SCEA's Peter Dille: iPhone games 'a separate business' from PSP games

While many happy iPhone developers are eager to tout Apple's device as the hot ticket in video games, one Sony executive isn't worried. Peter Dille, Senior VP of Marketing, told GameDaily BIZ that he believes that the iPhone gaming market is "a separate business" from traditional handheld gaming.

"Consumers that want to carry a PSP are primarily gamers and I think there's a big difference in the types of games you can play on a PSP versus an iPhone," Dille said. "The iPhone games and apps are largely diversionary, whereas we're a gaming company and we make games for people who want to carry a gaming device and play a game that offers a satisfying 20+ hours of gameplay."

Dille also noted the PSP's reduced reliance on digital distribution, noting that the PSP is "a wi-fi device, not an always connected device. So there's going to be limitations based on the current technology in the PSP." He then added, " ... but you never say never, and as we roll out new products in the future we'll keep an eye on consumer trends as we always do," suggesting that one of the features that he had just mentioned as separating the two systems could go away.