Imagine this scenario. The PSP-Go launches at $250 in direct competition with the iPod touch. In the month before the release of the console, Sony started releasing waves of PSP titles onto the PSN store. On launch day, they release another wave of titles, this time including some brand new releases. Being the brilliant marketing minds that they are, Sony strikes a deal with GameStop to trade in your PSP games for PlayStation Store credit.
So you head in to GameStop on launch day and trade in your PSP-3000 and a bunch of games. Since you get about $100 in credit towards the Go itself, and we’ll say the 16 gigs of memory is around $50, what could Sony give us that would make the upgrade worthwhile?
How about the entire digital and remastered Beatles catalog? … No?
Well, the answer is quite simple. It’s a gaming system, so give us games. You know, like those bundles you keep releasing on a constant basis. Each PSP-Go could come with a voucher for 2 games from a list, since they’re digital (and I bet you have a list entitled “Possible PSP titles for bundles,”) it wouldn’t hurt you too badly financially, and it would make that $100 premium seem a bit easier to chew.
In a nutshell, I think the PSP-Go launching with a catalog of 250-300 games (a few brand new,) the ability to trade in your games towards digital credit, and a voucher for a couple games would have made existing owners seriously considering picking one up, and would make for a pretty clear choice for anyone considering buying it or an iPod.
Instead, Sony’s done sort of a half step where they’re kind of doing things right, but really missing out on some awesome opportunities. The main backlash against the PSP-Go seems to be from people who already own a PSP or just don’t care, while anyone who’s picked it up seems pretty happy with their purchase. While they might have missed the chance to snag the holiday season, the Go seems like it still has the potential to shine.
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people happy with the PSPGo? Is this the “i feel like a douche for buying something crappy so i’ll pretend it’s awesome” scenerio going on here becasue a game with no games is just a dumb idea,
Just edmit if you feel stupid for buying it, i’m sure everyone’s done it before. Good aticule i like the twilight zone like picture.
I didn’t buy it, I really have no desire for a PSP because all my media is on my iPhone, and if I want to game, I’ll do it on my TV.
If they had ensured a much more robust lineup on the PSN, and any sort of incentive instead of “It’s a premium,” for the $250 price tag, it would have been a fine piece of hardware for anyone looking for a strictly digital platform.
If I did want a PSP, I would consider the Go first for the built in memory and the focus on discless playing. I wouldn’t want to carry UMDs around with me.
But at the moment, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to buy a Go over a 3000, and I think Sony made a mistake with that.
i didn’t mean you. I know you hate it just by looking at the aritcule, i meant people who bought the PSPGo should stop pretending it’s so good and just edmit it sucks. For a while there wasen’t even any fricken games on there (not that i would know if the situation had changed since then)
Really? I’d have thought that the main backlash would be the TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLAR PRICE TAG. The fact that I can’t play my existing library of games on the PSPgo is really a minor quibble compared to that roadblock-of-a-price.
And really, they couldn’t find a way to protect the screen when the unit isn’t in use this time around? That vulnerable screen has always been a major annoyance of mine.
Well, the argument that it’s too expensive is quite played out already. You know it’s too expensive, and so do I. If it HAD to be at that price, they could have at least softened the blow a little with a free crappy game or two.
Sorry, officer. I was unaware the quibble police were out on patrol.
Played out or not, price is still a valid point.
It’s got fewer moving parts thanks to the exclusion of the UMD drive and I’m sure the 16 GB of internal memory can’t be more expensive than the UMD parts they removed.
So, the question is: does it really cost $80 to make an electronics product slide in the middle?
@Timewarp (The reply limit doesn’t make any sense on here.) I don’t hate it, in fact I think it could have been awesome. But as it is now? Yeah, it’s a complete waste of money for anyone who upgrades or buys it over the 3000. The system itself is cool and sleek, but past that (The PSN store, marketing, PRICE,) it all falls apart.
IMO if they offered a 3G wireless network phone service thru Sony Owned Ericeson, and then charged $300…. i would of bought it. Seriously, It needs to be a all in one like the iPhone….. I don’t want to carry a cell phone, mp3 player, and a gaming device, in my pockets. Here is hoping the PSP II has this capability