160°

What if the Sony PSP Succeeded?

Alex S. from Link-Cable writes: "Welcome to the penultimate edition in our series of ‘what if‘ articles and the only one to feature a handheld game system – the Sony PSP. But wait, wasn’t the PSP a hit for Sony and a fan favorite? Well yes, the system was a massive success for Sony and helped them spread the PlayStation brand to a whole new audience of players, so why is the PSP getting its own entry on this list when it is (by far) the best-selling and received system in this series? Well in a lot of ways, despite its success the PSP never really attained any of its core goals (to challenge Nintendo for handheld dominance and usher in a new multimedia standard for on the go entertainment) and the way the PSP’s twilight years were handled essentially set up its successor to fail. So while not a train-wreck (like the other consoles we discussed) things definitely could have gone a lot better for Sony’s first handheld."

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link-cable.com
porkChop2259d ago

Things could have been handled a little better in the later years, sure, but for a debut handheld it was certainly a success.

Brian76554922258d ago

Of course it was a success. I thoroughly enjoyed mine.

jrshankill2258d ago (Edited 2258d ago )

Dumb article. 82 Million worldwide sales. PSP was a success. It sold more than NES, Super Nintendo, Genesis, Gamecube and OG Xbox.

subtenko2257d ago

F yea, and it revolutionized that market, I remember everyone got excited and amazed by it for so many reasons! Oh it has mini disc?! WOW You're playing online with someone right now!?1 Wow you're talking to them all too!? (Socom FIre Team Bravo)

Analog stick!? Emulators? homebrew? WOOOOOOOWW

The PSP was most definitely an exciting successful console! I saved up my lunchmoney for that thing only for it to be sold out on launch day but cool gamestop manager hooked me up the second week!! Thats for the nostalgia everyone <3

FallenAngel19842259d ago

Since when is selling 82 million not succeeding?

SegaGamer2259d ago

Exactly, it's number 8 in the top sold consoles, just behind PS3 and Xbox 360. If that isn't a success, then everything below it must have been a disaster.

Picture_Dancer2258d ago

Yeah, its more than xbox and N64 and Gamecube combined :D

IamTylerDurden12258d ago

The PSP was a massive success at over 80m sold. To put it into perspective it sold just about what the xbox 360 sold. This article is a joke, PSP was a sales monster with great software and it was universally loved. A later iteration called PSP GO was a failure, but not the PSP, not by a long shot.

Fist4achin2258d ago (Edited 2258d ago )

Hmm, you did not say 83 million. Didn't you know Sony's line is 83?! Everyone has a line...

rainslacker2258d ago

PSP would have kept going fine if Sony didn't move onto the Vita. Vita probably would have done well too if Sony hadn't been so strict on trying to prevent piracy. Most of the things that turned people away were all due to things related to piracy.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 2258d ago
Kerplunk802258d ago

Their website sounds lame must need some clicks. Fake news.

SuperSonic912258d ago

Laughter!

10 million Switch units sold is a success to them but 84 million PSP sold is not. Kidtendo logic.

rainslacker2258d ago

They did some other articles in the series which weren't too bad. Things for Saturn or Dreamcast.

This one seems off base though, as PSP was considered successful. It had a rocky start, but started doing well when they released GT and Metal Gear on it.

Tross2258d ago

It topped 80 Million units in a market where Nintendo has always held dominance, and it was Sony's first handheld. I don't think they're too upset about being second then. If they had repeated the same strategies they used to get the PSP into homes with the Vita, maybe it could have had similar success.

PhoenixUp2258d ago

Sony did use the same strategies with PSP on Vita

Tross2258d ago (Edited 2258d ago )

Yes and no. They used the same strategies they used with the PSP later in its life. The PSP did coast on third party support, largely from Japanese devs, in its later years. The big difference was that the PSP had already amassed a large enough install base by that point. New systems can't just "coast" in the same way older systems can. Japan and the indie scene may have somewhat salvaged the Vita, but it never got anywhere near PSP numbers.

Sure, Sony haphazardly tried to sell the Vita at first by providing some token Western first party support, but it was short lived. The PSP on the other hand received titles from the majority of Sony's flagship franchises in the West, and some like Daxter were made for the PSP rather than being some lazy facsimile of the console experience that's slightly dumbed down due to hardware limitations. The PSP was also marketed pretty aggressively with ads that capitalized on factors like its superior power (over the DS) and multimedia capabilities. With the Vita on the other hand, they barely even tried before giving up on their own system. They could have done better.

The baffling choice they made with the memory card format also didn't help. At least there were options for Pro Duos. Not so with Vita memory. It certainly wasn't the only factor that worked against the system, but it didn't help.

rainslacker2258d ago

In terms of software, they did try to get the bigger games on it. Despite the naysayers, Sony was releasing some big games on it.

But they screwed up by trying too hard to prevent piracy. Content manager was annoying, and made to prevent side loading roms or new OS's. No removeable battery so it couldn't be used for piracy. Proprietary memory cards to be able to encrypt data so there wouldn't be piracy, which they doubly messed up on by making them too expensive.

Vita had a ton of great features, and even some great software, but it was expensive to get into at first, and when PS4 started gaining traction, Sony gave up almost over night.

Game is doing decent in Japan, and for people who like Japanese games, it's a great hand held. I love mine still, but would have a hard time recommending it to the average gamer.

mercyblades2258d ago

If Sony ever decides to do a (proper) PSP 2, what would you/you guys like to see?
I mean, obviously better software support, but I mean more on the technical/aesthetics side of things.

Venoxn4g2257d ago

L2 R2 buttons..clickable sticks for extra inputs and get rid of back touch pad

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130°

Acquire Joins KADOKAWA Group: Could This Mean A Revival for Tenchu & Way of the Samurai ?

Acquire, famous for games like Tenchu and Octopath Traveler, becomes KADOKAWA subsidiary. Can this mean a revival for beloved series?

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retronews.com
Snookies1216d ago (Edited 16d ago )

I would kill to have a Way of the Samurai game with a huge budget and modern tech... The first game was one of my greatest joys on PS2 back in the day. And I really hope From Software will do something with Tenchu... I hate that they're just sitting on the IP like it doesn't even exist.

Relientk7716d ago

Don't play with my feelings like that.

Also, new Tenchu please!

TheColbertinator15d ago

Tenchu would be superb in this day and age. Ninja and samurai games are hot right now and more is better.

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200°

Original Final Fantasy 7 - Is it Worth Playing in 2024?

Final Fantasy 7 has come back under the spotlight thanks to the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but is it worth replaying the original?

ravens5219d ago

Got to Zacks part in 7 Rebirth. Said f it. Finishing my game in 7 og. Just got to part 2 yesterday. I also got Crisis Core... So it'll be a while before I'm back to Rebirth. I just keep thinking about it too smh, want to get back to playing it. Not till I know Zacks story though. I beat 7 og sooooooo long ago, it's crazy going through it again and remembering things.

MrNinosan19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

Got to Zacks part in Rebirth?
You mean you started the game and turned it off?
The game starts with Zack...

ravens5218d ago

... Really 🤓 lol. His second part, I've played for 80hrs lmao. <---- PS5 Run time, probably not all game time. You guys know how it goes.

VIK212118d ago (Edited 18d ago )

Did you not ever play the OG FF7? After you recruit Vincent, later in the game, disc 3, return to that basement and look at the pod, there's a whole Zack story that'll trigger as a memory.... it's well hidden in the game and a lot of things regarding Zack are cleared up. FF7 Crisis Core is basically an extend feature of that hidden flashback... It took me years to discover it back then lol

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

MrNinosan18d ago

@ravens52
80 hours in Rebirth by doing everything, and you should've reached Zacks story about 5 times 🤣

ravens5218d ago

Ye I kno that's y I said not all gameplay time. But also I am very anal when it comes to exploring.

ravens5218d ago

Not to mention fighting Titan at his full strength. Hours spent trying still haven't succeeded. Found all 3 ruins but I'ma masochist when it comes to games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 18d ago
Barlos19d ago

Very much so. Graphically it's dated but the story and the gameplay haven't aged a day. It's still one of my all time favourite RPGs and for me is better than Remake in some ways.

Barlos19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

It always takes me back to Christmas 1997, I got it as a gift and I was blown away when I played it. I couldn't believe games could look that good. The combination of pre rendered backgrounds and FMV really made it stand out. It definitely still has a certain charm that modern games can't replicate.

I can't imagine people will still be talking about Remake and Rebirth in 27 years.

Tapani18d ago

Fully agreed. To me the atmosphere, pacing, gameplay and music are all better than in the remake.

Rebel_Scum19d ago

Yes, play this, skip remake, start rebirth for new players.

I_am_Batman19d ago

Skip Remake? That's terrible advice.

leahcim19d ago

Remake is so amazing, pure FFVII Love, play it on PS5 please! aww the graphics the battles, the music... a dream come true.

Rebel_Scum19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

I disagree Batman

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90°

FF XVI Producer Is Interested In Working On A New Final Fantasy Tactics Game

Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida is interested in working on a brand new Final Fantasy Tactics game.

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twistedvoxel.com
GoodGuy0921d ago

It's insane its been this long since the last release.

CrimsonWing6921d ago

Not from you.

Knowing how you handled FF16 by trying to make it appeal to non-fans and changing the entire gameplay design I can see you changing Tactics to appeal to non-fans.

If they’re going to do this please give it to someone who wants to keep the game and genre in tact.

VersusDMC20d ago

He worked on tactics ogre reborn. Was there changes? He wouldn't make an FF tactics game an action game. It will be AA but faithful. Probably what the Diofield Chronicles team and some of the FFXVI team is probably working on already and he is just keeping a secret.

And FF hasn't had a set gameplay design since X. I disliked the MMO, 12, 13 FF's but didn't mald for years. I played other games. Stop crying as he probably won't make a single player FF again and will be busy with the next FF MMO.

EternalTitan20d ago

I can feel your hatred. Keep it up.

Ataraxias20d ago

Tactics Ogre Reborn was an overall solid product but almost eliminated the concept of builds in the game.
So we'd probably end up with a system where character jobs like Mercenary for Ramza is 80% of the character instead of being freeform.

SegaSaturn66920d ago

Tactics Ogre Reborn changed a lot of gameplay mechanics for the worse. The class system is weird and hard to lock in roles, and they shoehorned a new "random card appearing" mechanic on the maps which makes no sense. Previously you obtained those boosts from killing powerful opponents, not spawning randomly.

There's a way better way to play Tactics Ogre: the fanmade onevision mod of the psp version.

EternalTitan20d ago

16 was just a terrible mess.
Its not even a JRPG let alone a final fantasy game.
Yosi piss(who said he hates JRPGs) should not touch another Final Fantasy game ever again.

VersusDMC20d ago

87 metacritic can't be a terrible mess.
If Kingdom Hearts is a JRPG then FFXVI is a JRPG. And he said he hates the term JRPG as it carries a bad stereotype with western journalists.

So you're just incorrect on several fronts...

Asterphoenix20d ago

I wouldn't mind a new FF Tactics longs they keep the tactical elements of Tactics in it as well as a very in depth story. Which FF Tactics years ago has by far one of the best stories in the series.

Tapani20d ago

Yes, alongside with Vagrant Story. Playing FFT, then Vagrant story and finally FFXII is a bliss. Deepest lore and best stories ever made in video games.