Sony’s new PSPgo—a system we’ve not talked much about here—is launching next week. It’s basically an all digital version of the PSP. You can only get games for it via a download service—the overpriced, old-game Playstation Network Store.
Here is a firm list of “screw you’s” from Sony to basically anyone who breathes air:
- The price of the unit: $250
- The price of games are the same if not more on their download service when compared to the UMD versions. (We’ll come back to that.)
- They’ve announced today that there is no UMD conversion service for those who already own games. Want the new system? Buy the games all over again—at the same price years later. Oh, and there’s not many games available yet.
Now, let’s deconstruct this:
- Why buy a UMD-less system when you can get the model they sell now for $70 cheaper—sometimes with an included game?
- Why buy games at a premium when you can go to a retailer and get the same titles at almost two-thirds less brand new? (cheaper if you go used)
- Why buy a new system when your old library will not work? The crazy thing is that it’s the exact same library that should be able to play on it.
Who is the PSPgo marketed to again?
We fantasized about a memory-based PSP a while back. It’s like Sony listened to us with one ear wearing earplugs—under water.
A death knell usually comes from a third party, never from yourself. Golf clap to Sony. Golf clap all around.
Sounds like another reason to play PC.
I just heard about the ‘no-conversion of UMDs’ announcement today and my friends and I concurred that they’ve effectively shut out any existing PSP user as a potential adopter of the PSPGo.
I can understand why they can’t completely undercut the retailers, at least not yet, but the prices for PSP games on the PSN are still too expensive, esp. when you can usually find them in a store for cheaper (esp. used).
It’s a shame, because if Sony had fared better this generation this could have been a true shot across the bow of the retailers and could have led to a wider adoption of digital downloads of new games AND possibly adjusted the pricing scheme to something a little better than it is. Sadly, Sony has lost most, if not all, of its clout and this is just a sad pantomime.
I’m not ready to say it’s the death of Sony’s gaming division, but it certainly doesn’t bode well, esp. compared to what it could have been.
As Brock said, this does not bode well for Sony. The PSP, while being out-sold by a wide margin by the DS but it is still a viable platform. Splitting the base this is not going to end well.