indeed, by the time the PSP was released, it was a given that the device was designed to appeal to the 18-24 group, with an average user likely to be in their mid-20s. The PSP is not a toy many would entrust to a youngster; it's expensive, and its beautiful screen is naked and unprotected, unlike those housed safely within the DS's tank like clamshell.

But that may be about to change. The PSP is not getting any tougher (though we still sit glued to our monitors every day, waiting on the announcement of a PSP redesign), but its planned price drop is set to have an effect on exactly who the console's core userbase will consist of.

At least that's the plan according to Sony's PSP senior product manager, John Koller.

In a recent interview with Game Life, Koller revealed that Sony have found the majority of PSP owners are these days between 13 and 17 years old, as are those who intend to buy a PSP: a trend Sony is hoping to capitalize on. Though far from being a brand new strategy, Koller claims that marketing to this younger teen audience has been underway since before Christmas.

The now infamous 'All I Want For Christmas Is A PSP' viral campaign ended up a PR disaster, but was initially aimed at identifying "ways of speaking and marketing to that 13-17 year-old consumer". Sony's next move will be more "transparent", promises Koller, with a new 'Dude, Get Your Own' ad campaign hitting soon.

While the PSP has always had the ability to melt hearts with its sleek and delicate design, there has often been the feeling that the PSP's invitingly exposed face buttons and lovely screen has come at the price of portability. But Koller convincingly argues that the notion of portability has a much broader application for the teen gamer still living at home, who values being able to play upstairs when their olds are watching TV downstairs.

He did add though that the implementation of PSP HotSpots is partly intended to coax PSP gamers out of the house more often.

Interestingly, he also said that there will be plenty more UMD releases for the PSP, but they too will be geared specifically towards a teenage audience (more Aqua Teen Hunger Force, less Pride and Prejudice, then).

The PSP price cut will no doubt be the first of many moves Sony makes toward enticing the teen demographic to part with their paper round (or eBay-earned) cash. And this move is not that surprising, not least because console audiences always get younger as the hardware gets older and more affordable. Sony's handheld is not a new machine anymore, after all.

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?