So now that Sony is going down the digital download only route with the PSP Go, how does Sony fill up PSN with suitable content? Ports, baby, ports. ThePortableGamer has an great article advising Sony not to throw caution to the wind.
What Sony doesn’t need to do is start pulling existing developers and tell them to port their games to the PSP Go. It would be nice to see a dedicated Sony-brand application store rather than having to go through PSN or the PC to get games on the new system. Given the number of applications on iTunes, Sony could be relatively successful in grabbing the best of the bunch to port their games. But there lies some honest truth, Sony wants quick cash.
There are many gamers, this one included, that would be happy to have a full back catalog of PSX titles available for download, along with a steady stream of original IP, assuming the price per download is reasonable. With that said, I also know that we are going to see a rash of iPod ports; not such a happy situation. Hopefully PSN does not get flooded with a bunch of crap, because the PSP Go should be for real gaming experiences, not some nickel and dime store iPod crap.
From what people tell me, there are longer gaming experiences to be had on iPhone. I don’t know how popular those games are but they are there.
But if the most popular games settle for under $5, then developers will probably just make shorter games, give you 5-10 hours of gameplay at most. Lot of console games are in that range or a bit longer.
I figure with the size of the screen and battery limitations, gaming on the go is like eating tapas instead of a multicourse, sit-down meal.
And it’s probably going to apply to the PSP2 and whatever Nintendo comes out with next. I’ve heard Sony is courting the smaller arcade types of games they feature on PSN as well as retail-type games.
But apart from the iPhone and smart phones possibly changing the format of mobile games — another analogy would be how music went from singles to LP to CD to now singles or individual MP3 tracks as playback technology changed — you have the issue of price. Smart phones will be subsidized to $200 and offer movie-playback and variety of applications besides games.
Dedicated gaming devices, especially the PSP line which has positioned itself as having the best performance, would have to pack more expensive silicon and still deliver a competitive price.
Without the subsidies that smart phones get.
It’s nice to see that someone agrees with my thoughts/opinions. I saw the PSP Go at E3, I didn’t have time to play it, but I want it to succeed.
Sony, however, hasn’t had the smartest marketing scheme since it lost their #1 standing in the PlayStation 2
Chris – Sony does seem a bit discombobulated since the launch of the PS3. I cannot wait to see what type of crap they throw our way during the Christmas Holiday season.