Ok, so the point that I tried to get across with my last article about the PSP apparently wasn't taken the way it was supposed to. No, I wasn't trying to infer that Sony is replacing the original PSP with the Go. They are going to be selling both alongside each other. You will still be able to buy disc versions of games as well as some downloadable versions of the games.The best link that I could find that says anything about how games will be released is this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10254798-1.html and it seems to me that they are being doomsayers about UMDs. Which brings up an interesting thought: How soon until all gaming systems use a digital format? Will it actually happen? But, they do mention that games released for the PSP Go will also be released on UMD. I know it might seem redundant to release games for two systems, but I thought of a good reason why they should release games as both downloads and UMDs. When a company releases a game, they usually will release it for more than one system, right? (X-Box 360, PS3 and Wii, right now.) Why do they do this? Because not everybody has all three systems, so to make sure that they sell enough games, they release it for more than one system. The same will go for the PSP and the PSP Go. Not everybody is going to have both systems. Most people are going to have one or the other. So, to ensure that they still sell enough copies of a new game, and to appeal to both groups of people, Sony would probably want to release both digital and disc copies of games.
I guess what it all boils down to, in my opinion, is this: If Sony were to release all games as disc and digital, they would do something that no other video game specific company has done. (I'm not counting the iPod Touch because it's not made by a video game company.) Make a handheld, portable system more portable. Think about it. If you didn't have to truck all of your discs and cartridges around with your PSP or DS, the system would probably come with you to more places.
Yes, I know that what I've said in this article is not all fact, it's opinion. So, deal with it.
But, I could be wrong. Let me know what you think in the comments.
I just watched the Sony E3 2009 press conference report about the PSP Go. It does in fact say that all of the future games will be available in UMD format as well as downloads on the PlayStation Network (PSN). They mention nothing, however, about the games prior to it's release.
ReplyDeleteThe person talking about the PSP Go talked a lot about the Go being a media device. A better way to access movies on the PSN was created specifically due to the system, as well as a new way to access music from your computer. Not to mention that the price for application development is going to be greatly reduced, allowing developers to make applications similar to what the iPod has.
To back up my idea that it is not going to be used primarily for digital copies, An article at Kotaku states that Sony intended to release it quite some time ago, but waited to release it until the environment was right for easier transferral of content like music and movies between your PC, PS3 and the PSN.
And this is my opinion now, but while people say that having the digital media is better than trucking around several discs to switch between games, where on earth would you have the need to suddenly switch games? At home? Are you so lazy that you hate the idea of expending just a little more energy to switch your disc to play a different game than to just move your thumb and wait? Or what, do you go on vacation/to grandparents house/girlfriends house/movies/the stores to just sit there and play games where you can have a desire to suddenly switch games? Is that what you really go out for? If it is, should it really be that?
Now to bash on myself, that article I linked to also says that Sony said they "wanted to release it when the delivery of digital content was on par with the delivery of physical media." And music and movies are definitely on par now. Games are still a ways off, but available. And in a different article at Kotaku, they give convincing evidence that the age of digital games being dominant is not to far, and give doomsay to places like Gamestop, which make their money based on the distribution of the hard copies of games.
But that is still a ways off.
The PSP Go may be used heavily for easier transportation of games in the future, but based on the E3 press conference, that is not what they expect it's primary use to be at the moment.
I have no problem with the Go. I may end up getting one. But I will use it for some of the PS one games on the PSN, as well as another way of transporting movies and/or music, like the way I use my iPod Touch.
Well coming from one who doesn't even have a PSP to begin with, it almost seems to me like it'd come down to a choice between whether or not I'd like to have one or the other. Of course that's just for me personally, and I'd assume probably others like me as well, not necessarily for those that already have a PSP, since of course yeah, the Go isn't supposed to be a replacement and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, it pretty much seems to me like I'd probably go for the GO in that case, just simply because it seems to me like it gives you more options than the original PSP does. I think the only way I'd tell myself I'd HAVE to get both is if the original PSP had certain features I'd like that aren't included with the GO, most specifically in the sense of what games are out for it that aren't available for download.
@ Koubo: For me, there are times when I have my PSP with me and suddenly feel the need to switch games. But that only really happens when I'm playing for more than a few minutes. One specific time I can think of is when my family vacations in St. George. It's a good 5-6 hour drive down there and I usually bring my PSP with me to play on the way. At certain points I'll get frustrated with a game and want to play something else to relax. When you're in a cramped car, the less you pack the better. So, not having to pack all of my disc games is nice. But, that's about the only time I wouldn't want to have all my discs. Any other time, it's fine. Oh, and I knew that the Go was more media oriented, I just couldn't find a good link for it. That, and I was trying to focus this article more on the games. Apparently, Sony developed a whole new media manager for the Go that is supposed to be pretty sweet, a big improvement on the original media manager.
ReplyDelete@ BroEl: I can see where you're coming from. The only reason I'll probably end up with both systems is because I already have an original PSP and I do plan to buy a Go. Most people, however, are probably in your boat and don't have either and will probably end up buying a Go simply because it's newer. But, if Sony decides not to release older games as downloads, it's quite possible that people will want to buy both. But, we'll just have to see how things pan out. Even though Sony is planning to release future games as both digital and disc, there's still going to be the people who will prefer the disc copies simply because they don't have fast enough internet to download big game files, like me.
All in all, I'm excited for the Go. I've been hoping for a PSP with a hard drive since the original came out all those years ago. I also read that the Go is still going to have a Memory Stick slot for expanding the memory, but that it will be using Memory Stick Micro (I think that's what it's called) instead of the normal Memory Stick Duo. It'll be cool, but I'm not really sure what capacities the Memory Stick micro will come in. Hopefully technology is far enough that we can get some good 8 gb cards in the micro, maybe even 16 gb.