Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime says the PSP Go has a 'fundamental concept problem'
By Donald Melanson 
posted October 12th 2009 5:33PM
posted October 12th 2009 5:33PM
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime has been known to take a few shots at the competition in the past and, while he's not exactly verging into CE-oh no he didn't territory this time around, it seems that he just couldn't help himself from offering a few thoughts on Sony's latest handheld. Speaking with The Washington Post, Reggie says that the PSP Go has a "fundamental concept problem in terms of 'Who's it for?' and 'What's the benefit?" -- adding that he always has the "utmost respect for all our competitors, but that it's "interesting to try and answer the consumer question of 'What's in it for me?' in that product." Of course, Sony does have a few answers to those questions for its part, sort of.
[Via Joystiq]
[Via Joystiq]
"I once ate a burrito DEEZ BEEG!"
you never button the bottom button on your suit. fail
While I’m no fan of Reggie (or Nintendo, for that matter), he’sabsolutely correct! Those consumers who'd buy anything just becauseit’s the latest gadget (or are Sony fan boys) more power to you,but you are a very few minority. This product is not consumerfriendly, it restricts consumer choice, is over priced and its noteven compatible with your existing psp games library (this product isa step backwards and reminds me of the days of proprietarysoftware/hardware when you were forced to go back to the specificvender you purchased your technology from for everything). Thisproduct should have never made it out of the conceptual phase and itwill fail – at least, that’s my opinion.
Hey Nintendo dude person. When are you going to upgrade the Wii so I can watch HD hulu on it without it choking and stuttering and threatening to explode? And perhaps, watch a DVD...
kthxbye
"watch a DVD"
Who cares?
LOTS of people care. See: Playstation 2.
Now, I agree that the wii doesn't need much help in the success department, but it's just weird that the 360 has no browser, and the wii plays no DVDs. The wii looks so good and minimalist that a lot of people would love to leave that up as their only device attached to their older SC televisions.
Just my opinion.
Can't play DVDs? People are seriously still trying to use that argument about the wii?
Newsflash - it's 2009. If nothing else connected to your TV can play DVDs you have more serious problems, like the fact you've just been robbed, or at least have no business commenting on a gadget blog.
@Gimboa: See: 10 years ago
Because Sony is hoping that by introducing a more expensive, less function PSP that they can make the original look good in comparison so people will buy it because all of a sudden it looks "cheap". Fail again Sony.
This is actually a good point, except your silly 'fail'. Sony is selling a lot more PSPs now. They do seem cheaper now.
The PSP Go is not a bargain bin device. So what? you don't have to buy it. Get the PSP 3000, which, if you own UMDs you wish to replay, is a superior and cheaper system. Everyone wins.
Yes, because playing DVDs, or even Blue Ray will insure success... Look at how many more PS3 have been sold than Wiis...
Oh... whaitaminute...
the DSi "what's in it for me?".. well now that is open to interpretation. You see, for me what you get with the DSi versus the DS is a slightly more expensive piece of shit. Oh wait.. I guess they added cameras, hot swappable games and the fact you can download game demos. So basically, they added two toys and fixed flaws that made the DS inferior to even the PSP-1000 (and they still have a long way to go). Plus the game library really is quite awful at best. I'm not defending Sony in saying that they don't do anything wrong... all I'm saying is it's a little hypocritical on Nintendo's part...
Kinda like the functionality of a DS to a DS lite?
Exactly.
the real question is: how many non-fanboy would buy a psp go?
Sony is constantly shooting its mouth off in the media about Nintendo's and Microsoft's gaming products, and usually the stuff they say is far more outrageous. What kind of a fanboy takes exception to this comparatively mild pair of comments from Reggie?
Sony is about as respectful of Nintendo as vice versa, but bear in mind how Sony got into gaming in the first place. Nintendo could have owned the entire PS1 and PS2 lines if they hadn't turned their backs on it.
Sony is aggressive, though I don't think Nintendo or Sony are all that hard on eachother. They just want to sell more product, respectively.
Now, Microsoft is a different matter entirely, but you can learn more about MS's ways on a legal blog than a tech blog. Those dudes are hardcore.
I'm just stunned by the obviousness of the statement. I think we've all figured out by now that the PSPgo is a raw deal for gamers and retailers.
I can't disagree with him. The PSPGo isn't a hardware upgrade, it's just a form factor change. It isn't going to open the door for a new generation of better looking, faster playing portable games. At the same time, it's locking out the PSPs entire back catalog of UMD games. On top of that it's a lousy PMP with a horrible browser.
Sony's basically killed any market that may have existed for the device. There's nothing new to capture the attention of anyone who's not already vested in the platform. The lack of a UMD drive or conversion method means that anyone who IS vested in the platform will just stick with their existing hardware. No-one looking for a PMP that also plays games is going to buy a PSP when an iPod Touch is cheaper and has arguably better games. Who's left to buy the thing?
Sony should have just held off another year and pushed out a full on PSP2. The concept of download to local storage games is great (and arguably should have been done with the original PSP), but if you're going to kill off the UMD drive you should have done it on brand new hardware and had a reasonable number of launch titles ready to go.
The browser is fine for what it is (micro-browser) and it's one of the best PMPs there are.
Maybe he should learn how to dress before taking swings at others :-) A two-button suit isn't cut the have the last button buttoned.
Besides - visible t-shirt under a shirt? Atleast wear a v-neck...
I think you're reading the wrong blog. Try The Cut, Glamor, Vogue, etc.
This dude has a fundamental tiny head problem.
FAIL... THe psp go, is a no no...
Guys, enough! I do have PSP 1000, 2000 and Go with me. PSPgo is the first step to completely rely on the digital distribution model that PSP2 is going to be. Nobody tells you to buy PSPgo when you already playing your ISOs collections on your memory stick.
All my PSP 1000 and 2000 are running 5.50 GENB2 and I'm happy with it. However, I'm also happy that PSPgo has finally abandoned it's UMD drive that I've been hating since 2005. UMD drive is slow, noisy, consume lots of power, and the UMDs are huge compare to flash storage. UMD can only hold 1.8GB max while a tiny microSD, M2 that's 1/4 size of the current memory stock duo can hold up to 32GB or more.
PSPgo is very pocket friendly and it does load games faster than UMD and very convenient. For all people using the legitimate ways, the huge downside is that you can't sell your games or buy budget used games so stick to your PSP 3000.
For hacking and piracy, it's just a matter of time for PSPgo to be hacked to play ISOs. So once the PSPgo is hacked, let's see how you guys will react again. Maybe PSPgo will outsell the PSP 3000. Do you still care about the UMDs? Probably not. I have like 20 UMD games laying around but I also have more than 100GB of PSP ISOs in my harddrives. I bought UMDs just to support developers. I usually play the isos on a memory stick instead because there is no stupid slow loading time and the noisy motor. I can also put multiple games on a card to play. Guys, just get over it okay? Stop complaining PSPgo lacking UMD drive when most people think UMD is just useless.
Seriously, UMDs.... It's a failure from start. UMD was designed to anti-pirate, but it has failed since launch. So Sony has been thinking about abandoning the UMD drive long time ago. Just that they also needed to consider those of us who have bought UMDs. They have admitted their mistakes of using UMD. To fix that, they have come out a solution which slowly migrates titles to the PSN to allow people to download games and movies to their PSP. The next step is obvious, just completely abandon the whole UMD physical media distribution channel and create a PSPgo!
Those who think that Sony is monopolizing their own software distribution channel is wrong. Amazon has recently start selling PSP and PS3 downloadable contents and games online though the selections are still limited. For Gamestop or any retailers to survive, they eventually need to setup digital downloads booths in-store and online instead of just selling physical copies and used games.
Digital distribution works very differently than physical media. It doesn't occupy huge storage space except harddisks and servers which are getting smaller and smaller in physical size. Therefore the retail stores don't need to worry about shelfing space for new products by doing clearance. The consumers may end up with less bargain deals from clearance items base on traditional business model, but look at iPhone, lots of apps are always dirt cheap and on sale forever! Soon, people will start selling their accounts full of games. I'm sure some of us already did that. In the near future, people will sell accounts instead of individual games. That means, for those people who just want to buy and sell one game, you can create multiple accounts such as one account for RPG, one for racing, the other for action, etc. Just think about new ways of doing business. Don't let the traditional model bothers you.
Digital Distribution is the future. It's proven to be successful by looking at Apple App Store.
I'm so glad you're completely wrong.
Digital distribution is horrible for full games. And I'm glad the Go is failing so badly that PSP2 won't follow in it's existing-owner-screwing footsteps.
DD is a step backwards
Being a PSP bigest fan, I just have to go with Fils-Anime on this one. PS I still hate the DS(i) kiddy library.
If you honestly think the DS library is just for kids, you're a fool.
If you look at the American market maybe it's true, but once you look at the Asian market, there are plenty of games for adults... Speaking of that, GTA Chinatown Wars is rated M.
He's got a point- The PSP Go! was a waste.
Doesn't anyone think that one of the fundamental problems with the psp go is that it's only method of obtaining games is via wifi, but WPA2 still isn't supported.
Seriously did no one at Sony foresee this as an issue for customers?
PSP Go's Fundamental Concept problem...
iPod touch.
I think the problem with the PSP conceptually is it's a "portable playstation". Handheld games should be fundamentally different from console games, and ports don't really cut it. People play handheld games on-the-go and they'll never be as immersive as a console game, simply because of the form factor. The game library and controls should reflect the differences, and the DS does that much better.
"I think the problem with the PSP conceptually is it's a "portable playstation"."
I think that's the best part about PSP.
No, Raffi is right. Part of what makes many DS games so enjoyable is that they're pick up and play titles that can be enjoyed in any portion size: during a long play session, or for ten minutes while riding the subway. That is perfect for a portable device and is a different paradigm than console games, which almost never have much of a payoff in small doses. And that's what playing the PSP is like: nearly impossible to enjoy unless you're in one spot for a long period of time.
Reggie would be right
Anyone else think he looks like a Goomba? Im sure he's a nice guy and it's just this picture and aboout 10 others I've seen
I got the psp go 2 weeks ago and i love it! Since I have a PS3 and download stuff quite a lot from the PSN this was a good move by Sony. I'm the type of person that when I finish a game I rarely play it again. There are always new games coming out so no time to play old one once you finish it. The PSP go are for new gamers or people like me who don't touch old games once you are done with it.
i think they brought out this psp go just to make the people buy the normal psp by making them feel there getting such a bargin
@mynk
"i think the fact that sony is still being the industry leader in pushing for new technologies, even if they're not exactly innovations, is a great thing to see regardless of how exactly this product does. face it or not, the future is in fact digial distribution, and the sooner the companies get on the bandwagon, the better it is for us."
One word "802.11b". The device horribly design, full of nearly decade old technology. Hell the thing doesn't even have an internal structural frame. This is one device that isn't going to survive abuse (when one of its selling points is throwing it in your pocket), and add that to a mechanical slide from the cellphone industry and you have a rather flimsy product. When your "core" innovation is digital distribution, its a good idea to use a network protocol that can actually handle digital distribution. Its really sad when the oldest iPhone can download faster out of a cellular network than a PSP over a home wireless network.