I dunno, depending on when the PSP is launched in the USA I think we might have to wait quite a few months to see how popular it is, if Sony can successfully make it a big Christmas item that momentum will carry it through its lifetime, but I think they want to have a substantial amount of stocked moving before the christmas season though, especially given the PS3 situation.
Media Create Sales Numbers: 1/10-1/16: PSP > DS
- Thread starter cvxfreak
- Start date
Launch sales (i.e. the first three months) are mostly powered by the fact that it's a new piece of hardware. DS has actually surpassed what I expected, thanks to a couple of very popular titles (Sawaru and Mario 64). However, the real battle will be won, over the long-term, based on software support alone. It will not matter which machine is superior technically, as we've seen every generation. If the majors support the DS, it will win, and the same holds true for the PSP. It's basically going to depend on companies like Square Enix, Konami, Capcom and Namco... for Japan, at least. (Disclaimer: it already seems like the PSP is going to trounce the DS in the West, however)
Jonnyram said:
In the console market at least, Sony's success is because
A) Nintendo's blunder/greed
B) Great marketing
C) Developers, developers, developers.
I realize brand and "style" are part of marketing, but I think Sony could have done the same without those two elements.
soundwave05
Member
I guess that's true, the Playstation isn't that "sexy" of a hardware, its kind of bland looking actually, and PS2 is so-so.
PSP is dead sexy though.
PSP is dead sexy though.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
I think the whole battery being a major issue thing is overplayed, particularly with rechargable batteries. With celphones, MP3 players, PDAs etc. people have that mentality of coming home and charging up their batteries. It's a best a very, very minor inconvienance.
The turn off of the GameGear's batteries wasn't their lifespan, it was the expense of replacing them constantly.
The turn off of the GameGear's batteries wasn't their lifespan, it was the expense of replacing them constantly.
I'm a bit worried about what GTA will turn out like, given it has absurdly short development time.Nash said:
We've seen what happens when a brandname is allowed to slip through Q&A ignoring most of its glaring bugs&issues to meet a release date(aka Enter the Matrix). Add to that a very real probability of weak battery life of the said title, and you have to ask yourself if that kind of title at "Launch" could be more damaging then beneficial to the public perception of the system.
TheTurtleTitan
Member
We all know the real competition doesn't start until:
Pokémon Diamond/Pearl and Grand Theft Auto PSP is released.
Then we'll get a clear shot at who is ahead.
Pokémon Diamond/Pearl and Grand Theft Auto PSP is released.
Then we'll get a clear shot at who is ahead.
The "best software always wins" argument only holds true if you are talking about machines with roughly comparable specs, like PS2 vs. Xbox vs. GCN.Jonnyram said:
But saying that the DS can remain competitive if it gets better software is like saying Nintendo could still be selling the N64 as long as it has good software. You can't compete with a generational gap in hardware.
I suppose DS could survive as a Pokemon machine, but it won't be of much interest to third parties.
That is, frankly, the most absurd argument I've heard regarding this handheld war. Why the hell would Nintendo make software for the N64 if they are trying to push the GC? Sure, they probably could keep selling the N64 if they were making games for it, but they made another console that superseded it.Rhindle said:
The DS is not just going to be about Pokemon. In case you've been living under a rock, Square Enix already pledged heavy support for it last year. That's going to help, I imagine.
You're not understanding the parallel. Saying that the DS can beat the PSP if it just gets good software, is like saying Nintendo could have not bothered ever releasing the the GCN, contiunued to sell the N64, and as long as they continued to produce good software for the N64 it would still be outselling the PS2.Jonnyram said:
You're assuming differently I presume? It's pretty difficult to use something that didn't happen as an argument though. Besides, the power argument is one that has been proven wrong, time and time again. GB vs GG/Lynx, PS2 vs GC/Xbox... as I said, it's not going to be about performance.Rhindle said:
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
the big problem with this analogy is that there was nothing that really set the N64 apart from the PS2 - other than the software medium.
With the DS vs PSP, there are differences. As much as people like to think of them as gimmicky, the dual screens and the stylus input does set the DS apart from the PSP. Whilst the PSP has the power, the DS has ideas. With good software with good ideas that provide experiences that the PSP simply cannot give, then it is possible for the DS to beat the PSP... whether that happens or not is a totally different thing.
Given the current DS sell through rate , and the fact that it's still around the same level of PSP sales (albeit PSPs being rare) people are not abandoning the DS because the capabilities are bad.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
DCharlie said:
This is why I hope Nintendo don't listen to some people here and release the GBE in 2 years time. It will only fragment Nintendo's position further. The people saying they should are the people who haven't woken up to the fact that it was inevitable that Sony would take a sizeable chunk of the handheld market, that the PSP was only ever going to be the next GG.
Nintendo had to do something, otherwise they leave a clear upgrade path from the GBA to the PSP. They couldn't just try to outspec the PSP either, 'cause then Sony's PSP pricing would have really buggered them up the creek. They took the right road in trying to offer something different.
The only thing that they might have done differently is hold off releasing it for another 6 months or maybe more. *Warning some wild conjecture* See I think if Nintendo had been absolutely certain that the PSP's launch dates would have turned out the way they did, there probably wouldn't be DS owners yet. I think they hedged their bets and rushed it slightly, because they didn't want to leave Sony with an unchallenged holiday in the US. If they had known it would be March at the earliest that the US would get the PSP, not to mention the supply problems, they could have held off until well into the Summer, maybe even into Sept/Oct and had more powerful hardware (not PSP beating though, it'd still need to be profitable afterall).
People haven't abandoned the DS, and Nintendo do have a number of good games to drive sales, not least of which is Pokemon. I cannot see how they can feasible release another handheld in the next 4 or 5 years. They need to buckle down with the DS. At least it's likely to be profitable, even if it doesn't end up dominant.
soundwave05
Member
Nintendo's always maintained from the start that Game Boy Next/Evolution would still be coming regardless of the Nintendo DS.
I think it'll be on storeshelves in Japan anyway by March 2006.
DS likely I think will become like an "entry level" game machine for extreme casuals and kids.
I think it'll be on storeshelves in Japan anyway by March 2006.
DS likely I think will become like an "entry level" game machine for extreme casuals and kids.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
soundwave05 said:
Then they really are fucked. It would be the stupidest move Nintendo could make in all this and would confirm them as the new Sega. How the hell can they release the GBE without losing a lot of consumer and developer confidence?
Chittagong
Gold Member
Monk said:
I think the Sega example is a valid one. A stopgap device (Megadrive 32X), followed shortly by a slightly advanced console (Saturn) and then prematurely releasing the next console mid-cycle (Dreamcast).
Unless the consumer gets a 5 year cycle, there will be inevitable disappontment, which in the case of Sega was fatal.
DS will not last through a 5 year cycle. In 2 years from release, it'll look incredibly outdated.
The problem with the 32x was that not enough good games were released for it. And it was a failur in itself. Thus far the DS is far from a failure.
Different circumstances. If the DS des infact become a 32x, then you will probably see a similar problem with the GBA evo as you did the saturn.
Different circumstances. If the DS des infact become a 32x, then you will probably see a similar problem with the GBA evo as you did the saturn.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
Monk said:
Yes you can. They said that the GBA would continue but despite that it looks like the vast majority of developers have moved on from the GBA. Even Nintendo themselves seem to have moved most of their development to the DS.
And don't give me that Gameboy name bullshit. Do you think the kids are going to give a crap that it's not called a Gameboy when Pokemon comes out? Of course not. If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck etc. When Nintendo have done everything else apart from calling it a Gameboy to make it the next Nintendo handheld, why do people cling to such a tedious detail such as what it's called. Get yourselves a marker and write 'the next Gameboy' all over your DSs, and then you'll get the point.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
Monk said:
What?
Die Squirrel Die
Member
Monk said:
So you agree with me that the DS is the replacement for the GBA.
soundwave05
Member
I don't really believe in the "software" issue any more. (gasp!!!!!)
I think its almost a given that both DS and PSP will have great libraries in time. That's not even an issue and you can already see this shaping up ...
DS has Pokemon, Advance Wars DS, Castlevania, Final Fantasy III, Boktai, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart coming.
PSP has Grand Theft Auto, NBA Street, Gran Turismo, Devil May Cry, Need For Speed, Tales RPG, Talk Man, Final Fantasy VII spin off, etc. coming
I think it really actually boils back to what kind of hardware you like, what "style" of games you prefer.
All hardware these days has to have a good software lineup these days to be viable. I mean today people deride the GameCube for not having enough games, but the GameCube probably has as many good games as the SNES did.
Back in the day, a "bad" platform would be something like 3DO or Jaguar or 32X which literally only had a handful of worthwhile software. These days even platforms that are considered dissapointments have tons of great games (look at the Dreamcast).
I think its almost a given that both DS and PSP will have great libraries in time. That's not even an issue and you can already see this shaping up ...
DS has Pokemon, Advance Wars DS, Castlevania, Final Fantasy III, Boktai, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart coming.
PSP has Grand Theft Auto, NBA Street, Gran Turismo, Devil May Cry, Need For Speed, Tales RPG, Talk Man, Final Fantasy VII spin off, etc. coming
I think it really actually boils back to what kind of hardware you like, what "style" of games you prefer.
All hardware these days has to have a good software lineup these days to be viable. I mean today people deride the GameCube for not having enough games, but the GameCube probably has as many good games as the SNES did.
Back in the day, a "bad" platform would be something like 3DO or Jaguar or 32X which literally only had a handful of worthwhile software. These days even platforms that are considered dissapointments have tons of great games (look at the Dreamcast).
radioheadrule83
Banned
The PSP deserves to do well on the weight of Sony's losses. It has a great featureset, great graphics and a great price.
The DS deserves to do well too. It's a great concept, promising new games with more than passable graphics.
Nintendo have nothing to worry about unless this happens week in, week out. And if it does, then they need to cut price and take a hit like Sony are. I doubt Sony could follow them in cutting, and it'd be great for the consumer (bad for the early adopters).
Given what Nintendo said at DS' unveiling about 10% of people likely being interested at first, they probably still have somewhat realistic expectations of DS in the long run. They may be showing the visage of a company that thinks their product is superior to PSP in every way, but they probably know the DS is gonna have to go on word of mouth, on the merit of new experiences when new games come out... in order to compete.
That said, let's not forget PSP has ground to make up. DS has what? Nearly three times the userbase? This was the only region they were head to head at launch. I'm sure it'll be a different story in Europe, unless there's some hard hitting pricing news, but still... worth baring in mind.
I believe there'll at least be mention of Gameboy Enhanced (or whatever it'd be called) at E3 if this continues.
The DS deserves to do well too. It's a great concept, promising new games with more than passable graphics.
Nintendo have nothing to worry about unless this happens week in, week out. And if it does, then they need to cut price and take a hit like Sony are. I doubt Sony could follow them in cutting, and it'd be great for the consumer (bad for the early adopters).
Given what Nintendo said at DS' unveiling about 10% of people likely being interested at first, they probably still have somewhat realistic expectations of DS in the long run. They may be showing the visage of a company that thinks their product is superior to PSP in every way, but they probably know the DS is gonna have to go on word of mouth, on the merit of new experiences when new games come out... in order to compete.
That said, let's not forget PSP has ground to make up. DS has what? Nearly three times the userbase? This was the only region they were head to head at launch. I'm sure it'll be a different story in Europe, unless there's some hard hitting pricing news, but still... worth baring in mind.
I believe there'll at least be mention of Gameboy Enhanced (or whatever it'd be called) at E3 if this continues.
Ruud_Luiten
Member
hmm.. I really think Nintendo must get good games out right now!
We are all playing the same shit as 2 months ago. There aren't any games for NDS while Nintendo claimed that over 125 games are in development. When are they going to be released, 2022?
Man, give us some Animal Crossing, Soul Calibur, Mariokart and Pro Evolution Soccer!
We are all playing the same shit as 2 months ago. There aren't any games for NDS while Nintendo claimed that over 125 games are in development. When are they going to be released, 2022?
Man, give us some Animal Crossing, Soul Calibur, Mariokart and Pro Evolution Soccer!
radioheadrule83
Banned
Ruud_Luiten said:
Details on Jan 27?
Obviously these number tell us nothing. All hardware sales are dropping factor 2-3 because its early in the year. The only reason PSP doesnt drop is the short supply over the last weeks and still many early adopter around the world who dont have a PSP yet.
It will take at least half a year until we can really tell if PSP is seriously cuttting into Nintendo's handheld monopoly. I do not doubt it will sell as good as the iPod does being a new stylish handheld gadget for a certain demogrpahic, but even with the iPod being a huge success, it doesnt even come close to Gameboy numbers. And the PSP is fighting the whole gameboy family not just the DS.
It will take at least half a year until we can really tell if PSP is seriously cuttting into Nintendo's handheld monopoly. I do not doubt it will sell as good as the iPod does being a new stylish handheld gadget for a certain demogrpahic, but even with the iPod being a huge success, it doesnt even come close to Gameboy numbers. And the PSP is fighting the whole gameboy family not just the DS.
Similar threads
- Locked