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[gofreak]

A somewhat disappointing price, but more disappointing is the lack of a psp-only pack. I don't want to pay $50 for all that crap.

It'll sell out pretty quickly at launch regardless, but beyond that I think Sony are entering into unchartered territory. They really are looking toward a different market, and this price cements that, but that market doesn't really exist yet, so it's a bit of gamble imo (or, even more of a gamble). I think a question mark remains over success beyond the early adopter market at that price.

 

[jarrod]

Well, yes. Ridge and Hot Shots Golf for example, look comparable to, or in some cases even better than pretty much any launch PS2 game.

Except in terms of geometry. Which is pretty much PS2's advantage over PSP, it can pump out about twice the polygons. PSP has some nice hardwired effects to make up for that though. It's really amazing technology for a handheld no doubt, but it's still not *quite* on par with current consoles. It's more like a moderately upspecced Dreamcast than a PS2 really.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

HA! I remember everyone laughing when I said it wouldn't come out for less then $249!

Suckers!

Wait.... technically isn't it coming out for "cheaper" than $249? It's just the pack itself that is $249.... QUICK SOMEONE FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE PSP REALLY IS!!!!

 

[kaching]

Maybe I'm overestimating the inteligence of people, but to me it makes no sense to compare those two kinds of things. It's like comparing the home Hi-Fi equipment with iPod, for example. Who does that?

At least one comes to mind instantly...

But at that price, I'd rather buy a PS2 and Xbox after their price drops this Summer, and enjoy better-looking games for less.

 

[MrSingh]

it's only $250! buy a few!!!

 

[Foobar]

Ding-fuckin'-ding-ding.

Did I win a copy of Lumines?

 

[Spectral Glider]

Oh well, the new TM and Wipeout will have to wait. I think my $250 would be better served to be put aside for the upcoming Next Gen. At $150 I could have been enticed, but not now.

 

[Tiktaalik]

Ha ha $300 Canadian? No way. I won't be picking this up for a long time. Sony seems to think they have an iPod on their hands here.

 

[Mrbob]

Well, as much as I wanted a PSP, I"m holding off for now. I don't want to be forced that shitty value pack for $250. I'm waiting for this thing to be priced at $200 or less. Overpriced for NA. Well, not necessarily overpriced. But I don't want to pay $50 on extras. I'd be fine with a base PSP model for $199. I'm sure one will be out before the fall.

On top of this, it sounds like most PSP games will be $49.99. That's a joke too.

 

[Shawn]

::whaa whaa::

jesus christ. it's not like you people are gonna die broke. If you really wanted it, price shouldn't be an object. The technology is so far ahead of anything on the market today, I wouldn't mind paying $300.00 for it.

 

[Acosta]

Guys, I know you are excited and all that, but allow me to repeat, are you completely sure that the bonus it´s the actual film, and not a preview?

If it´s the actual film it´s a fantastic bonus taking on count the popularity of the film, but I am not completely sure about it´s the complete film given the way the press note puts it.

a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man(TM) 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

And would be nice to know if that list of games it´s from day 1 or just the game that will be released "around" the system.

(Sorry If I am asking silly questions that are already answered in the press note, it´s just I can´t find it)

 

[Suikoguy]

Its not overpriced, we just are not getting a choice between regular and value pack.
Anybody who expected just the system to be under 179.99 was insane.

But even at 249.99, there will still be a shortage...

 

[Mrbob]

This wouldn't be as big of a problem if Sony offered a base model for $199. Do you want to pay $50 extra bucks on a shitty, insanely small 32 meg memory stick and a UMD of spiderman 2? Whoopee.

 

[chespace]

I think I've come to realize most people on GAF lack expendable income.

Which really sucks if you like video games.

 

[duckroll]

Except in terms of geometry. Which is pretty much PS2's advantage over PSP, it can pump out about twice the polygons. PSP has some nice hardwired effects to make up for that though. It's really amazing technology for a handheld no doubt, but it's still not *quite* on par with current consoles. It's more like a moderately upspecced Dreamcast than a PS2 really.

So you buy a system to sit around and tell people how your system specs are better? Or do you actually play games? If you do, how the games now look is all that matters. And they current do look comparable to many PS2 games on the market. You can argue specs all you want it's not going to change what people will be SEEING in stores. :lol

 

[chespace]

Guys, I know you are excited and all that, but allow me to repeat, are you completely sure that the bonus it´s the actual film, and not a preview?

Uh, "a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man(TM) 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment."

I don't see how something this straightforward could be misunderstood.

Yes, the movie is packed in.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

This wouldn't be as big of a problem if Sony offered a base model for $199. Do you want to pay $50 extra bucks on a shitty, insanely small 32 meg memory stick and a UMD of spiderman 2? Whoopee.

They won't release a base model because that splits their market on product hence why they're shipping it with the memory card and Spiderman UMD. Sure, most think 32MB is too small, but then why the hell would Sony have made all the 32MB cards if they weren't going to get sold?

 

[jooey]

remember when things used to be packed-in with game systems and people were glad?

 

[Kintaro]

Eh... lack of choices hurts me here. =/

I can't plop down $250 for the hardware (all that extra shit is worthless to me personally, got better stuff at home and Spiderman 2 on a big screen >.>), then try to plop down another $150 or something on 3-4 games, not to mention more for a worthwhile memory stick...

Too much right now. Sexy handheld, but it's still a handheld to me for that price.

 

[DarienA]

There seems to be some confusion in this thread....

Most of us are NOT pissed off about the $250 Value Pack price point... looking at the items in it, that's probably a decent price.

What many of us are REALLY pissed off about is that unlike the Japanese launch we don't get a choice of getting just the unit by itself. Many of us don't care about the other items in the Value Pack useful or not.

That, at least for me... is very disappointing.

They won't release a base model because that splits their market on product hence why they're shipping it with the memory card and Spiderman UMD. Sure, most think 32MB is too small, but then why the hell would Sony have made all the 32MB cards if they weren't going to get sold?

Um WTF? The Japanese Launch had the standalone unit as well as the Value pack... that's not what splitting the market means... splitting the market would be selling a PSP with video capabilities and selling a PSP with only gaming capabilities.

And 32MB Memory Sticks have been around for EONS... they didn't just get made JUST for the PSP....

 

[Panajev2001a]

Except in terms of geometry. Which is pretty much PS2's advantage over PSP, it can pump out about twice the polygons.

Are you sure about that ?

66 MVertices/s is not what VU1 alone can do... also 33 MVertices/s is the peak of the GPU built-in T&L unit and yous till have a 2.6 GFLOPS VFPU sitting on the CPU .

 

[Mrbob]

I think I've come to realize most people on GAF lack expendable income.

Which really sucks if you like video games.

Actually, the truth is we know there is a base model available in Japan for around $200 so we know SCEA is gouging consumers in the West. Sony brought this on themselves with a shocking sub $200 price announcement in Japan. I think there is going to be some backlash at the launch. All published reports in NA hinted at a sub $200 pricepoint.

 

[Spike]

Mind sharing your "secret" retailer?
Im looking for a good place to preorder my PSP for "importation" ;P

www.videogamesplus.ca

 

[MIMIC]

Damn. $250.

 

[Acosta]

I don't see how something this straightforward could be misunderstood

Forgive me, but that "special UMD video release" confussed me. Suppose I need "it includes the film Spider-man 2 in UMD" to really get it. Maybe it´s because my english.

Thanks for the help

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

My biggest issue now is how to get *other* people to buy one, plus Twisted Metal and Wipeout.

 

[Lord Error]

Except in terms of geometry. Which is pretty much PS2's advantage over PSP, it can pump out about twice the polygons. PSP has some nice hardwired effects to make up for that though. It's really amazing technology for a handheld no doubt, but it's still not *quite* on par with current consoles.

Again, to compare Ridge Racer games, RRV on PS2 did have larger polyconts, but RR on PSP is running in much smoother looking progressive scan mode, and with some extra effects (specularity on the road, motion blur). You might call it a tradeoff, but I think it makes them at least comparable, and in my opinion, PSP version looks better. HSG also looks very simillar. Perhaps polycounts are lower there too (I'm not even sure if there's a visible difference) but it has much nicer texture filtering on PSP (no shimmering)

 

[psycho_snake]

$249, thats good for me. Where I live, they are selling the japanese PSP at $544, so this is a much better price.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

There seems to be some confusion in this thread....

Most of us are NOT pissed off about the $250 Value Pack price point... looking at the items in it, that's probably a decent price.

What many of us are REALLY pissed off about is that unlike the Japanese launch we don't get a choice of getting just the unit by itself. Many of us don't care about the other items in the Value Pack useful or not.

That, at least for me... is very disappointing.



Um WTF? The Japanese Launch had the standalone unit as well as the Value pack... that's not what splitting the market means... splitting the market would be selling a PSP with video capabilities and selling a PSP with only gaming capabilities.

And 32MB Memory Sticks have been around for EONS... they didn't just get made JUST for the PSP....

Well you answer one question of mine and that is using Sandisks for the PSP of which I already have 3 1GB sticks that I can use, so the memory card isn't an issue.

Obviously Sony isn't releasing a base model of the PSP because either the studies show that the NA market doesn't want a stand alone (aside from the 5-10 people on GAF that will ONLY pay for a single standalone unit) unit and that packaged items add value to the model. Obviously it's not as cool as getting a game with the system much like the older game systems that actually came with software out of the box, but seriously, getting Spiderman and the 32MB card isn't that big of deal, people are just overreacting.

 

[megateto]

www.videogamesplus.ca

Let's see how long does it take them to accept hardware preorders...

 

[Mrbob]

Obviously Sony isn't releasing a base model of the PSP because either the studies show that the NA market doesn't want a stand alone (aside from the 5-10 people on GAF that will ONLY pay for a single standalone unit) unit and that packaged items add value to the model. Obviously it's not as cool as getting a game with the system much like the older game systems that actually came with software out of the box, but seriously, getting Spiderman and the 32MB card isn't that big of deal, people are just overreacting.

Wrong. The truth is only a couple people would spend the extra $50 on a value pack over the base package if both were offered. This way Sony can guarantee that extra $50 gouging on every consumer.

 

[megateto]

On a side note: how do Americans feel about gettig the Euro treatment? j/k

 

[VictimOfGrief]

Wrong. The truth is only a couple people would spend the extra $50 on a value pack over the base package if both were offered. This way Sony can guarantee that extra $50 gouging on every consumer.

But wouldn't you agree that NA will pay more because we can? Not saying that it's right or wrong that it's $50 extra bucks for you and me to get a PSP due to the pack in's, but honestly, in the end that's just $50 bucks.

 

[xsarien]

On a side note: how do Americans feel about gettig the Euro treatment? j/k

What are you talking about? $250 for all of that crap in one box isn't ideal, but it's not omg hug ee ripoff!@!@!~~!!!!!

 

[Mrbob]

No, I don't think NA will pay more because we can. That is the reason why SCEA forcefed this value pack on every user so we don't have a choice, because most people would opt for the $199 pack. This is the country of the WalMart consumer.

 

[DarienA]

Obviously Sony isn't releasing a base model of the PSP because either the studies show that the NA market doesn't want a stand alone (aside from the 5-10 people on GAF that will ONLY pay for a single standalone unit) unit and that packaged items add value to the model. Obviously it's not as cool as getting a game with the system much like the older game systems that actually came with software out of the box, but seriously, getting Spiderman and the 32MB card isn't that big of deal, people are just overreacting.

Umm wtf? You use because and either in your first sentence... and then only give one reason.... and as for the studies? Come on now... let's not start pulling far fetched ideas out of our heads... and stop with the rationalization.

As has already been said Sony looks to be using the rest of the world to help boost it's bottom line but not offering the unit by itself.

What I'm really curious about is to see how the retailers(EB, Gamestop) who were already forcing people on their websites to buy $350+ bundles packs to even get the units... I'm curious to see if there is going to be any backlash on that....

 

[Lord Error]

Wrong. The truth is only a couple people would spend the extra $50 on a value pack over the base package if both were offered. This way Sony can guarantee that extra $50 gouging on every consumer.

That was not the case in Japan if I remember correctly. People were buing value packs a lot more than base pack (and there was a fairly even split of the availability of both)

 

[megateto]

Not all of your comrades seem to think the same (oh, an I thought that j/k stand for joking)

 

[DarienA]

That was not the case in Japan if I remember correctly. People were buing value packs a lot more than base pack (and there was a fairly even split of the availability of both)

Then why not give American users the same choice?

I personally think it's because of availability and bottom line, but I guess we'll see.

Do I think this is going to stop the first batch from selling out? Not one bit.

 

[jarrod]

So you buy a system to sit around and tell people how your system specs are better?

Nope, never bought an Xbox.

Are you sure about that ?

66 MVertices/s is not what VU1 alone can do... also 33 MVertices/s is the peak of the GPU built-in T&L unit and yous till have a 2.6 GFLOPS VFPU sitting on the CPU .

Well, in my defense I did say "about".

Again, to compare Ridge Racer games, RRV on PS2 did have larger polyconts, but RR on PSP is running in much smoother looking progressive scan mode, and with some extra effects (specularity on the road, motion blur). You might call it a tradeoff, but I think it makes them at least comparable, and in my opinion, PSP version looks better. HSG also looks very simillar. Perhaps polycounts are lower there too (I'm not even sure if there's a visible difference) but it has much nicer texture filtering on PSP (no shimmering)

Comparing launch games is disingenious though, we went through this with comparing DS launch games to PS1/Saturn launch games. On a console it's entirely new technology, new limits, new territory. With handhelds, it's established technology, so there's established techniques and developer familiarity with the upper potential. Comparing Mario 64 DS to Jumping Flash or King's Field is inherently unfair, just as comparing Ridge Racers to RRV is. A better comparison would be 3rd/4th gen stuff, like Spyro 2 (for DS) or Burnout 3 (for PSP).

PSP has less potential geometry than PS2, and less RAM for game data as well. It's far less programmable too, it's most like a downspecced GameCube than anything really. Which is still fantastic imo, especially for $249 in early 2005.

 

[Mrbob]

That was not the case in Japan if I remember correctly. People were buing value packs a lot more than base pack (and there was a fairly even split of the availability of both)

I'm not sure how you can make a judgement on this considering it is so hard to find a PSP in the first place in Japan. Again, my objection isn't with the value pack. It is with a lack of a base pack. Oh well.

 

[masud]

Screw you Sony! I wanted my 100 dollar DS.

 

[btutterrow]

I would have liked there to be a $200 base model (mainly because I want a 1GB card and don't care about most of the extras), but I am happy with the $250 price.

I wouldn't mind watching Spiderman 2 on a trip (it is a great movie, and one of the few that I could watch over and over again).

The fact that Lumines is confirmed for US launch is the thing that has made this announcement for me. If all I could get to start is the Value Pack and Lumines, I would be happy. If I can find the money though, I am getting the 1 GB card and a couple more games (Ridge Racers and Vampire Hunter probably).

 

[Lord Error]

Then why not give American users the same choice?

It's crappy, I agree. They should have offered both.

I personally think it's because of availability and bottom line, but I guess we'll see.

Most likely. I fully expect a base unit to be introduced some months in the future.

 

[gamergirly]

Well you answer one question of mine and that is using Sandisks for the PSP of which I already have 3 1GB sticks that I can use, so the memory card isn't an issue.

Obviously Sony isn't releasing a base model of the PSP because either the studies show that the NA market doesn't want a stand alone (aside from the 5-10 people on GAF that will ONLY pay for a single standalone unit) unit and that packaged items add value to the model. Obviously it's not as cool as getting a game with the system much like the older game systems that actually came with software out of the box, but seriously, getting Spiderman and the 32MB card isn't that big of deal, people are just overreacting.

There is no such thing as overreacting when it comes to your money.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

Umm wtf? You use because and either in your first sentence... and then only give one reason.... and as for the studies? Come on now... let's not start pulling far fetched ideas out of our heads... and stop with the rationalization.

As has already been said Sony looks to be using the rest of the world to help boost it's bottom line but not offering the unit by itself.

What I'm really curious about is to see how the retailers(EB, Gamestop) who were already forcing people on their websites to buy $350+ bundles packs to even get the units... I'm curious to see if there is going to be any backlash on that....

Pulling out of my head..... hmm, well if they didn't study the NA market, then why are they bringing the PSP to the NA market for $250? I don't really see you offering any ideas as to "why" or reason. I'd say the test market was Japan and what did they find? People bought bundles or stand alone? I care not to bring up numbers at this time but I'd say that people bought more than just the unit, Sony probably thought that bringing a bundle to the NA table would add value to the PSP launch even though YOU don't find it a value and would rather have choice.

Sure, most of the things in NA are ala carte but it really depends on the demograph. In this case, I think Sony is smart for bundling the media that they are, even though you end up paying more for it in the end. (you meaning you and I ; the consumer)

 

[LukeSmith]

This is what I expected the value pack to cost and this is what I was planning on getting (if I end up waiting for US release). I'm pleased.

 

[borghe]

lol.. all of the people who are now saying what a deal this is.......

admit it suckas.. you were wrong.. $250... $100 more than DS....

excuse me Sony.. I believe you dropped your ball and now it's rolling over there by Nintendo...

let's look at this cost...

soft carrying case... cost to sony = $4
UMD sampler disc... cost to sony = $1
Spider-Man 2 UMD... cost to Sony = $1
headphones... cost to sony = $2

total additional cost to Sony... $8. Total additional cost to consumers... $70..

Good job sony.

 

[chespace]

I'm not sure how you can make a judgement on this considering it is so hard to find a PSP in the first place in Japan. Again, my objection isn't with the value pack. It is with a lack of a base pack. Oh well.

Not anymore it isn't.

And yeah, I think the truth is that Sony realized okay, there's 50 million dollars sitting on the table. Why would we walk away from it?

Everybody at SCEA and their GAF-readin' little brother knows the initial 1 million shipment will sell out within a week or so. Why not set the precedence a little higher? They always have the option to look like heroes later when they drop the price.

As for splitting their user base, true, they're not doing it in the traditional sense as the hardware remains the same... but I really do think they see these extras in the value pack as something people genuinely need to enjoy a PSP.

Take my friend Evan for instance... he's had his PSP for a week now but he isn't a Sony whore so he's never owned a memory stick. Which is why I'm going to give him my 32 meg just so he can save his scores in Lumines. A 32 meg stick may not allow you to go multimedia crazy, but it's absolutely essential to the PSP -- hence the value pack.

 

[Duckhuntdog]

You know, I got this feeling, that everyone here bitching about the price, will still be there, buying one on launch.