PSP 3000 unveiled…..who really cares?
Seeing as it worked so well a year ago to boost sales, Sony has again decided to realease an updated PSP for the fall season. Staying mostly true to the PSP 2000 (Slim), the PSP 3000 adds a new PS Button, a new anti-reflective LCD screen and an internal microphone. Whoop-de-doo I’m sold!
The new(ish) handheld is still rockin a UMD drive, so overall this PSP update is a minor one. So it begs the question, who is going to buy this? For sure the Sony Defense Force will be all over this one, and even a fair amount of people still with a PSP 1000 may pick one up. Sony seems to be banking on the dispensible income of those who bought the PSP 2000, who will be willing to shell out another $200 for 2 new buttons and a newer screen?!
The question also begging to be asked is, will this really increase the PSP’s marketshare much, if at all? Lets break it down like this:
- In the casual market, it is very unlikely that you have time in your day for more than one handheld, and the numbers show which one you have probably picked….*cough “the DS”
- For current PSP owners, will this slight upgrade really sway you to part with your cash. PSP 2000 owners especially will be feeling slightly ripped off seeing as less than a year after it launched a newer one is out, finally bringing a specific PS Button for easier syncing with the PS3.
- And finally to people who have never really seen the need in buying a PSP at all. This crowd isn’t suddenly gonna part with their cash after holding out for 3 years because of the addition Skype chat are they?
Sony has definetely had success with the PSP, especially in the last few months where PSP sales have sometimes exceeded DS sales, but overall it seems like Sony is too content with being 2nd place. Here’s hoping that Sony are hard at work behind the scenes on a complete PSP overhaul, with enough innovation to challenge the DS (and it’s successor) for the top spot. The DS proved with it’s touch screen that truly new features help gain marketshare beyond the usual buyers, making it much more promising for developers to create games for. I’m sure I’m not the only one with the mental image of a developer creating an exclusive game for the PSP having a “*sigh….well someone has to make one” mentallity.
Come on Sony, just release the Sony Ericsson PSP and challenge the iPhone before it makes too many inroads into the gaming market.
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