Is it time for the PSPGo to Go?

PS3Blog.net writes:

Sales of the Go in Japan have plummeted.

At launch the PSP Go sold less than 30k units during it's first week in Japan. Now it averages slightly more than 1k a week. In comparison,the regular version of the original PSP sold 39k units in Japan this week pass alone.

[NateNater]

I say slap a second analog stick on that baby and add support for it in past and future games; then watch em' fly off the shelves.

[-Alpha]

One of the problems with the Go is that it really isn't anything new. It's just PSP with Digital Distribution priced ridiculously high that only real portable gamers would love. I don't see the point in buying a PSP Go when I can buy the same thing for cheaper (PSP 3000), add $50 and buy a whole new PS3, or better yet, just wait for the rumored PSP2.

That is exactly why the second analog stick wasn't added, much to the disappointment of fans: it simply wasn't a new PSP, just the same PSP we've all known with a new leather jacket.

That is essentially the problem with the GO. It's paced poorly like the Sega Dreamcast and the PSP2, if rumors are to be expected, will just replace it.

[MEsoJD]

needs to have a second analogue stick and needs to be a cell phone.

I would buy it like that. Iphone can suck my balls if a psp phone came

out but sadly that's not the case right now.

[Anorexorcist]

The PSPGo itself doesn't need to go anywhere. The only part of it that needs to hit the bricks is the high price tag.

I have always been one to hate having portable consoles since carrying around game cartridges or UMD's has always been a hassle, so a pure digital portable console is seen as a major attraction for myself and for a significant portion of the core gamer market.

Drop the PSPGo to $150 or $175 and bundle it with some games and it'll gain a resurgence. Hell if Sony gives it to me for $175 bundled with MGS Peace Walker, I'll order it on day one.

[sikbeta]

Alpha is right, why people will buy a psp-go knowing it cost more than the PSP and $50 less than the PS3, but everyone that saw the psp-go as a "new" portable like a PSP2 was too far ahead of what the device actually is, From the beginning I see the [Go] as a PSP-slim, no more no less

[ThanatosDMC]

Drop the price then people will buy. $199.99 sounds very reasonable since it all ready has 16gb.

Also, im waiting for E3 cuz they might announce PSP2...

[Gradient]

Wow what an awesomely edgy title, PSPGo to Go!

[OhMyGandhi]

lol @ Gradient

they must of been giddy with excitement.

The answer to Sony's problems?
Like drummerx2709, TWO, not one, but TWO analog sticks for the hell of friggin god.

[NewYork214]

maybe its the game prices. i never checked them so cant say personally. or this is a sign that people arent ready for a downloadable only system. i personally kind of want sony to just make the PSP2 or what ever itll be called. Ive had mine since launch and actually want to upgrade to a new system not a remake/redesign

[Trroy]

Lets do the math:
39K PSP-3000, probably sold at $10 profit, tops. = $390K (retail probably takes it all), $0 after retail.
1K PSP Go, probably sold at like $100 profit = $100K (retail probably takes half), $50K after retail.

Future profits from PSP-3000: 3 attached software units @ $30 each avg = $90 retail... which is probably like $12 profit for Sony, after cost-of-goods, the retail cut, and the publisher cut (which there isn't, on Sony 1st party games, which is why I put it at $12 instead of like $9). $12 x 39K == $468K

Future profits for the PSP Go: 3 attached software units @ $30 each avg (I bet its more units, because the service is easy to spend money on, like the iStore) == $90, probably boiling down to $50 profit each, after the publisher cut = $50K... I bet its closer to $100K, because the e-stores are *easy* to spend money at... take a look at Amazon and the iStore, and see how well they do.

Total: PSP-3000, maybe $468K profit per week, PSP Go, maybe $150K profit per week.

The PSP Go isn't going anywhere. On the contrary, if it was selling one-third as well as the PSP-3000, the PSP-3000 would be in serious trouble, I think. It could become a real beast if the price drops to $200.

[Narutodemonx]

i say yes iam happy with my sexy ass 1000 and 2000 model

[Neo Nugget]

People aren't buying it because, as someone above said, it's nothing new. Only the hardcore psp DD lovers purchased a psp go.

There just isn't enough to entice everyone else into dropping an arm and a leg to buy something that isn't extraordinarily amazing.

[Theoneneo81]

it doesnt need to go it just needs a price drop Make it 200 and it will sell 95 percent of the complaints are its to damn expensive especially when its 50 bucks less then the ps3

[Figboy]

but i DO think that it's a sign that the gaming world just isn't ready for a fully digital distribution console/handheld.

personally, my PSP is ALL DD, since my UMDs keep breaking, so i run the ISOs from memory sticks, but wouldn't buy a fully DD device anytime soon.

i simply love having a hard copy of a game. i like having a shelf of games/movies, etc to show off and borrow to friends. you simply can't do that with DD content. especially when they limit how many times your account can be active on any one device.

DRM is what's going to kill DD before it even gets a chance to breathe.

until developers/publishers and the gaming community come to a satisfactory solution for the DRM issue, i think DD isn't going to take off like it potentially COULD.

i give Sony credit for not being afraid to put something out there and see what bites. Betamax, UMD, DD via the PSP Go, and other things. Sony is a risk taker, while other companies (not necessarily game related companies), are content to simply wait and see what happens, then capitalize off of the previous products failures.

i don't think the PSP Go is a failure, but it's definitely not a roaring success.

if, in 5-10 years, DD becomes huge, people will look back at the PSP Go as the first attempt at a fully DD device that was ahead of it's time.

[Fade_Walker]

I like the idea of the PSP Go. But launching at $250 and STILL not lowering the price is terrible move. Not to mention if you are a 3rd party developer of the PSP you are not required by Sony to develop the game for the GO…so most of them don’t

[anonymouse111335]

The PSP hasn't really had much going for it in terms of games overall, theres a few good ones out there, but not very many, that's a big problem for a lot of people. Without dual analog sticks it's difficult to play any type of shooter (most games at all actually, considering most use two to look around nowadays) another problem I see with the go is the games are priced the same as retail, and it's cheaper to sell digitally than to sell by retail, and personally, I think by lowering the price of something = more people willing to buy your product and people can buy and enjoy more games (one big problem I have since I don't have a bottomless wallet like some gamers seem to have) Lastly people aren't warming up to digital distribution, everyones always used discs to use and then you have the people who support cloud computing which I hate with a passion, Tip: nothing is 100% reliable, neither are DVDs Blu-Rays and CD's, but I rarely see them bringing this up. Back up your data, you can get a 1TB HDD for about $100 on newegg

The Go isn't anything new to the PSP, they just added a new design to it and digital distribution and called it something new, which nintendo has done with its DS, DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL quite successfully somehow

[BarakObomber]

I feel like the only people who supported the psp in the US of A was Sony. Like many others i bought a PSP and its been collecting dust for about a year. The digital distribution is fine(iphone) but overhaul the psp. Link it up with seemless PSN integration i wanna show off my trophies on the go. But most of all it needs is MORE GAMES. Throw in the 2nd analog stick. PSP could be huge with PS3 Fans if they just rework it from the ground up.

As a side note, Gran turismo for the psp? any good like worth hunting for on craigs list?

[NeutralGamer]

Sony is screwing their customers.

I remember them saying "every future title will be on PSN", but I wont even be able to play Kingdom Hearts -.-

Screw Sony!

This is a reason I wont get a PS3. Dont want to get screwed by Sony again...

[NateNater]

Which KH? Because in here http://www.qj.net/qjnet/psp... it claims that Disney would not allow Sony to put KH:BBS on PSN.

Also, many PSP games are out there? Thousands. Those thousands of titles aren't going to magically appear on PSN. It will take time. PSPgo hasn't even been out for a year yet!

Don't get a PS3 if you don't want to but you're the one whose missing out on all the great games and features PS3 offers. Its your choice though.

Peace.

[timzone]

2nd analog stick and games should be cheaper.

[morkendo]

fk yeah!!!! bring in PSP 4000

[silvacrest]

simply put, no

just reduce the price so its in line with the other PSPs and reduce the cost of PSP games on PSN

job done, oh and announce a psphone at E3

[cliffbo]

why is it time for this to go? it's still selling, is just an alternative to the 3000, introduces more people to PSN and then these people introduce 3000 owners to minis... nothing wrong with the PSPgo. if people want it removing and see the PSP sales drop by three or four thousand a week, then go ahead