Sony introduces a new pricing tier for PSP...

[Bacon McShig]

I've never seen a system with so little software create so much whining about pricing.

Well, that's the catch 22 here. The more they price themselves out of a lot of people's range, the less units are sold, and that directly effects third parties' decisions to put signifigant titles on the thing. Which also affects the number of units sold.

I seriously don't know how this'd work. They throw out the remote, the headphones, the soft case, the wrist strap, and what? If they don't give you a memory stick, that's $20 right there for a 32MB one. Want some kind of protective case? That'll be $20 or more, and hey, you're right back up to $250.

As I said, the only thing really necessary is a mem stick, the 32mb one is too piddly to justify the added $50, and the 1gb one can be had for less than $100.

Anyway, this isn't about what I want, it's about what's going to sell the most PSPs and make it a more viable platform for devs. It's cool that there's value packs out there for people that want/need all that stuff in one, they definitely have their place, but there's a whole other end of the spectrum who will only be swayed by the lowest price possible. When the PS2 bundle w/ the network adapter and a free game was out for only $20 more than the regular system, guess which one the store I worked at sold more of? There's a GBA system at BB right now that has FFTA and Metroid Zero mission bundled, for only $20 more than the system alone... guess which one looks to be selling a lot more? Both cases rule in favor of the bare-bones system, even though there were bundles available that offered exceptional value. And yeah, they very may well buy a lot of the same items seperately at higher prices later... so that's +1 to PSP sales where it may not have been at a higher price, plus more profit per unit on pheripherals than they make in the value packs. I fail to see the negative to Sony.

I'm only trying to help them here; even though it would save me a lot of money if it just kept going like it is, it pains me to see a system go to waste like PSP is.

I don't know where all this stuff people don't want to pay for in the value pack is. When I opened the box, I was not showered with diamonds and given a blowjob. Hell, I didn't even get Spiderman 2. The value pack is pretty bare bones as it is. I didn't get a USB cable or a memory stick larger than 32MB, which fills up damn fast.

That's an exceptional job of not helping your case.

My issue with this is also somewhat about our market being treated the same as others. Someone said that the $200 price point of the core system is a myth, but that's inaccurate... Japan (and a few other regions, IIRC) have had core packs at or below that price since the very beginning. Their prices on the value packs are also less, which is duly alarming since usually it's the other way around, our price has always been less or, at worst, equal to the equivalent price there. All signs point to our market being taken advantage of.

[kedawa]

I seriously don't know how this'd work. They throw out the remote, the headphones, the soft case, the wrist strap, and what? If they don't give you a memory stick, that's $20 right there for a 32MB one. Want some kind of protective case? That'll be $20 or more, and hey, you're right back up to $250.

I don't know where all this stuff people don't want to pay for in the value pack is. When I opened the box, I was not showered with diamonds and given a blowjob. Hell, I didn't even get Spiderman 2. The value pack is pretty bare bones as it is. I didn't get a USB cable or a memory stick larger than 32MB, which fills up damn fast.

You're proposing they throw out the next to nothing you've already got, stuff you will need to spend money on later, and sell the unit alone for $200. I really don't get it. It's like the core Xbox 360 system, which was mocked endlessly, and now you're asking them to do it? I really find it absurd if you can't pony up the last $50 for a PSP and are begging them to throw out the cleaning cloth and UMD demo disc just so you can get one.

A $200 package makes no sense. What do you want in it? The PSP, a battery, and the AC adapter? Won't be saving games without at least another $20 down. Do you really think people will run to buy a product that they can't really do anything with? I guess, by this logic, the bare bones Xbox 360 pack will sell tons. This doesn't make sense, not for Sony or anybody. The $250 package doesn't make sense either, compared to the $300 one, but if they pulled it, of course, everyone would throw a shit fit.

(may edit in the morning for coherency if necessary, desperately need sleep now)

First of all 200+20 does not equal 250, and aside from the PSP, battery, and charging cable, there's nothing else in that pack that you need, unless you count the 32MB stick that you'll be replacing anyway. I don't know about you, but I'd rather buy a $200 PSP and a $50 512MB stick than spend the same amount and end up with the useless 32MB stick.

Secondly, this is nothing like the 360 Core System, since a 32MB stick and the other junk is barely worth $50. The reason the Core System is retarded is that for $100 more, you could get the complete system which comes with like $250 worth of extra stuff, and doesn't require the $50 memory card.

And lastly, believe it or not, a $199 PSP with no game would sell better than a $249 PSP with no game. That's just the way things work.

[avatar]

I seriously don't know how this'd work. They throw out the remote, the headphones, the soft case, the wrist strap, and what? If they don't give you a memory stick, that's $20 right there for a 32MB one. Want some kind of protective case? That'll be $20 or more, and hey, you're right back up to $250.

I don't know where all this stuff people don't want to pay for in the value pack is. When I opened the box, I was not showered with diamonds and given a blowjob. Hell, I didn't even get Spiderman 2. The value pack is pretty bare bones as it is. I didn't get a USB cable or a memory stick larger than 32MB, which fills up damn fast.

You're proposing they throw out the next to nothing you've already got, stuff you will need to spend money on later, and sell the unit alone for $200. I really don't get it. It's like the core Xbox 360 system, which was mocked endlessly, and now you're asking them to do it? I really find it absurd if you can't pony up the last $50 for a PSP and are begging them to throw out the cleaning cloth and UMD demo disc just so you can get one.

A $200 package makes no sense. What do you want in it? The PSP, a battery, and the AC adapter? Won't be saving games without at least another $20 down. Do you really think people will run to buy a product that they can't really do anything with? I guess, by this logic, the bare bones Xbox 360 pack will sell tons. This doesn't make sense, not for Sony or anybody. The $250 package doesn't make sense either, compared to the $300 one, but if they pulled it, of course, everyone would throw a shit fit.

(may edit in the morning for coherency if necessary, desperately need sleep now)

I have no plans to dirty up my PSP. I won't need a $20 case.hell their is probablyone out therefor 10. The headphones,wriststrap,etc..is all a waste ofspace.I just want aPSP,Batteries,Adapter and a 32Mb stick.i'll buy a cheaper 1gig stick online thank you very much sony.

The biggest reason the core Xbox360system is being drilled is becuase of the lack of a Harddrive. It really has nothing todo with the price, but with the stuff that was taken out.

[Dolemite]

Can it be charged via USB?

Beats me, but would lugging around a PC be a better idea than a light little AC adapter? I mean, come on.

[Scourge]

Even if there was a "barebones" PSP, it would still have an AC adaptor/charging cable come with it.

[1CCOSA]

My list is even shorter:

Ridge Racer.

Don't get me wrong, I dug that game and beat the shit out of it for 100% completion, but since that time the PSP sits alone in the corner.

RR is your one "must-have/great" game and at the same time you're chewing out people who want a bare bones pack in addition to these high priced bundles? OooooK.

[Shin Johnpv]

I think the weakness of the PSP's software lineup is grossly exaggerated. Yeah, I currently enjoy my DS library more than my PSP, too, but that doesn't mean the PSP doesn't have plenty of great games available.


Way the fuck longer than it did for the PSP. The PSP had must haves the day it was released. It took seven months, not even including the DS's launch month, before it had a game worth owning, imo (Kirby: Canvas Curse in early June, and Meteos later that month.). The PSP has barely been released for as long as the DS's drought was.

Personally I think both have had shitty lineups for a long time, I don't think the PSP had a must have on release but that's all personal taste, the PSP for me finally has some good games coming but nothing yet, the DS in the last few months has just gotten stuff Im interested in

and that's just the US remember in Japan they came out at like a week or so apart so the PSP drought has been longer over there IMHO

My issue with this is also somewhat about our market being treated the same as others. Someone said that the $200 price point of the core system is a myth, but that's inaccurate... Japan (and a few other regions, IIRC) have had core packs at or below that price since the very beginning. Their prices on the value packs are also less, which is duly alarming since usually it's the other way around, our price has always been less or, at worst, equal to the equivalent price there. All signs point to our market being taken advantage of.

this is a pretty true point since day one in Japan there was a $180 system which came with the system, the ac charger and I'm not sure but I think the 32mb card, which is exactly what ALOT of people here in the US are asking for, and Sony is not giving us

[Grave]

That's an exceptional job of not helping your case.

My point was that I could not see Sony releasing a bundle with less in it, for any price. Maybe they will eventually, but it seemed unlikely to me. I know they sell the remote, soft case, etc seperately here. Not sure why.

As for the thing with other markets, I haven't heard about that, and if true, it's kind of irritating. But there's no reason not to import a PSP, being that they all play the same software, right? Problem solved.

[Cowutopia]

I only have one thing to say: They should include one of the older but better selling games in the pack. I don't think I could ever drop 300 dollars on a portable game system, I rarely drop 300 dollars on anything. But knowing I'd have to purchase a game on top of that....

[Bacon McShig]

As for the thing with other markets, I haven't heard about that, and if true, it's kind of irritating. But there's no reason not to import a PSP, being that they all play the same software, right? Problem solved.

I've thought about it, but seeing as how they already lock out different regions' movies, I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually do the same with games. Importing markups would negate the savings, anyhoo.

This isn't a "wah, I want a cheap PSP" issue, though. It's a "Sony needs to increase their installed base and marketshare if they want devs to justify and commit better projects to the PSP, and opting to put out only bundles (however value-imbued they may be) doesn't help towards that goal nearly so well as a lower-priced core pack would" issue.