PSPgo makes you rebuy your games.

[amtalx]

There were some early PS3 games that were enormously underrated. I hadn't played Uncharted or Folklore until recently and they were amazing, especially considering how early they came out. LittleBigPlanet is a new joy whenever I have time to sit down with it. But without public opinion already in their favor creative new games with an incredible amount of polish can't even sell well for themselves, let alone count for anything in terms of moving consoles. A lot of people are going to sit on the fence until "their" huge franchise (be it MGS, Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo) finally shows up.

It's the opposite with the nintendo DS. It's two screens combined are smaller than the PSP display, harder to keep an eye on, and in a homage to the goddamned N64 controller some moron designed the thing so you need three hands to use all the controls at once. Doesn't matter: it had a new Pokemon game so it sold a billion units immediately and only a moron would ignore an install base of that size if they've got a portable game on their minds and can squeeze it down to a cartridge format. The games PSP tends to get are PS2-sized games, not big enough to put on a HD console but too big to squeeze down to a cartridge. As best I can tell it's been picking up steam as an alternative to current gen consoles since it's been selling huge numbers in Japan ever since Monster Hunter Portable 2... lately there have been a lot of ports or sequels to good PS2 and PS3 titles and even PS1 games from the online store look respectable when you crunch them down to such a small screen.

I think Sony's best move with the Go, as a PSP owner, is that I have no compelling reason to buy one. This isn't some Nintendo-style incremental upgrade, it's Sony trying to cash in on the iPod Touch/Zune HD media-gadget douchebag market... a space I thankfully (or sadly, because it would imply having more money than I know what to do with) don't inhabit.

I think its a case of different strokes for different folks, but I didn't like Uncharted or Folklore that much. The weak shooting controls and bullet sponge enemies in Uncharted killed it for me. Folklore was absolutely gorgeous; I still haven't seen a color palette like that used in a game. It got too repetitive though.

One of the things I didn't like about my PSP is that it felt like a portable PS2. That's wonderful from a technological standpoint, but portable console games are not what I need in a hand held. I bought a hand held for gaming on the go, which usually means I'm in between two things so I don't have 40 minutes to finish a level or scenario. DS games are more "bite-sized". When I play a console game, its because I've decided I want to dedicate a chunk of time to playing a game, whereas hand held gaming is something I do to pass the time when there aren't other options.

The PSP does better and better and seems to be gaining momentum. This is certainly good since it will provide some variety in a market where there has been a single controlling entity among a list of forgettable challengers. However, I don't see how giving you no incentive to buy the Go is a good move. I can't think of ANY business where you actually don't want to sell more goods to your target demographic. The worst part about the Go is that no matter where you stand, there is a reason not to get it. If you don't have any PSP stuff, you are getting a fat middle finger from the massive library of UMDs out there, which would otherwise be potential sales. If you already have an older model, there is nothing that the Go does that your current model isn't capable of, negating any reason to even look in its general direction outside of having a gadget fetish. Plus, it has the added drawback of not being able to play your existing library that you may have spent quite a bit of money on. Its like the Go doesn't fill a role, which is kind of a dangerous proposition given how expensive it is and how the gaming industry has been on a downturn lately.

[Zimbabwe]

Very disappointing news.
$250 is also way too much. $200 would've been a much more reasonable price.

[Outrider]

I actually really liked the PS1 right out of the gate. Just about all of their launch titles were good

Really? Even the X-Games one where you're just racing down the street beating on people? (Anybody else remember that one?)


I completely agree with everybody that the PSP Go is really a great idea for somebody who just wants to jump into the PSP world and start picking up a couple random games in addition to using it as a media device. And again, I have to point out that with that line of logic, they really should have marketed this as an excellent entry-level device for the PSP family.

Also, I may be wrong, but my understanding was that Sony said all first-party PSP games moving forward would be available in both UMD and digital format, but I think it's up to the publisher's discretion for third-party games.

I'm not sure why they wouldn't want to offer both formats, but I'm still not sure it's forced.

[amtalx]

Really? Even the X-Games one where you're just racing down the street beating on people? (Anybody else remember that one?)

Ugh...yes I remember that. That was not one of them. Although I probably should have said launch "window" which is usually the following few months. Wipeout, Warhawk, Ridge Racer (despite only having one track) Twisted Metal were good to name a few.

[Outrider]

Ugh...yes I remember that. That was not one of them. Although I probably should have said launch "window" which is usually the following few months. Wipeout, Warhawk, Ridge Racer (despite only having one track) Twisted Metal were good to name a few.

I've got to admit - I actually got a kick out of playing the X-Games game back when they had it set up in Toys R Us. But then again, I was 9 or 10 at the time.

Did Ridge Racer really only have one track? I never really played much beyond Ridge Racer 64, but that game had collected the tracks from several games in the series.

Oh crap, I gotta say something on-topic:

Uh... PSP Go? More like PSP No?


Yeah, that's good.

[Mike]

For those who are slow, the PSPgo doesn't add anything new to the PSP camp with the exception of Bluetooth.

Don't forget that they changed the memory card. You'll have to buy a new one if you're going from an older PSP.

[Waki Miko Syamemaru!]

To me the PSPGo is such a horrid, horrid idea. I ain't gonna buy one and I'm definitly making sure no one in my circle gets one either. Such a shit device. Pleh! I spit on it!

[watashiwa]

Don't forget that they changed the memory card. You'll have to buy a new one if you're going from an older PSP.

Yes, this is true, but as most people have realized PSP Go is for people new to PSP, there is zero reason to upgrade unless you're A ) Needing that Bluetooth or B ) You don't care about your UMD games.

If you have an older PSP and still want to "go all digital", just get a decent sized Memory Stick Pro Duo and start buying PSP games from the PSN Store. (Remember you can also use your PC and PS3 to download/store your PSP games downloaded from the PSN Store to swap in and out of your Memory Stick Pro Duo and the newer Memory on the PSP Go)

[Cracka_J]

Also, if you haven't realized by reading about the shitGO, it will be sony's way to phase out their proprietary UMD disc.

A lot of people on other forums I visit are a lot more up in arms about this then the actual GO system, because sony is basically using this as a test run to try to phase out the used game market. Starting probably around 2010, you will see maybe 10-20% of games being released on psp still using UMD releases, while the remaining 80% will be psn releases - or buy your voucher in store and DL digital copy. It's already been used with patapon 2 and will be used for future releases like Gran Turismo PSP.

Don't expect sony to stop there either. Once they realize they can stop used game sales alltogether, you better believe they will attempt to start using this philosophy on the PS3 as well. They are attempting to take away the physical media that you rightfully purchase and give you digital media instead that could be terminated from their server at any point in time.

Don't waste your money on that shit and make them think it's a good idea. It's not. Keep that used game market alive and support physical media while it's still available.

[Volcompat321]

Well, when you put it like that....

Lol...
I'll still check it out.
Of course I still want to see how it feels in my hand before I spend money on this system.
I definitely wouldn't spend $250 on it. If I do get one, I will definitely get it after a price drop.