100°

PSP has run its course: time to let it die

Play-mag: "Sony will soon stop selling PSP development kits. This doesn’t mean the death of PSP, as they’re being replaced, but it got me thinking: maybe is should mean the death of the handheld."

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play-mag.co.uk
gersh5369d ago

These types of articles are annoying.

toaster5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

It's inevitable. PS3GO was a failure no matter how much you try to sugarcoat it and journalists are taking advantage of that fact. Better to let it die now than go through another experience with a disaster from Sony.

Edward-Kraken5369d ago

Not yet, I'm still waiting for Ghost of Sparta, Tactics Ogre, 3rd Birthday and Dissidia Duodecim.

ABizzel15369d ago

The PSP is on it's way out the door. There are a bunch of games in development, but I think those are the final games for the handheld. You don't hear about too many new PSP games and for the most part the games shown at E3, Gamescon, and TGS were already announced titles for the PSP.

And with Nintendo moving on to the 3DS, you can bet Sony won't be far behind with a PSP2/PSPhone. So the PSP has run it's course, and it is dying, but it's not quite there yet.

@toaster

Your comment was a failure. The PSP has sold well over 60 million handhelds that is not a failure.

RIP
Nov. 2011

PS360fanboy5369d ago

Farewell PSP, you've done your job and you'll be missed along with some great games we could play on you, my favorites being Super Mario 64 and Conker's Bad Fur Day.

TheLastGuardian5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

The PS2 ran it's course but it's still selling great. Maybe Sony will stop manufacturing PSPs in a year or 2 but The PSP will never be dead to true sony loyalists like myself. Even til this day I have very first console, a PS1 that stopped reading discs 10 years ago and I still keep it on the bottom shelf of my entertainment center.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5369d ago
GWAVE5369d ago

PSP will eventually fade away, yes, but it's not dying yet. Not with Patapon 3, Monster Hunter Freedom 3, God of War, Dissidia 2, and more coming out. This year we had Peace Walker, Valkyria Chronicles 2, and Phantasy Star Portable 2.

TekoIie5369d ago

I personaly dont have a psp. It is holding well but not strongly. I would like sony to maybe even get some DS games onto the handheld and get some Dev's to make games exclusively for the handheld and support it near as much as they do the ps3

8-bit5369d ago

As a long time supporter of the PSP I agree with this article. I traded in my PSP about a year ago and I am waiting with my money for a PSP2.

visualb5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

wow =P

PSP has outsold the PS3 and 360 (almost both put together)

fine, its not DS, but then again, the DS is the most sold "console" of "this generation", so not bad for PSP to have done what it did

PSP hasn't run its course, once the PSP2 is released, then this will be true.

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joffa815369d ago

the person who wrote the artical is a moron and has no clue at all.

the truth is the PSP has had the best 2 years of its live with software releases starting last year with Gran Turismo and since then we have had a load of AAA titles like Motorstorm AE, LBP, Assins Creed, MGS Peace walker, GOW Ghost of Sparta, patapon 3, Modnation Racers, ace combat, the list goes on and on.

the PSP still has lots of life in it and there is quite a few great games to come, sure a PSP 2 will be announced but only when Sony feel its needed and for the near future the PSP is capable enough of heading off the gimmick that it the 3DS especially to serious gamers anyway.

firefoxprime5369d ago

I respect the psp. Regardless of how awesome those games are....they're still just ports/spin offs.

AAA titles? yeah.
um..."ports" of AAA titles.

raztad5369d ago

I dont know what ports are you talking about, most PSP games this year are unique to the platform. let us name VC2 as an example.

The 3ds will get PORTS of old games, MGS:Snake Eater, RE5 and Street Fighter4 and I dint see anyone complaining.

FragGen5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

@raztad: Agreed. You could easily dismiss MOH, COD, Fallout 3, Red Dead Redemption, etc, as "ports" on the PS3if you were dumb enough to buy into the idea that we're only counting *original* titles as "good" titles on a system.

Since when has has having a great title ported to a platform a bad thing? That's a stupid ass rule.

Also, a lot of games for the PSP like the AC, MGS Peace Walker, Ys Seven, Persona 3, Army of Two, Phantasy Star Portable 2, Ace Combat Joint Ops, and SOCOM FTB3 are all from this year and are all PSP specific versions. Same with the upcoming God of War title which is guaranteed to be epic.

Fact is, the PSP had a great year but people who are critical of the system WANT it to die so they still say "it's dying" or "it has no good games" because they simply want it to be true not because it actually is true.

The only way you could honestly claim the PSP had no great titles this year or that the PSP has only a few good games is if you really had no idea what was going on with the system, which would make you IGNORANT instead of DISHONEST!

joffa815369d ago

to call them ports is wrong as they are not a direct copy of the home console versions with cut down graphics to fit on a PSP. most of the PSP games are original even though they share a title of a home console game. Spin off is technically correct but most PSP games warrant being called original rather than being tainted as a "spin off".

firefoxprime it sounds like you need to remember that a portable game has different requirements to a home console version and as such a direct "port" will not work. due to the nature of what a portable games console is portable games need to easily accessible and easy to pick up and play hence you dont seem to value them highly.

if you want a home console experience on a portable console then forget it its never going to happen so stick with your PS3 and 360. if you want a quick game on the move from a franchise you know and love without the silly gimmicky touch screen nonsense then that is what a PSP game is all about.

himdeel5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

...and it's only because every year I've STRONGLY consider buying one some new version comes out. Likewise I don't want to purchase one only to learn of a PSP2 that will inevitably drop. So my apprehension about buying a PSP is one cup fiscally conservative (cheap) and two cups scared of the new iteration.

TekoIie5369d ago

@raztad

Because as much as it pains me to say. No one cares about nintendo when it comes to the console war. Its SONY vs microsoft. No one really wants to include Nintendo cuz they are considered for the casual.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 5369d ago
TheLastGuardian5369d ago

@ raztad Yea, Why does the DS get off the hook so easy. Everyone complains that the PSP only has 1 analogue nub but the DS doesn't even have 1. The 3DS does but the PSP2 will still have 1 more analogue nub than the 3DS.

@himdeel Too late now, the PSP2 is almost here. You really missed out. You better hope the PSP2 has Backwards Compatibility so you can catch up on some games you missed.

JayD-1K5369d ago

plus, i wounder if he feels the same about the DS? hell every time you turn around there's a new version of it on the verge of coming out.

MGRogue20175369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

... Leave my PSP alone!! >:l

I still get alot of fun out of it despite it's age.. Plus it has custom firmware on it & I can watch movies & browse the internet.. It's a great little device. :)

FragGen5369d ago

This. They're great devices. The PS1 Classics alone are enough to keep someone gaming for years and many of them really are true classics. And the PSP is a great entertainment device, movies, music, comics, the whole nine yards. Such a great little system. My kids LOVE theirs to bits and I've had one myself since day one!

mantisimo5369d ago

...carbon copy of my household bought mine day 1 and both my boys love their psp's.

Thing is I love the feel, look, smell and if I've been eating buttered popcorn while playing, the taste as well, but I always always missed the 2nd analogue.

Give us this in psp2 and watch out DSI.

TheLastGuardian5369d ago

I used the PSP for multimedia when It first came out but that was before I had a laptop for internet and an Ipod for music. Now I only use my PSP for gaming. The PSP has been great over the years when it comes to great handheld games. The PSP isn't dead. The best is yet to come with God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta.

Blaster_Master5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

Cmon guys, its 2010. There are prepaid cell phones that have more features and better graphics than the psp. I understand that you guys got the psp from your mommy on christmas, but its time for you guys to grow up, stop being in denial, and realize the psp is an outdated turd that needs flushed down the toilet. They are marketing it to little kids now man. Cmon people!

Simco8765369d ago

Troll sounds hurt?

At least Sony is trying to bust into the handheld market. Nintendo's only competition....and competition makes things better!

Blaster_Master5369d ago

lol, im not being a troll, i just want a better handheld, I wasn't event thinking about the 3DS, but since you wanna go that route, at least it has Chrono Trigger, Dragon Warrior 9, 3-D graphics and pictures. But its not about that, I really just want a sick ass psphone with psn integration and 720p graphics. Im done with this ould technology, and im done with this comments section, nothing but a bunch of little kids crying about having to get rid of their security blanky. lol

FragGen5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

You can save the condescending straw man arguments for people dumb enough to listen. Meanwhile, go ahead, and rock your "fart app" on your iPhone and tell yourself you're gaming. I have an Android smartphone running @ 1GHz and my PSP runs RINGS around it as a gaming device.

If you only game on a portable system for five minutes while waiting in line somewhere a phone is great, but it's hardly even a DECENT gaming platform for more than 30 minute sessions. So, if I'm planning to game any significant time in a portable context the PSP goes with me.

It's currently the best handheld on the market for hardcore style portable gaming whether you like it or not. <shrugs>

Blaster_Master5369d ago

Just cause its the best doesn't mean its good. BTW, i dont rock no Iphone, I got sprint, the Evo has 4g wireless hotspot, Im saying that mobile gaming can do alot more than it is, the psp has been around almost as long as the ps2, and the ps4 is coming out in the next few years already, yet yall are still satisfied with having a psp? Im not a fanboy by any means, if anything Im a Sony supporter, but i really just want a mobile gaming device that does it all. My phone does, why cant Sony make a gaming hand held console that does even more?

NexGen5369d ago

FragGen is right...none of these new portable devices "run rings" around the PSP. I have a Samsung galaxy s - same spec for spec as your evo, as well as an ipad laying around. They aren't gaming devices....they're devices with games on them. Have you ever attended a midnight release for Bejeweled or Angry Birds? These new androids and apple devices play Pogo "mom-friendly" games, not real games that we spend our money on.

Face it - we are not the ipad/android gaming market. PSP and 3ds and our home consoles do that and that's the way we like it. Let moms and grannies play their Wii bowling and ipad solotaires, as this isn't what we do. Unless you tend to get overexcited about solitaire, there are no modern gaming equivalents on these devices.

Don't get me wrong - monkey island remakes are cool on the ipad, but they're cheaper on xbl / psn. I don't think we'll ever see Uncharted 2 quality or precision on an ipad/android though....maybe Uncharted Cake Mania or Master Chief Diner Dash, but nothing with some meat on it as we have with PSP, 3ds, 360, or ps3.

raWfodog5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

Opinion piece is strictly opinion. The fact is that I still game on my PSP everyday on my commute back and forth from work. I still have my original 1000 from when it first launched. I was never interested in the DS, nothing against it, my kids have it. It's just not my thing. If it's not yours, so be it. But don't speak as if your opinion is absolute. It's funny that you liken us to little kids but it sounds like you're the one that still has some growing up to do. There are ways to disagree with people instead of your condescending, holier-than-thou attitude...

joffa815369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

@Blaster_Master

sorry but im a 28 year old man who has children of his own so "mommy" didnt buy mine for me.

i agree there is phones out there with higher resolution graphics i know i own an iphone 4 but the PSP is a games console where gaming on a mobile phone is far to casual.

the PSP is the as close to a true home console gaming experience as you can get. a mobile phone no matter how much you sweeten the graphics is still a mobile phone game than can finished in 2 hours or less. also graphics are not the ultimate gamebreaker as playability is the most important aspect of any game.

Seraphemz5369d ago (Edited 5369d ago )

How old are you?
You're in here talking about a bunch of kids..which if you're an adult...is sad. Cause you come off really immature.

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140°

Sony Faces Class Action in the Netherlands Over Allegedly Inflated PlayStation Store Prices

Mass Damage & Consumer Foundation in the Netherlands has filed a class action against Sony for inflating PlayStation Store prices.

dveio6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

My personal opinion:

Manufacturers and publishers have indeed inflated the industry.

From $700 million development costs for games like Call of Duty, to digital (store) prices for games and DLCs, online multiplayer fees on consoles (why can you play Helldivers 2 online for free on PC but not consoles?) or still preventing sell/lend digitally purchased games.

Sometime in the future, this bubble will collapse.

They should know better, but they just can't help themselves and suck even the last penny out of our wallets.

BeHunted6d ago

Because Sony knows people will be forced to pay those prices for single player and multiplayer games, not everyone prefers PC gaming. Sony also has a monopoly on PlayStation digital games. In 2019, they stopped allowing retailers and game key sellers to sell PlayStation digital games, making them available only through the official PlayStation Store

anast6d ago

The Dutch gov. wants a piece of the pie.

Eonjay6d ago

They should be suing the individual publishers increasing the prices to $80 instead of suing the store. There are plenty of publishers still selling game for like $50 with much success (like E33). But this proves that the publishers are the ones setting the prices.... so again nothing changes because they aren't even going after the main offender. How is suing Sony going to make Microsoft not charge $80 for the next COD? Sony being the number one store in the market doesn't mean that publisher have to charge us an arm and a leg. Again the industry is laughing at us because consumers never get real representation. Just these fake platitudes that are meaningless.

BeHunted6d ago

"How is suing Sony going to make Microsoft not charge $80 for the next COD"

Because Microsoft doesn't have a monopoly, I can purchase Call of Duty at a huge discount from CDKeys or other gaming retailers. The only way to purchase digital PlayStation games is through the PlayStation Store.

djl34856d ago

Weird, I swore GoW, Stellar Blade, Horizon Zero Dawn, TLoU, etc. were on the steam store....uh.....

BeHunted6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

@djI3485

I'm talking about PlayStation games that you can only purchase on PlayStation. I can purchase Steam and Epic games from 3rd party retailers and key stores.

"Sony to stop selling full-game download codes at retailers"

https://www.videogamer.com/...

Killer2020UK6d ago

About time. There is zero fair reason why digitally distributed products that you cannot recoup any value when you want to dispose of them, should be priced higher than that of physical copies that entail all of the costs and the benefits of owning.

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170°

Sony Aims To Sell 15 Million PS5 Units This Year, but Is Shifting Focus to Monthly Active Users

Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki and CFO Lin Tao talked about the state of the PlayStation business and the strategy and targets going forward, including how they're responding to the tariffs.

Read Full Story >>
simulationdaily.com
1Victor47d ago

I wonder how the USA tariffs war will affect that projection. 🤔

S2Killinit47d ago (Edited 47d ago )

I think they take that into consideration when they announce their projections. Currently, after the xbox price increase, the PRO is cheaper than the series x! That is ridiculous, and it can’t last.

darthv7247d ago

you keep saying that but the price of a PS5 Pro is S699.99 (US) and the price of a Series X is $599.99 (US)

S2Killinit47d ago (Edited 47d ago )

The series x with 2 TB storage space is more expensive than PS5 PRO which also has 2 TB storage space.

darthv7247d ago (Edited 47d ago )

Oh so you are pitting a regular Pro with a special edition X... got it. If you are going so far as trying to compare apples to apples... please add in the optical drive and stand to the Pro. Seeing as the X has both of those by default.

I will help you if you are unable to do so.
PS5 Pro 2tb: $699.99, Optical Drive: $79.99, Stand: $29.99 = $809.97
Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition 2TB: $729.99

47d ago
S2Killinit46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

The PS5 PRO has 2TB storage. The series X with 2TB storage and much weaker, is… more expensive! So yeah, Im pointing out that fact.

Also, the PRO does not require a stand.

Ps: regular series 2TB is $749 (where did u get 729?)

darthv7246d ago

Its right here on the official XB site: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/...

Okay, so no stand for the Pro, but you might still want the optical drive. So $779.98 vs $729.99. A properly outfitted Pro is still more $$ than a 2tb X.

S2Killinit45d ago (Edited 45d ago )

Do I need to mention that the series x is not nearly as powerful as the PS5 PRO?

And no, the PS5 PRO runs just fine without a drive, and people don’t have to buy the drive right away, assuming they want it.

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drivxr47d ago

I wonder why they are shifting focus to MAU.

RaiderNation47d ago

Because that's where the real money is made, in microtransactions.

Profchaos47d ago (Edited 47d ago )

People are spending less time playing is a typical trigger for this.

The less time spent playing the less likely you are to spend more money on games and services including subs or even the next console.

Increased engagement equals more money.

47d ago
DarXyde46d ago

Same reason Microsoft does it: it looks better to investors and it's a solution when unit sales slow down.

Personally, I'm not a fan of this metric; and by using it, you're kind of signaling that you're moving into the "This is a PlayStation" era.

Z50146d ago

Because the PS4 also has users and not necessarily sales

Obscure_Observer44d ago

"I wonder why they are shifting focus to MAU."

Because they´d finally realized that MS wasn´t wrong after all.

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310°

Sony Announces Large Profits Growth for PlayStation; Expects Further Wins in Current Fiscal Year

Sony announced its financial results for the fiscal year 2024, and things are certainly looking up, despite a decline in PS5 sales.

Read Full Story >>
simulationdaily.com
CrimsonWing6947d ago

Expect sh*t to slow down if prices aren’t kept in check.

Redgrave47d ago

Who downvotes the truth?

Even PSN itself is too damn high.jpg

S2Killinit47d ago

Gamepass is already at 20$ per month if im not mistaken.

toxic-inferno47d ago

@neutralgamer1992

Not all of us. I'm a big PlayStation fan, and have been since the PSOne. But I can't begin to defend what's happening currently.

At least Nintendo release a large number of games from their major franchises. Sony is just not banking on their established franchises, and yet are raising prices. Not great.

S2Killinit47d ago

Im pretty sure we are going to see a price increase for PRO. I mean think about it, its currently cheaper than xbox series x! That cannot last.

Eonjay47d ago

I'm absolutely sure we will not see a price increase. I don't think we should 'expect' to see price increase because it just adds validity to what Nintendo and Microsoft have done.

darthv7246d ago (Edited 46d ago )

Sorry to pop that bubble but the Pro is not cheaper than a series x... generally speaking (like you are). It is cheaper than one specific version, and doing so by not including the optical drive and stand like the X has by default.

So keep on trying to convince people you are right when everyone knows it's quite the opposite. A stock Pro is $699.99 and a stock X is $599.99. A special edition galactic black 2tb X is $729.99. And if you really want to compare apples to apples... adding the aforementioned optical drive and stand brings that Pro to $809.97 and then they would be on equal footing.

Twisting truths to fit a narrative... I expect better from you S2.

S2Killinit46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

The PS5 PRO has 2TB storage. And the series X with 2TB is more expensive. Which in my opinion is insane conseidering how much more powerful the PRO is. The PS5PRO does not need a stand, it can be used without a stand.

TheKingKratos47d ago

So the Pro is not offering any push in sales at all ?

CrashMania47d ago

It's still an expensive, niche product ultimately. And they exceeded their sales projections for units sold by half a million.

lawox47d ago

"18.5 million units have been shipped during the full fiscal year. This is actually ahead of the 18 million units target set by the company."

They beat their yearly estimate. It's not broken down by device, but it's clearly performing well enough. Since it's been released it's consistently been the second best selling SKU on Amazon only after the the Slim with disc.

47d ago
Bathyj47d ago

18 million a year is in the toilet?
I remember when 10 was considered good
Hell Microsoft would take that right now.
Probably pay $100b for it.

47d ago
BeHunted47d ago

If their profits fall next quarter, we'll probably see more price hikes. I can't imagine having to pay £20 a month for PlayStation Plus.

S2Killinit47d ago

I think gamepass is already paying that much.

47d ago
drivxr47d ago (Edited 47d ago )

Decline in hardware sales.
Behind on lifetime sales and decline in first party sales.
Third party content and PSN came through to save the day.
Things will improve starting with the next Ghost game.

Hopefully a steady flow of first party content by end of '25

rlow147d ago (Edited 47d ago )

I guess you get downvoted for stating facts from Sony’s own lips. What I’m curious about is what their top games of the year were and how much Xbox games contributed to the increase?

CrashMania47d ago

Well, generally 3rd party publisher games contribute the most anyway, so no different to capcom, EA and so on contributing to this figure.

lawox47d ago

That's because the report is actually really good.

They beat the console sales estimate that they set last year March, they have increased users both due to the record numbers of PS4 users and strong PS5 sales which is leading to great profits in sales and user spend.

This report is about the financial health of the PlayStation brand and as a platform PlayStation is stronger than ever. Heck they even have Microsoft putting their biggest franchises on the platform.

47d ago
S2Killinit46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

Well, the facts in the article are positive. Nothing wrong with his comment, but in my opinion it doesn't correctly indicate all the facts and nuances that give context to the reality of things. I downvoted for that only.

Make sense?

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Lightning7747d ago

This is exactly what happened to Xbox year's ago. They had no first party and started seeing decline in 1st party sales, which effected their third party games which eventually effected their console sales. A slow decline across the board.

Calm down PS fans I'm not saying PS is becoming like old Xbox. I'm showing examples of the importance of first party output. Look how Xbox finally has compelling first party and things are on a up swing(despite years going on a downswing). I know thanks to PS releases which helps a ton, (which is why Xbox hardware only dropped 6% instead of 30+% like it usually does) The point still stands despite what Genz Trends may go, first party and compelling games sell hardware and software still. Sony's financial quarter is an example of this, of what lower First party output looks like.

No matter they'll be right back on track in due time any time especially with DS2 (not my type of game but I know many like it) and Yotei. They're not Xbox and let things get bad for so many years on end.

crazyCoconuts47d ago

"I'm showing examples of the importance of first party output. "
First party is mostly relevant for the sole purpose of creating EXCLUSIVES that are needed to stay competitive. With Xbox consoles collapsing and no more Xbox exclusives, first party is way less important. PlayStation as a platform now has free reign to profit without the high expense of needing exclusive first party titles.

red2tango47d ago

Sony has been very lazy with 1st party games compared to the PS4 era. And even the PS4 era was nothing compared to the PS3 era in terms of games.

S2Killinit46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

We have Ghost and Intergalactic coming. And then Marathon which is not exclusive to PlayStation. I think Covid and that chip shortage put a speedbump in game development because game manufacturers dont want even more risk that their game will arrive to too little hardware, but the games are starting to show up.

Lightning7747d ago

"With Xbox consoles collapsing and no more Xbox exclusives, first party is way less important."

Absolutely not. If that was the case then Nintendo would put Mario on Sega Genesis and Sonic on Super Nintendo. I know things are way different 30+ years later but not much has really changed in terms of exclusives and their impact on hardware. Especially early in the console life cycle.

Sony made all the money this quarter handover fist. Profits isn't a issue for them right now. I was just saying lower hardware sales and lower first party sales will hurt them or any console manufacturer of they don't have the compelling games in the long run. Just like it hurt Xbox. IF Sony keeps up not having lower first part output. Which we know they're not.

crazyCoconuts47d ago

Well no big exclusives in the last two years yet PS is doing great. What are people gonna do? Buy an Xbox?

S2Killinit46d ago

I agree with you. But they have had plenty of exclusives so far. Has it been ideal? Nope. I have a feeling we are seeing a resurgence with the effects of covid and that chip shortage now behind us.

Lightning7747d ago

No it's just like 360 where they had no games yet ppl still bought it because they sold ppl on the games early on that gen the fans were locked in and invested. They were riding the good will and was dubbed the shooter, racer box. The games dried up and they never recovered from it which hurt them in the long run. Same here with PS they still make the big bucks because they had games early on and the fans locked in and will continue to lock in for a little while longer despite lacking in first party.

S2Killinit46d ago (Edited 46d ago )

I agree. But the problem with xbox was that for some crazy reason MS thought game development wasnt all that important to a platform holder. They literally did not fund games with their own studios. When they lost marketshare they couldnt justify paying for exclusives with large install bases making it too expensive. That is not the scenario with PlayStation.

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