Sony PSP-3000 wants to be Big in Japan
Sony is to launch the new version of its handheld console, the PSP-3000, in October this year in Japan the company announced yesterday.
The new handheld features a new high contrast LCD screen, a built in microphone, boasts improved graphics and offers 4GB of memory - twice as much as previous models. The device will be shipped in three different colours; “piano black”, “pearl white” and “mystic silver”, and will cost Japanese customers 19,800 yen (£103).
A device bundled with “Mobile Suit Gundam Gundam vs. Gundam” will launch on November 20th, priced at 24,840 yen (£129). There are other bundles including “Patapon 2 Donchaka”, and another with “Dissida Final Fantasy”, which will sell at roughly £5 more.
But, is the new PSP-3000 any better?
Michael Goodman, an independent gaming and digital media analyst seems to think so: “There definitely are some improvements. Improving the display and continuing to improve the graphics on it can’t hurt - especially in Japan, which is such a high-def society so far in front of the U.S.”
“It comes with a larger memory stick; the old one was 2 gigs. So, they are clearly evolving the PSP as a handheld media platform, and it’s a memory stick - but that storage is absolutely critical,” Goodman added.
The look of the device has not changed much, and the functionality is the same, however the company is raving about its new microphone addition, which will allow gamers to make phone calls using Skype. The microphone will also be used in certain games and for other communication purposes.
However, this new voice functionality is not the PSP-3000’s most notable feature, said Stephanie Ethier, an In-Stat analyst.
“I think the strongest … selling point of the Sony PSP Slim - and the new PSP 3000 - is not the voice capability, but the fact that transferring content from the PS3 to the PSP is an easier process, making the PSP a truly compelling portable multimedia device,” she said
“My guess is the voice feature is more of a spin to market the Sony PSP as a viable competitor to the iPhone,” Ethier continued.
“In the end, the PSP is still primarily a gaming device, but the increased amount of compelling video content - and the ease with which PS3 owners can transfer that content - is the true selling point of the PSP.”
Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy at Jupitermedia, argues that the new 4.3-inch wide screen is the devices best feature.
“The screen is the best thing. Sony’s attempt to cast the PSP-3000 as a phone is a little bit overly optimistic. It’s a stretch as a communication tool,” he told said.
“It’s about games, first and foremost. This isn’t a secondary feature - it’s like your phone of last resort. When you’re not near a computer, you’re not near a telephone, you’re not near a cell phone, and you have to reach someone, then use your PSP,” he continued.
The PSP-3000 will face stiff competition in Japan, where DS is king, but Goodman believes PSP has the edge with DS having been around a while now.
“The PSP has done better in Japan in recent months. Part of it is because the DS is getting a little long in the tooth and the PSP is able to make up ground. They have something fresher with the PSP 3000,” he explained.
The quality of games is Sony PSP-3000’s biggest issue, said Gartenberg.
“It’s a very different experience,” he remarked. “The PSP is focused on bringing this mini-console version down to the handheld, where the DS is focused on providing a very different experience. Sony seems to be trying to emphasize these other features, but they have to remember at the end of the day, it’s not about those things. It’s about the game.”
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