Year in Review: January
As the year starts to reach its end, I decided to look through the archives of PSP Fanboy and find the most noteworthy stories of the year. Here are selections from January, a month so far away that it's hard to remember all the broken promises Sony has failed to deliver on with the PSP.
Sony Re-Connects PSP
Then: "A new and, of course, improved version of Connect is headed our way this March, promising gobs upon gobs of juicy multimedia goodness for the PSP. "The Connect service will enable you to download hundreds of videos, games, and TV shows as well as films and other content. You'll even be able to browse from a wide selection of books."
Now: March has long passed, and the Connect site features none of the enhancements promised by Sony. Has Sony simply given up on competing with iTunes? Seems like the answer is yes.
Sony to ship 20M PSPs in 2006
Then: "A representative from Samsung today revealed that Sony plans to ship 20 million PSP units in 2006."
Now: Sony was aiming for the stars. Even the unstoppable DS won't get close to the 20 million mark this year. A rough estimate would place the number of PSPs sold this year nearer to 5 million than 20 million.
Sony officially delays Gran Turismo 4
Then: "Gran Turismo will not make its 2005 release target. *Gasp!* The new date is 2006. When in 2006? That's for Sony to know and you to find out."
Now: Well, it's coming out? Sometime? Maybe? The drama behind GT4 is too much for this beleaguered fan.
1UP says PSP to outsell DS in 2006
Then: "The fact that the PSP is about to open up a tallboy can of whup-ass on the DS. 36% of respondents plan to buy a PSP while 28% will opt for a DS."
Now: We know things are different now, but it shouldn't be hard to remember that the PSP had much more momentum than the DS earlier this year. How has Sony lost it? Can they ever get it back?
It's fascinating to look back over the course of the year, and see our beloved handheld lose the momentum it started with. As we progress, we'll take a look at the mistakes that Sony might've made, and things to look forward to in the upcoming year.
