Topic: PlayStation Portable, a serious contender to GBA?

[KatDaddy]

I see this being a huge threat to the GBA....and the end of 2004 is really not that far away.  What?  17 months or so?  Not too long at all.

This "PSP" sounds like a "one stop" portable entertainment unit.  The ability to play much advanced games, connectivity to phone and pc (which would allow remote gaming, or maybe content downloads), storage (basically this thing could become a PDA as well as a portable gaming system.  Also, it has the ability to store and play MP3's.

If I were the big "N", I'd seriously be considering the next installment in the GBA hardware genre.  If a new user was given the choice of the two, it'd be rather difficult to pass on Sony's offering, even if it costs 2-2.5X the price of the GBA.

[thecubedcanuck]

Anyone who says this isnt going to hurt Nintendo is NUTS.
These are the same people who thought the PS1 was going to flop.

IMO over the next 5 years Sony will take over the handheld market.

[Fammy2000]

Of course this will cut into GBA sales. Any device sold will. The Helix will. I still think the GBA will be able to keep 60% or more of the market with those two units on the market. Both are coming late to the (eek) third generation of portable gaming. I expect to GBA to be around for a while still. It'll be hard to upstage its seat in the market. Look at XBox/GC vs. PS2 or N64/DC vs. PS1. Or Game Gear vs. GB/GBC.

Memory Stick. Should have used the PS2 memory card. Scratch that. The PS2 should have used the Memory Stick. Memory Stick was apparently chosen for its "gadget" ability. See the available stuff for the Clie.

[Darc Requiem]

Quote
Originally posted by: boggy b
The battery IS Li Ion, and will supposedly have a life of around 6 hours when playing DVD QUALITY FMV.

The system will supposedly have power greater than the N64 but lower than the PS2, and that's very good news.

Like I said, if Sony plays its cards right this could be huge. The only thing that irks me slightly is that the screen in 4.5" across. That seems a little big...

Also, why does everyone see this as the end of 2D gaming? As far as I see, this could open the door for even BETTER 2D graphics. Guilty Gear XX on the bus, anyone? FFVI on the way to work? YES PLEASE!

You seem to be forgetting one huge fact boggy b, Sony was responsible for the demise of 2D on home consoles in the first place. They discouraged 2D games on the PS1 because the Saturn version was usually superior. Sony didn't like the idea of the PS looking inferior and discouraged development of 2D titles, Sony and Capcom got in a huge fight over this and its the reason that Capcom so heavily supported the Dreamcast and was quoted as saying "We will make the Dreamcast succeed if we have to do it on our own." Capcom doesn't like Sony, they are still sore over the Sony trying to tell what to develop back during the PS1 days. Capcom supports Sony because it makes the most since from a business standpoint. Why do you think Capcom gives the support it does to GC and especially X-box(their software sales on X-box were horrendous)? My point is, I hardly see them wanting a huge amount of 2D games on PSP. They will want all 3D titles, to show off the systems power. They won't want any 2D titles. GBA is adept at 2D and not at 3D, they are going to want to make the competition look as weak as possible.

The PSP's technical superiority means nothing and I'll tell you why. The Dreamcast was technically superior to the competition and didnt' dominate. I can tell you why. Sony pulled at stunt that I think Nintendo will do. Sony announced the PS2 and its inflated specs 6 months after the DCs launch in Japan. Sony had the whole gaming world, developers and gamers alike, awaiting the next big thing. Everyone was waiting for the PS2. That announcement had a lot to do with the DC not getting the foothold it should have. Sony launched the PS2 a year early with no games, and solely on hype quelled the DC sales. Nintendo will probably pull a similar stunt. At least I would if I were them. Well except the part about the pure hype and no games. Nintendo will probably announce a GBA successor a few months before launch before boasting even better specs and backward compatibility. That would be the worst case scenario for Nintendo. For all we know the PSP could be the next Turbo Express, a vastly superior system technically, with a larger screen and superior display that bombs due to cost. Anyway enough of my disorganized ramblings.

Darc Requiem

[dmbfan755]

I might just have to buy it, if it ever does come out. I think playing console games on a handheld wuold be sweet, nintendo product or not. I have NEVER bought a system other than nintendo products, but This really catches my attention. I think this is a really good move to get PS back on track, because Nintendo really does have the handheld monopoly going. So, since I am part of it, this WILL impact the sales of the SP, even though i have one of those too I think it would be even better if nintendo made a product like this because their games are so much better

[manunited4eva22]

Higher than the N64, with decent battery life, dream.  

[SoulPlayer]

By the time the PSP comes out Nintendo will have come out with GBA 2 and it will probably have the same or better specs and we still haven't seen any games for the PSP but we already know that the GBA 2 will have good games.  

[AngusPodgorny]

I don't have anything serious too add, but I thought the linked atricle was funny.  It's apparently going to be great because some Sony execs were quoted as saying that it's going to be great.  What do you expect the Sony execs to say, that it's going to suck?  

-Angus

[dmbfan755]

I thinka few (or at least one) has already been created. The disc spins freely mounted on the back, without a cover of any sort. the screen is about 2.5" by  3", much bigger than the SP screen. There are pictures all over the internet. Just type in "portable Playstation Project" be sure to include project or else most of the searches will bring you to the PS one.

[SmellySocks]

Is that a late 2004 North American release?  That seems more like a Japanese release date.

Asian people like gadgets and this will be another to add to the stack.  I can almost guarantee that the PSP will sell decently well over there.  Anyone remember the WonderSwan?  That did decently well over there...I guess "well" might be stretching it.  But obviously, if that undersupported machine can break into the market, I'm sure a Sony system with a lot of backing could do great.  

[EggyToast]

It could do well, but I think it won't sell to people looking for a purely portable system due to size (as it's certainly too big to fit in a pocket, even a big pocket), and that big, backlit screen will just suck up even large batteries.  That's why Nintendo went with the frontlit screen -- you get almost as good of a result with a more durable screen AND it sucks up a lot less power.  Plus, giving power to a cartridge is easy compared to spinning up a disc constantly -- look at Minidiscs (they still suck up batteries like cookies and that's without the screen).  And that fast processor?  Hell, that things gonna get hot when you play it.  And hopefully the disc doesn't skip whilst playing

I would LOVE if Nintendo sucked up the lauch of the PSP with hype for its next system.  They recently invested a lot of money in a company that makes solid-state, non-volatile RAM (like Compact Flash cards) at a very small size with a high capacity, up to 1 gig.  Why did they invest so much money in that company?  For the next Gameboy.  We already know that Nintendo can create backwards compatibility even with different-sized cartridges, as long as the widths are the same and the connectors work.  They could easily use a new type of cartridge (like Compact Flash, just cards!) that use less power, have faster access, and hold a ton of data and just release an adapter for older games.  I'm sure they realize that a big selling point for the GB is the backwards compatibility, so I doubt they would ever give that up.  Hell, they can even make the GameCube compatible with the Gameboy

[WesDawg]

I think it will come down to battery life, price, and durability. If Sony can make something that plays for more than 5 hours a charge for around $100 bucks then Nintendo can worry.

[oohhboy]

Power meter, must have power meter.

[manunited4eva22]

damn I didnt realize that this things screen was going to be so big. 2.7''x3.6'' way too big for me.

[Termin8Anakin]

I'm worried. Nintendo should be worried. Why? Because of the fact that people will blindly buy this product simply cause it's Sony. That it's cool. I also don't like the fact that Sony are making this into some kind of multimedia device - mentioning that it's using the memory stick is enough to say this.
The small screen of the PSP is a very big risk if you want 3D games. More powerful than the PSOne, less than the PS2? I don't want to go blind. I had a hard enough time with the N64 and PSOne graphics on my 83cm TV.
Does the PSP have a  bigger screen than the GBA? IF it does, coupled with the fact that it's going to be backlit and fast processor means that battery life will be critical. I think this alone is the factor for a portable's success. You could say price, but then if the Xbox and PS2's initial pricing can be seen, no body really cares anymore as long as they have teh cool thing.
Nintendo had better not be shrewed about the PSP, even with their utter domination of the market. I think it's embarissing to have a handheld that has a bigger storage capacity medium than your home console. But Sony will make a few mistakes I think, and I think this handheld won't be as popular as they hope it'll be, even with the millions of PS2 owners. I hope they make their GBA2 something really special. But above all, keep the focus on games. Have some more connectivity like internet gaming and LAN and stuff if they want, but THATS IT. No web surfing, no putting in a mobile phone or any other crazy ideas. The cart should stay though. But I think this is an example of how Nintendo can make a larger storage capacity for GC2, but keeping it small, and piracy-protected. And release the GBA2 along side the GC2 for that extra bang for your buck. Make connectivity a focus. You've done it with the GC, so make it more better on GC2.

Hang on, did you (boggy b) say that the screen is 4.5"? That IS big. 11cm. Man!

And and hey, I saw Infernal's Jaguar (was it a Jaguar?), and bloody hell that thing is f**cking huge. I think it was funny how the three of us (Me, Mario and Joeyjojo) were playing Four Swords on the GBA and Infernal was playing that mother ass huge 'handheld'. Haha.  

[Dolphin64X]

I've thought about using discs in a portable system...while at first it seems like a terrible idea, it's not the worst thing possible.  After all, portable CD players work well enough through jostling, so that's not a true issue.

The real problem is the whole battery issue.  It does not seem feasible to keep a system alive for a reasonable time on any battery, with all the features they're putting into it.

Simply, it's got a lot of technical hurdles to overcome.  Batteries, price, medium, portability.  But if Sony is able to pull it all together, Nintendo could really be in trouble.  As I see it, it could open up a whole new market in portable gaming-people who buy XBoxes and PS2's, but not a GameBoy Advance because it's not "cool."  

[ThePerm]

maybe it will have a bvuil in eeprom that caches memory for n64 sized games.

[KDR_11k]

1. History shows that inferior technology always succeeds (x86, Windows, PS2, VHS, ...)
2. How could Nintendo counter this thing? Simple! Give the Cube a battery that survives long enough and of course the LCD. And at the current pricing, they could probably produce it at the same price of a PSP...

[Termin8Anakin]

I think the idea that Dark Requiem mentioned in a post above is good.
Although people would be looking forward to the PSP, since it's from Sony, more people know about the Game Boy, and so I'll bet you anything that the whole gaming community is wondering what Nintendo are doing about this. Nintendo should be getting the most technically advanced stuff for a handheld, then wait like 6 months before the PSP is release to announce GBA2. I remember how Sony did that to Sega and the Saturn. Sega quickly put in some extra chips for 3D play to even compete with the PSX and still failed. If Nintendo do this, and come out with a battery-wise more powerful system that can just equal to the stuff PSP can do, all with a front-lit screen, then they've got a winner. Sony would sh*t themselves, and add in some chips, and before long, there will be Sony-lovers in hospital from burnt hands. Haha.

Portable Cube is the next best thing of course, but then it's not something you can fit into your pocket. But the Wavebird made this idea more ideal.

[thecubedcanuck]

Nintendo's biggest problem will come if developers are givin perks from Sony to make games exclusive.
Also being able connect to the PS2 and the new PS3 will give Sony a huge edge thanks to its massive user base.

[JSasky]

I like how Sony just throws this press release out there, and does not back it up with any sort of hardware.  Not even a picture of the thing.  I am surprised that they did'nt say this thing would produce holgraphic pictures and shoot laser beams at annoying party guests.  I think this is just a Sony ploy to steal some thunder for itself during E3.

I would have to agree with most posts here about the issues for a succesfull launch of this product.

1.  Price point, I think the max you could charge for this thing is $200.  Better systems than the GBA have come out in the past but the GBA out priced them.

2.  Battery life.  Spinning disk, 3D chip, backlight display, big display, all of these things add up to shorten play time.

3.  Sony's position on copyright material.  Think this thing will be able to play all the MP3  out there?  Or any movie ever produced?  Doubtfull, Sony's minidisk and MP3 players only support certified music <--read music you directly paid for.  And as for video, this system seems to have 2 options, either on the disc or on the memory stick.  For movies the PP would have to use the disk I would think, and how many movies do you know are printed on mini DVD?  Probably only movies that Sony has rights too.

I think Sony has a lot of issues to deal with to make this any sort of success, and it sounds to me like this is some kind of dream system some Sony exec. came up with to steal some thunder from Nintendos and Xbox E3.

[Rhoq]

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
1. History shows that inferior technology always succeeds (x86, Windows, PS2, VHS, ...)

You, my friend, sound like a fellow Mac user!

[MajorLocke]

The PSP is a very serious threat to Nintendo's hold on the handheld market -- the thing will sell if it has the word PlayStation in its name alone.  I'm probably gonna pick one up the day it comes out, but I have to first know what its price and battery life will be.

[manunited4eva22]

Name alone goes so far. If you would like examples look at the N64.

[Termin8Anakin]

Yes. It all comes back to the popularity of the PlayStation brand name.
I wouldn't be surprised if Sony started calling all their products PlayStation simply to sell more of them. The PlayStation TV. The PlayStation Stereo. The Sony Ericsson PlayStation (egh, scrub that, there's the PSP). Heck, why not make a company CALLED PlayStation?
The PlayStation PlayStation 4, by Sony. Hahaha.