Sony: Life in the old PSP yet, lower price attracts kids

PSP creator Sony has told GamesIndustry.biz that the company still sees life in the PSP, even after dwindling sales, low software support, and developers pulling out of the system.

When quizzed about rumours of new touch-sensitive hardware Sony wouldn't comment, but said that the company was still concentrating heavily on the original PSP.

“It's natural that in the lifecycle of a platform,” says Sony Worldwide Studios Europe vice president Michael Denny, “as the cost comes down, they do skew younger and we’re having a lot of success with the more child-friendly products on the PSP and it’s certainly a great proposition to buy in on, and the PSP has life left in it yet."

Denny also sees the device as a success, stating that “It was our first attempt at a handheld and with 60 million units-plus, I think it’s been a great success for us." He points to several new games, including fresh editions in the God of War and Patapon series, as signs of life in the PSP.

GamesIndustry.biz also asked Ubisoft for thoughts on the future of PSP, and company executive director Alain Corre said "Assassin’s Creed did very well, Avatar did very well, Prince of Persia is doing good.”

While admitting that the platform doesn’t shift massive numbers, Ubisoft insists it's still making money from it through the likes of the budget Essentials range, which sees the company re-releasing old games.