Fansite fights the PSP's corner

The PSP has had to cope with an unfortunate outpouring of popular disdain over its brief life. After a slightly shaky first year, a vindictive campaign of Chinese whispers ensued, unfairly damning Sony's handheld long-term – fuelled largely by antipathy towards Sony's handling of PlayStation 3.

Yet although much of the game's media has been quick to turn on the PSP too, this tide of unjust publicity has been propagated by disgruntled, coordinated and vocal Nintendo fanboys, no doubt relishing their handheld's sales victory over a company that once effortlessly swaggered into first place in the console race.

We at Pocket Gamer have made clear how unfair we think this PSP hate campaign is, and we're not alone – the PSP Fanboy blog recently flagged up a group of PSP fans who have taken matters into their own hands.

The site these loyalists have started, humorously titled thepsphasnogames, debunks propaganda nuggets such as 'The PSP lacks good games', 'PSP controls make most genres unplayable', 'PSP software sales are only at 2.8 million', and 'Most of PSP's good games are ports'.

But far from being fanboy flamebait, the site's content is tempered with objectivity and is a lively and entertaining read. Rather than state a biased case for the PSP as rightful owner to the handheld crown, thepsphasnogames does a good job of taking on the most popular of spurious soundbites with cold hard facts. Well worth a look for clear-headed console agnostics, and those looking to renew their affection for the PSP.

Is a PSP counter-backlash to the initial U-turn the game's press took finally underway? Let's hope so. We've got nothing against slating bad games, and if any handheld's days are numbered, you'll read it here first. But until then, play on!