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[Jonnyram]

I always wonder who purchases these pool games since I hardly know of anyone who does. I knew this one poor handicapped kid who would only play pool games back when I did retail but aside from him no one even glances at the cases in the store.

It's snooker, not pool. I'd wager most of the buyers live in the UK where it's actually popular

 

[TekunoRobby]

It's snooker, not pool. I'd wager most of the buyers live in the UK where it's actually popular

Hee Hee well you knew what I meant. Well to be more specific here in the U.S. there are a lot of games that feature Snooker/Pool/etc. It's not just a handful of products but every year there's always an ample supply of new editions for the market. I'd imagine that they'd probably sell more in the U.K. but I'm guessing they sell well here. I guess they're popular for the Walmart/casual shoppers?

 

[kaching]

Heh - someone's obviously banking on the sexiness of the PSP to help sell their screenshots of the snooker game...I wonder if this will become a common tactic with PSP "screenshots", almost the marketing equivalent of AA'd frame buffer shots of console games this gen.

Game doesn't look that bad though, assuming its accurate represetantation of PSP output.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

pool game

 

[Kon Tiki]

Late Tuesday afternoon, in a conference call with analysts to discuss its financial results for Q2 2005, one Electronic Arts official said the following in the course of answering an analyst's question about the company's plans for its fiscal year (FY) 2006 (April 2005-March 2006):

"We haven’t finalized our SKU plan for FY06, but I would imagine that you’ll see us publish something in the neighborhood of 8 to 12 titles for the Dual Screen, 15 to 20 on the PlayStation Portable ... We would certainly expect to have the kind of market share on the PlayStation Portable as we have enjoyed on the PlayStation 2 and, I think, a larger market share on the Dual Screen than we have had on the Game Boy Advance."

EA expects PSP to have a 60% + handheld market share?

 

[SolidSnakex]

EA expects PSP to have a 60% + handheld market share?

No they're saying that they expect to have the same amount of market share on whatever the PSP's base is that they have with the PSP.

Still this goes against jarrods theory that EA wasn't supporting the PSP that much. They're going to be putting more support behind the PSP than the DS.

 

[Kon Tiki]

Ya, I misread that.

 

[AnIco]

Here's a full english translation (for those interested) of the PSP article posted on Gamewatch on 15 Oct.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

(Sorry if already posted.)

 

[SolidSnakex]

"Q: With a screen this big, there is the worry that it will be damaged or scratched. Have you take any measures to counter this?

Kawanishi: We plan to apply a protective coating to the face of the unit (in contrast to the demo systems displayed at the Tokyo Game Show) ."

 

[jiggle]

(Sorry if already posted.)

New to me. Good read.

 

[TekunoRobby]

"Q: With a screen this big, there is the worry that it will be damaged or scratched. Have you take any measures to counter this?

Kawanishi: We plan to apply a protective coating to the face of the unit (in contrast to the demo systems displayed at the Tokyo Game Show) ."

Whatever they plan on doing in regards to screen constitution they have to release a nice slipcover at launch. A leather case would be great or even a hard case, anything that does a decent job at protecting the screen.

 

[SolidSnakex]

 

[jarrod]

Still this goes against jarrods theory that EA wasn't supporting the PSP that much. They're going to be putting more support behind the PSP than the DS.

I didn't say that, I said it was strange they're not putting their heavy hitters on PSP (Madden, Bond, LotR, Sims, etc). NFSU is the only big one really, FIFA now too (unless it's that Street game).

 

[sohka88]

Jarrod, WHY would EA put Madden on the PSP in APRIL?

 

[jarrod]

Jarrod, WHY would EA put Madden on the PSP in APRIL?

Well, it's been pointed out the seasonal release by be a good reason for no Madden (though it's not like EA minded waiting till winter for GC, Xbox or DS launches) but it doesn't explain the other notable IPs really. Besides, if March is good enough for Tiger Woods or FIFA (both also out of season) why not Madden?

 

[Defensor]

Here's a full english translation (for those interested) of the PSP article posted on Gamewatch on 15 Oct.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

(Sorry if already posted.)

nope, good read though

 

[sohka88]

Fifa is not out of season. Neither is TIger woods.... thats like saying a tennis game is out of season.

The only reason Madden is not on the PSP is the launch time. 3-4 months later Madden 2006 will be released on the PSP.

 

[jarrod]

Fifa is not out of season. Neither is TIger woods.... thats like saying a tennis game is out of season.

Not as out of season but it breaks from the usual releases all the same. Madden in August, Tiger in September, FIFA in November (unless it's FIFA Street).

The only reason Madden is not on the PSP is the launch time. 3-4 months later Madden 2006 will be released on the PSP.

Madden 2006 is going to release in June? Or are you suggesting PSP will miss it's March target?

 

[Brofist]

Well, it's been pointed out the seasonal release by be a good reason for no Madden (though it's not like EA minded waiting till winter for GC, Xbox or DS launches) but it doesn't explain the other notable IPs really. Besides, if March is good enough for Tiger Woods or FIFA (both also out of season) why not Madden?

You don't play sports games much do you Tiger in April is no big deal, the PGA Tour is an all year thing..same with Soccer..all year there are some kind of league matches, friendly matches, national team matches etc...

No one, but no one is buying Madden in April, 3 months past the Super Bowl though. Not only that but it's the first month of baseball season..NBA teams gearing up for the late season run etc...

And you're talking about EA here...they still make a PS1 version of Madden for christ sakes...they'll whore this thing to cell phones soon if they have to. There is no question at all..period..bar none that it will be on the PSP next fall. None. Not worth debating...moot point...

 

[sohka88]

from april to august is 4 months... which is what I am saying...... Soccer and golf do not have seasons like Football and basketball. Tiger in september and fifa in november is just EAs schedule. Come on Jarrod stop acting dumb. You cannot release a football game in spring.

 

[jarrod]

You don't play sports games much do you Tiger in April is no big deal, the PGA Tour is an all year thing..same with Soccer..all year there are some kind of league matches, friendly matches, national team matches etc...

No one, but no one is buying Madden in April, 3 months past the Super Bowl though. Not only that but it's the first month of baseball season..NBA teams gearing up for the late season run etc...

And you're talking about EA here...they still make a PS1 version of Madden for christ sakes...they'll whore this thing to cell phones soon if they have to. There is no question at all..period..bar none that it will be on the PSP next fall. None. Not worth debating...moot point...

Yeah, I've agreed Madden will show up on PSP eventually... but why not have it at launch too? I strongly disagree that even a late 2005 port wouldn't sell next March as a launch game, hell it'd likely outsell all EA's other PSP launch games.

Again though, this whole Madden seasonal focus sidesteps why the other big IPs (Sims, 007, etc) aren't showing up. Though it's still early, maybe they will...

 

[jarrod]

from april to august is 4 months... which is what I am saying...... Soccer and golf do not have seasons like Football and basketball. Tiger in september and fifa in november is just EAs schedule. Come on Jarrod stop acting dumb. You cannot release a football game in spring.

PSP is set for March release at the lastest here (if SCEA is to be believed). That gives 5-6 months until Madden 2006 hits shelves.

And if you can't release a football game in the spring, why's EA bothering with NFL Street?


Is spring also not Bond season? Not Urbz season? Not Harry Potter season?

 

[Mrbob]

PSP is set for March release at the lastest here (if SCEA is to be believed). That gives 5-6 months until Madden 2006 hits shelves.

And if you can't release a football game in the spring, why's EA bothering with NFL Street?

I hope you're not being serious.

NFL Street is an ARCADE based game. Madden is a SIM. It's a huge difference, and NFL downtime is in the months of Febuary to July so releasing a SIM is not a good idea. It makes zero sense to release madden 2005 in march 2005. Just wait till Madden 2006.

 

[sohka88]

I can't believe Jarrod is actually arguing this.....

 

[Mrbob]

I can.

 

[jarrod]

I can.

What can I say... it's fun shooting fish in a barrel.


Maybe I should clairify my position though. I think it's pretty clear EA's giving PSP a much stonger internal effort than DS (and by comparison both machines are getting far more attention than GBA ever saw from them). EA's set up it's own 100 man PSP division in Canada, announed intetions to publish up to 20 or so games and their revealed PSP efforts look pretty good so far (definitely early PS2/DC level)... I'm just curious why so early on DS seems to be getting the first tier EA properties announced (Madden, Urbz, GoldenEye) while PSP gets mainly second stringers (Tiger Woods, Street games)? It just seems a little backwards from the all out effort that went PS2's way...

 

[FnordChan]

FnordChan, who wouldn't change a stroke

 

[kaching]

I'm just curious why so early on DS seems to be getting the first tier EA properties announced (Madden, Urbz, GoldenEye) while PSP gets mainly second stringers (Tiger Woods, Street games)? It just seems a little backwards from the all out effort that went PS2's way...

Take a look at sonycowboy's NPD Current Gen titles >500K thread.
NBA Street performs just as well if not better than EA's Bond games, definitely better than the Sims' console outings and NFSU trumps them all (except Madden). It looks to me more like both handhelds are getting a good mix of 1st/2nd tier software from EA, who probably doesn't want to overcommit to either platform until they've proven themselves at retail.

 

[Lord Error]

It seems everyone missed this in the newsweek articles:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6262043/site/newsweek/

Most will flock to his new device because of its wide, sharp screen (a component manufactured, in fact, by Sharp)

This is the first time that the screen manufacturer was openly mentioned. I have also heard that the technology used in this screen is the same they use for their latest TV screens. I guess Mr Singh will do a happy dance now, as I know to how a high pedestal he holds Sharp's latest flat TVs

 

[Suranga3]

I read somewhere that sony borrows technologies from samsung and sharp to make their LCD tvs too? I guess its just common practice from sony?

 

[TheGreenGiant]

Great. did you miss the PSP sticky?

 

[Deg]

Sharp have a monopoly on handheld screens.

 

[Lord Error]

Great. did you miss the PSP sticky?

Give it up, noone posts new information in that sticky. It's just stupid. Mods move the new threads there when they feel like it.

 

[TheGreenGiant]

Give it up, noone posts new information in that sticky. It's just stupid. Mods move the new threads there when they feel like it.

yes. Maybe. But this shit is not even newsworthy. Next up. Nike makes shoes in Guatemala from rubber from the congo.

 

[jarrod]

What happened to the Sony/Samsung deal? Why are they outsourcing PSP components, won't that make things more difficult in terms of bringing down manufacturing costs?