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New column up tomorrow. I really like this one. It's an in-depth breakdown of the PSP's launch package and the games that are being released at launch time. It was a lot of fun to write, kinda like the old news reports where you take a bit of news and just analyze it from every angle. Unfortunately, it seems like the only things worth talking
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The Memory Card is there to save games, yes, but it's purpose in being included is in fact so people can save a couple of MP3s on it to test out the music function of the player. The Spider-Man 2 UMD is there to show people how cool it is to watch movies on the go. Much like Nintendo's Pictochat and Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt, these are meant to simply show people some of the things that make a system stand out from others (For Nintendo, the touch screen and wireless multiplayer, for the PSP Music and Movie capabilities).
This is important because Sony has a very broad message with the PSP. They keep saying that they're not really trying to fight Nintendo, and that they have a product that transcends all existing handheld markets and will create news ones in the realm of the iPod users. And, I think that their $250 price point and extras meant to entice people to buy more UMD Movies and buy BIGGER Sony Memory Sticks to store music fit in with this premise well, and it will make for a fairly seamless launch message for the company.
The big thing, I think, that you missed (And quite ironically) is the VGRs you hold such hatred and contempt for. They are, really, the only option to GUARANTEE yourself a Sony PSP at launch; with only 1 Million systems, stock at Wal-Marts and Best Buys will be low, and a lot of people will want a guarantee. Sony had problems with supply at Japanese launch, and they have problems with supply even for the North American Launch, as they postponed the European launch because of the low supply.
And, of course, many retailers are forcing people to preorder THREE games, and an accessory in order to guarantee them a PSP at launch. The $250 price will be for when you either get lucky with a VGR being nice and avoiding bundles, or fighting the lines at Best Buy. And I think that is an important issue.
And, as the PR states, that games list is for the "Launch Window". For Nintendo, this period was a month and a half; From Launch to Christmas, pretty well. So, some of those games may not release until the end of April and may well be considered within the launch window. To think that they'd have that many titles on launch day is far too naive; For one, a fair amount of it would overlap and no games would sell very well as flagship titles. As it is, Sony may be waiting until they get out one of their big American-developed platformers (Ratchet and Clank or Jak) out for their own first party hit. The system will get its first with GTA PSP.
On the whole, I think it is an attractive package, and one that destroys anything that Nintendo has going for it with the DS. The problem is that it's behind already, and that Nintendo is still selling a shitload of GBA:SPs and continuing to dominate the handheld sector. I also think that it lacks real handheld games at its launch. While Sony may be attempting to widen the handheld market, the existing one has no reason to turn to the PSP. The types of games that, for some ungodly reason, tend to sell on the GBA are licensed titles, Nintendo titles, and cheap games, like Pac-Man Collecting, Anthologies, and even Nintendo's Game and Watch collections. The PSP lacks anything that really screams "Handheld game system", and while that new market will prove successful, it DOES mean that they won't be competing with Nintendo directly. And thus, the duopoly begins.
Think the column needed a broader focus, to be honest, past the world of gaming. But a good analysis of where the system is headed.
McNutt
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