New Sony PR guy compares DS and PSP
Dave Karraker, recently appointed as Sony's new senior director of corporate communications, took the time to take a knee with Gamasutra and gab gaming. At least, gaming from his company Sony's point of view. Important to people like us with the Nintendo logo etched into their underwear, however, is Mr. Karraker remarks concerning the DS.
GS: What about the handheld market, how important do you think that's going to be, going forward?
DK: I think handheld is incredibly important for us, particularly as we start developing more and more downloadable content. And I'm not just talking about games, I'm talking about entertainment content as well. Already the TiVo-to-go option for the PSP is turning into a huge hit for us, as people discover that they can take the shows they've already stored on their TiVo and put it on their PSP and while they're riding the bus to work or to school, they can watch television shows on the PSP, I mean that's huge. You can't do that on anything else.
So again, I think when you compare the two products, the Nintendo product versus our product, it's kind of apples and oranges. We're providing more of an entertainment system, and they're focused more on gaming.
Perhaps that's the issue for Sony? Is the company's lack of fresh gaming content on their system the reason why their handheld cannot seem to pull ahead? It's always been about the games and Nintendo has, along with their third-party support, proved that on the DS.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
graham @ Nov 6th 2006 4:13PM
To be honest, I wanted to get a psp for media ish, to watch videos, to hack around, and what not, but I also wanted to play games. Unfortunately they don't impress me with games, and I realized that portable videos are meh anyways. I'd rather interact, or better yet, if I want to watch something (if im in a situation to feel the need to watch something on the go) then Ill pull out a laptop.
PSP just seems more media related. It's like the kid who can do everything, but not excel in one area, in which Nintendo surely can.
Fox @ Nov 6th 2006 4:55PM
What he says is pretty much right, and probably the main reason the PSP is falling further and further behind. Perhaps if Sony focused more on what the device is (a PLAYstation), they would be having more success. As it is, if people want entertainment, they buy an iPod, generally not a PSP.
With all due respect,
Fox
Duscrom @ Nov 6th 2006 5:06PM
Well, also because Sony is the underdog in the handheld market. Nintendo has owned the market for 20 years. I find it hard to believe that sony really thought they could overtake that market in their first try. Only reason they could do it in the Console market is because Nintendo dropped the ball on the N64.
But NO OTHER COMPETITOR has ever come as close to nintendo as a challenger.
nick @ Nov 6th 2006 5:41PM
It doesn't matter that Nintendo held the market. When the PSP was being shown off it had everything going for it. It looked so much better then the DS. It boasted better graphics then the DS. It had online play from the start. The problem with the PSP is it just doesn't have the games. If Sony came out with the PSP with a great library the DS would be far behind right now.
pixelator @ Nov 6th 2006 8:32PM
Ah, we take the ongoing preoccupation with what's 'bad' or 'failed' about the PSP at DS Fanboy to a new level, and the character assassination of an inanimate object reaches crescendo amongst the Nintendo brethren.
Since before the launch in 2005, much ado has been made about how horrible the PSP's multimedia or online capabilities were -- how it wasn't a 'true gaming device' and so forth, that the DS was a 'pure game machine'. Of course, when news hit about the Play Yan or Opera Browser, those capabilities suddenly became DS features thrown in the face of PSP users: 'DS can do video, web and MP3, too'. But now we're back to 'entertainment system' vs. 'game system' because hey, whatever suits the argument at the moment, right?
And so again, we're on the whole PSP 'failing' thing. Nevermind that it's sold more than enough to put it well out of harm's way as a 'failed' system. The game selection, while not selling as well as the DS, is still strong and as the last few weeks have shown, quite obviously not lacking "fresh content."
Honestly, other than Age of Empires, there's nothing really blowing my mind on the DS lately except maybe Elite Beat Agents and Children of Mana. While on the PSP, games like Gitaroo Man, Every Extend Extra, Vice City Stories, Ace Combat, Killzone, Dungeon Siege, Power Stone and more coming this next week like SOCOM 2 are literally killing my wallet. I just grabbed Killzone (IGN 9.0) and Dungeon Siege (IGN 8.3) tonight. Last week two of my friends and I discovered the beauty of jet fighter WLAN battling with Ace Combat X.
But hey, here at DS Fanboy, it's not so much about both handhelds being good for different reasons, it's about quoting PSP execs and tweaking their comments into whatever it takes to make the DS look better and the PSP look like a piece of crap.
And again, those of us who own both and play both laugh and shake our heads. It's pathetic.
Ryoji Yokosawa @ Nov 6th 2006 10:25PM
Okay.
Pixelator, this is DS Fanboy. Get out. :D
Ryoji Yokosawa @ Nov 6th 2006 10:36PM
But hey, here at DS Fanboy, it's not so much about both handhelds being good for different reasons, it's about quoting PSP execs and tweaking their comments into whatever it takes to make the DS look better and the PSP look like a piece of crap.
Not to mention -- thank you for stating the obvious.
pixelator @ Nov 6th 2006 10:55PM
Sorry Ryoji, DS owner here. In fact, DS Phat (Silver, then imported Graphite Black) owner, then imported white DS Lite owner.
Oh, and Gamecube owner at launch, whereas it took the slimline PS2 to get me into that camp. And I have a Wii on preorder -- do you? Not to mention getting almost every Nintendo handheld and console (plus some knockoffs from HK) since the early 80's.
So yeah. That's me with the 'cred' needed to post to a DS blog. Although I enjoy and own lots of Nintendo products (more than most), it doesn't prevent me from being embarrassed by the petty & juvenile anti-Sony blogs here and at Joystiq. And AS a DS owner and handheld game fan, it annoys those of us who don't share this vendetta to have to wade through the constant PSP whine-bash-tripe.
Eric @ Nov 7th 2006 1:41AM
Tivo 2 Go was a nightmare on the PC. Took too long to transfer, etc. Is it any better on the PSP?
AmethystPerspective @ Nov 7th 2006 4:02AM
What I find juvenile is how you like looking down your nose at Ninty Fanboys in your comments here. Face it, this is DS Fanboy and there will be a bias, sometimes even to a comical extent. If you have a stick up your ass because Joystiq is biased against Sony, Kotaku is biased against the PSP (read it in your comment on SH: 0rigins possibly being in trouble), and they're both conspiring with Mario to murder the PSP, take it out on them. But don't come here to "pity" the bullies and express your "embarrassment".
You should remember that a Fanboy site should never be seen as a voice of reason because EVERYTHING will have a spin to it because that's the f'cking point. This isn't a place for the cold hard facts about the gaming industry, no, this is a haven for those that love their little glossy handhelds and those that are too lazy to go hunting for bits of news on the system. Everything else is just filler, candy, and snacks for fanboys, a bunch of one-sided opinions.
You're a smart guy, Pixelator, it shows in your PSP Fanboy comments. But the way you mope around these blogs with a chip on your shoulder is just is f'cking silly.
This is one of the reasons I hesitated to accept these kind of blogs, people take them way too seriously.
ManekiNeko @ Nov 7th 2006 4:39AM
Well, at least this guy's more honest and less antagonistic than Sony's other mouthpieces. He is right, after all... the PSP is a general purpose convergence device, while the DS is more sharply focused on gaming.
If you've seen the latest PSP television ad, you'll notice that there's barely any indication that the system can play video games; just a split-second of ATV Offroad Fury as a young man tracks down his girlfriend, using the pictures on his system as clues to her whereabouts.
JR
Kefka @ Nov 7th 2006 7:06AM
The PSP, like any other convergent device, fits into the "jack of all trades, master of none" category.
The DS is focused on gaming, and it does it well - proving that graphics capabilities and processing power do not make gameplay (with is very nice to see in gaming these days).
That said, the PSP has in no way failed. I'm a Ninty fanboy all the way, and I'm well aware that the DS has continually trounced the PSP in sales, etc, worldwide. But the PSP has not been a failure. It has sold. It has a following. It has support. The library of good games IS growing.
At a cost, of course - Sony made what... about a US$350 million LOSS in their games division this year? No doubt some of this is due to the amount of financial support needed to push the PSP into the market for it to get a handhold...
Anyhow, end of rant. The DS still pwns all, but at least the guy in this interview is putting a positive spin on things which is realistic.
gamerx @ Nov 7th 2006 8:53AM
Nintendo DS games that have sold more than one million copies worldwide as of August 2006. [246]
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day (8.51 million) [247]
Nintendogs (8.42 million) [248]
New Super Mario Bros. (6.76 million) [249]
Animal Crossing: Wild World (5.23 million) [250]
Mario Kart DS (5.18 million) [251]
Super Mario 64 DS (3.88 million) [252]
Dr. Kawashimas Brain Training 2 (3.50 million) [253]
Pokmon Diamond and Pearl (2.77 million) [254]
Big Brain Academy (2.01 million) [255]
WarioWare: Touched! (2.00 million) [256]
English Training (1.54 million) [257]
Tetris DS (1.38 million) [258]
Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop (1.30 million) [259]
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time (1.23 million) [260]
Sony PlayStation Portable games that have sold more than one million copies worldwide as of August 2006. [277]
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (3.11 million) [278]
Ridge Racers (1.04 million) [279]
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee (1.00 million) [280]
Wipeout Pure (1.00 million) [281]
Enough said.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best_selling_computer_and_video_games#Sony_PSP
Fox @ Nov 7th 2006 10:39AM
Guys, Guys; you might as well ignore pixel boy here. I mean come on, he feels the need to pick up sword and defend the PSP at EVERY opportunity on a DS centric website. If that doesn't spell pathetic fanboy for you, nothing does. So it's generally best ignoring him; he's just here to start a war.
With all due respect,
Fox
gamerx @ Nov 7th 2006 10:52AM
Fox,
Agreed. pixelator is a disgrace to even Sony fanboys. pixelator isnt a fanboy, hes a Sony Retardboy. Hey, I just coined a new phrase for retards like pixelator!
what i find stupid and pathetic is when fanboys cite game review scores. if u think a game review score is the final word on how good or bad a game is, you are a pitiful human being.
JRM @ Nov 7th 2006 11:41AM
That new PR guy is making the same mistake everyone else did. He's selling the non-gaming features. It makes it look like he's not interested in gaming--and that is what's killing the PSP. I'm sure most people buy the PSP in the hopes of watching movies on it, and then they find out (as I did, with the play-yan) that making a decent mp4 takes HOURS of your free time without the right hardware+software.
pixelator @ Nov 7th 2006 12:10PM
"What I find juvenile is how you like looking down your nose at Ninty Fanboys in your comments here."
Thing is, I'm a Ninty fanboy myself - I've likely owned more Nintendo products/games than most _bloggers_ here and yes, I find the perpetual, petty slamming of the PSP embarrassing. Why should I have to read these things to get to the real DS news?
"But don't come here to "pity" the bullies and express your "embarrassment"."
I will continue to comment where I wish. The way you and a few others scream STOP POSTING and DON'T COME HERE to me - it tells me that maybe if there's enough negative opinion from other DS owners like myself, we won't have to put up with so many petty bashing blogs like this.
"EVERYTHING will have a spin to it because that's the f'cking point."
The Weblogs sites present themselves as actual sources for news. The 'fanboy' part doesn't excuse having to scroll past blog after blog of 'XXX is better than YYY'.
"But the way you mope around these blogs with a chip on your shoulder is just is f'cking silly."
But it's fine for DS Fanboy bloggers to have a chip on their shoulders about the PSP, eh? For those of us who like and own both to have to read?
"If that doesn't spell pathetic fanboy for you, nothing does. So it's generally best ignoring him; he's just here to start a war."
Again, your double standard and hypocrisy is hilarious. Anti-PSP rhetoric is cool, but if there's any DISSENT to that, well, that person has a 'chip on their shoulder', trying to 'start a war' and so forth. Yeah, that's a balanced viewpoint.
"if u think a game review score is the final word on how good or bad a game is, you are a pitiful human being."
LOL! Yeah, it must be GAME SALES. Metascores are just pointless because Pokemon Blue Team got a 63 and everyone knows POKEMON R0xx0rzz. And wow, you really prove that brilliant point with such creative insults.
It's a free country, you kids can crap on the PSP all you want. As I said before, those of us who actually own both laugh at the use of sales figures and 'jack of all trades, master of none' blather. Doesn't change how good the PSP library has gotten, nor how worthwhile it is as a game system. Integrated multimedia capabilities haven't affected the PSP's gaming qualifications one iota.
Fox @ Nov 7th 2006 12:59PM
"Why should I have to read these things to get to the real DS news?"
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
"we won't have to put up with so many petty bashing blogs like this."
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
"For those of us who like and own both to have to read?"
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
Now I know this may come as a shock to you, but guess what pixel, if I don't like the way a site posts news or information, I don't go there anymore! You don't have to come to DS fanboy, you can go anywhere you like for whatever bias you want. If this site is such crap, and you are so much better than us because you own both systems, what are you doing here? YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME HERE. No one is forcing you, and I doubt there are many who want you to. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME HERE.
And please, stop trying to disguise yourself as a DS fan; it's not working or winning you any buddies.
With all due respect,
Fox
pixelator @ Nov 7th 2006 5:49PM
And again with the 'leave, go away, stop posting!' pleas from the hardcore PSP bashers. I love it.
No, I don't have to read DS Fanboy. And you don't have to read my rebuttals to the juvenile PSP bashing, either. In fact, you don't have to reply to this comment - or any more of my comments. See, that cuts both ways, buddy. :D
I don't give a fig if you think I'm really a "DS Fan" or not - I'm a *gaming* fan, not a Nintendo-only fan... Which I'm well aware is going to be an unpopular view with THIS crowd.
Ndric @ Nov 7th 2006 10:30PM
It's funny how pathetic pixelator is.
No, I don't own a DS, but gosh, they're only handhelds. Do you have to go on a limb to defend the PSP all the time?
Get a life.
amethystperspective @ Nov 12th 2006 10:49AM
Seeing on how this article is now ancient I doubt anyone will read this. Oh, well.
How cute of you, Pixelator, to lump several posts together to make a generalization.
I'm no Nintendo fanboy (though I admit I was a PlayStation one) and I see myself as a general gamer such as yourself (planning on buying a PSP soon for 0rigins and XBox 360 for RE5).
"Why should I have to read these things to get to the real DS news?"
If you want REAL news you've come to the wrong place. Any reasonable person would know this is no place for hardcore facts.
"The 'fanboy' part doesn't excuse having to scroll past blog after blog of 'XXX is better than YYY'."
Oh, yes it does. It is that very "Fanboy" in the title that says, "We will be biased in our presentation of news". Just because you have this little fantasy that this is the place for pure truth does not change the fact that this isn't such a place.
"But it's fine for DS Fanboy bloggers to have a chip on their shoulders about the PSP, eh?"
It's not a f'cking chip. It's a lame attempt to fulfill the promise of the site's title. It's news spun to pleasure the fanboy.
"For those of us who like and own both to have to read?"
Here's where your chip kicks in. You come to a FANBOY site in search of unbiased, concrete facts when there are many sites already doing so. Why don't you leave a place you dislike? If there is a stick poking you in the ass you f'cking move away from the f'cking stick, not complain until it stops.
I understand you dislike the many unreasonably juvenile fanboys that randomly appear and disappear on PSP Fanboy, but if you are going to sink to their level then you are being a hypocrite in insulting them.
Why are so many telling you to get the f'ck out of here? You are being a troll, that's why, just like all those fanboys you dislike. There are plenty of sites offering what you want, gaming news with light bias, but you insist on this little crusade of yours to change a fanboy site to meet your personal standards.
You are the only person complaining about the status of these fanboy sites. Everyone gets it but you.
Jeremy @ Dec 2nd 2006 4:48PM
A war of wits in this blog won't make either side slip, so stop trying. Pix has made so points, but was quickly rebuttled.
Let me share some thoughts with you...
This Christmas I am going to buy a NDSL, not because the PSP sucks, not because I don't have enough money for the PSP, but because I want some sweet games. And no Pix, the main game for NDS is not Pokemon. Thats for all the moms that bought them for all their little kids. Games like FF3, MPH, and Contact, they don't SUCK.
I have looked into both systems, (unbiased viewpoint in tow, I might add) simply because I wanted the better system. I won't bash the PSP too much, but the cost... NOT WORTH IT! Looking at 500$ for just a few games and accessories. But who wouldn't want one if it were free? Games like SOCOM and MGS:PO would be tight to play. But not worth the problems (I heard the battery lasted like 4 hours. Compare that to the 18 hours of a DSL...).
So, pix, I would stop responding, obviously no one will listen, and for the others, stop bashing his POV. If you disrespect him so much then don't please him with a faint-hearted response.
Go DS.
qckslvrsiete @ Dec 26th 2006 5:52PM
I've owned both systems at different times. I sold my psp last Christmas to buy presents for my family and also wound up with a 5g ipod in the process. The reason I bought the psp in the first place the previous summer was because I was so stoked about it's online gaming support...what I wound up using the psp for was hacking/homebrew and portable movies. The only game I played on it in which I could justify waiting for the load times was lumines. And trying to play Madden 07 online was like watching paint dry. Homebrew aside, I found the 5g ipod was a lot easier to work with for the things I was actually using my psp for and coupled with the fact it was so expensive to maintain, it was an easy decision to drop it. (Note: When I owned the PSP, I vigorously defended it on engadget.com's gigantic DS vs. PSP forum).
Enter the DS. I got this thing for Christmas and I am so happy with it. It's a ten hour plane + bus ride for me to get back to school after this break and it's great knowing I can us my DS that entire time if I want to. When I owned the PSP I had to carefully ration out it's battery life for trips like that, and forget gaming if I decided to sit down and watch a movie. Mario Kart 64 is great and I'm completely blown away by the fast load times and especially the online play. All in all, the DS is better at what it's supposed to be: a portable gaming system. I found the PSP was more of a portable version of Sony's failed jack-of-all-trades home entertainment system that never reached stateside (PSX I believe?). Not to the say the PSP is a failure, it just hasn't shown the clout to maintain the gaming aspect and the fact that the sony exec made that distinction clearly shows that sony sees it the same way.