Has the PlayStation Portable been a flop?

The handheld world used to be the sole domain of one single company: Nintendo. Regardless where your console allegiance lies, it’s impossible to ignore the strides that the Japanese manufacturer has made in this field. From the Game Boy’s release in 1989 to the DS that reigns in today, the market has been its personal playground. However, that situation has changed. As we all know, Sony has a distinct presence in the portable universe with its powerful black beauty that is the PSP. As we approach its two year anniversary and talks of a refined version step up, Play asks, has it been a flop?

Sales are often considered the be all and end all in relation to a console’s success; well, that’s the way those in charge look at it in anyway. As much as we may not want to accept it, the videogame industry is a business, and if a product isn’t going to make any money, it’s unlikely to be put into development – such is the vindictive society we live in. So, with this is mind, it’s interesting to examine the PSP’s accomplishments, or, in some people’s opinions, lack thereof.

A quick search on the internet is all that’s needed to learn of the varied views gamers have of Sony’s handheld. Many criticise it for the lack of software available, others concentrate on the hardware and feel disappointed with its battery life. Overwhelmingly though, the mindset for most is that the portable PlayStation may be considered a failure because it’s being outsold by its main rival: Nintendo DS. Reports claiming the dual-screen console is outselling its competitor by 3-to-1 are not uncommon, and as time passes it appears more developers are shifting focus towards it. These are all perfectly valid points, and even we admit that the DS’s continued appeal is impressive. In spite of this, many seem to forget this not the norm. Far from it. The DS’s global domination has taken everyone by surprise, including Nintendo itself. No videogame machine – with the inclusion of home consoles – has managed to find itself in so many homes in such a short period of time. And if word is to be believed, it could surpass all that has come before it. Of course, Sony entered the portable division to climb to the top, as it did with PlayStation, and although events haven’t transpired in this way, the PSP is still making a profit – which does carry a lot of weight.

Obviously, as gamers, retail isn’t what convinces us to spend money on a platform. That comes down to the hardware and software itself, and it’s here that PlayStation Portable must really be judged. For starters, the sheer magnitude of what it can do is astonishing. Those who have seen the latest trailer of the inbound God Of War: Chains Of Olympus know exactly how powerful the PSP is. As designers get used to the technology, we’re seeing just what the handheld is capable of, and it’s not inconceivable that in due course it’ll outshine PlayStation 2. Furthermore, despite some ill feelings – and the odd claim that it’s not needed – the PSP can be used to watch movies, listen to music and store pictures. Yes, it’s true that these didn’t help in terms of sales, but the decision to include them has proved popular by a substantial audience. For a relatively cheap outlay, a host of functionality awaits.

More importantly than all of this, however, is the software line-up – no console can live without a flourishing library. To this day it still comes under heavy criticism, with claims that it simply isn’t varied or appealing enough. Again, there’s a debate to be had, but actually looking at a list of available games goes a long way to discredit such a notion. Essential titles like Grand Theft Auto, Tekken, Ridge Racer, Metal Gear Solid, Killzone and WipEout have all proven themselves on the smaller stage. Granted, these are all watered down versions of their console cousins, but it’s clear Sony has made the decision to steer the PSP in a brand new direction. While holding onto the named brands that appeal, unique experiences such as LocoRoco and Lumines are excellent, and upcoming quirky games like Crush will bring an added, and much needed depth, to the software catalogue.

This change is summed up further by the recent announcement that a redefined version is in the works. It’s no secret that the PSP has suffered due to the lack of a second analogue stick, and while nothing has yet been confirmed, incorporating one should help the handheld no end. If nothing else we could feel confident that camera angles would increase tenfold.

The big question is whether or not UMDs will be permanently shelved. Obviously any updated model would include the slot preventing firstgeneration games becoming obsolete, but one aspect of PSP that hasn’t taken off in the way the Japanese company hoped is the Universal Media Disc. It lacked appeal in regards to movies, and we’ve all tapped our foot waiting for a game to load. The fact that Sony never released that DVD player with UMD compatibility built-in only proves it realises the error of its ways. The recent rumour doing the rounds is that the on-the-go apparatus may feature downloadable games only – a move that would be exceptionally smart. The size of a memory stick is already ridiculously big (8GB types are readily available), and the edge that would come with such a decision may be greater than many think – imagine iTunes for the world of portable gaming and you’ll see what we mean.

Although DS has made it difficult for anyone to productively dispute the fact that PSP has been a success, investigating it on its own terms shows that it’s doing far better than many give it credit for. It’s making money for the bigwigs at Sony, technically it’s a marvel, and above all else, it has a selection of exclusive games. There’s still far more the unit can, and hopefully wants to achieve, but it would be foolish to write it off entirely. If only it weren’t for that damned DS.