PSP owners could be forgiven for thinking the handheld's expected killer app, Gran Turismo 4: Mobile Edition, has been canned. Reports from the true butthole of the Internet claim the game is in dire straights, citing Famitsu as reporting that the title "has been given an indefinite release date". The truth is even more depressing...
The key word you will have read is 'indefinite'. This word, a machine translation from a phrase in a Famitsu report on the progress of GT4M, has been dragged through the Imaginatron 4000 and, after a few writers blindly copied a few blogs, means the game is as good as canned.
"...Speaking to Japanese publication Famitsu, developer Polyphony Digital has confirmed that the game has been given an indefinite release date. The news is the latest in a number of blows to hit the PSP, following the decision by several movie companies to stop producing UMD Videos for the handheld, and recent suggestions that Sony's platform is on death's door", states Totalvideogames.
Amazingly, it seems that the PSP is teetering on the edge of demise because Polyphony won't commit to a firm release date for GT4M, and a bunch of movie companies are backing away from releasing UMD movies. Before we get into this, let's look at a blog with a suspiciously similar take on the situation. "This latest delay, which is not exactly new, will not only disappoint awaiting fans, but will also probably affect the PSP. This update is considered to be the latest in a number of blows coming PSP's way, following several movie companies' decision to stop producing UMD Videos for the handheld," says PSPUpdates.
The failure of the UMD as a movie platform, something no-one with any sense was ever counting on, does not detract from its success as a gaming platform, and perhaps the only viable one for a machine like the PSP. Perhaps the only thing to top this level of stupidity would be for a site to represent a game without a confirmed release date as being in dire straights.
ZOMG! Halo 2 is in teh canZ!!11!one!!
You see what we did there right? For an actual reason to kick GT4M, click here. The rest of us will simply wait for what will be The Reason we've carried a PSP around with us for 18 months.
The key word you will have read is 'indefinite'. This word, a machine translation from a phrase in a Famitsu report on the progress of GT4M, has been dragged through the Imaginatron 4000 and, after a few writers blindly copied a few blogs, means the game is as good as canned.
"...Speaking to Japanese publication Famitsu, developer Polyphony Digital has confirmed that the game has been given an indefinite release date. The news is the latest in a number of blows to hit the PSP, following the decision by several movie companies to stop producing UMD Videos for the handheld, and recent suggestions that Sony's platform is on death's door", states Totalvideogames.
Amazingly, it seems that the PSP is teetering on the edge of demise because Polyphony won't commit to a firm release date for GT4M, and a bunch of movie companies are backing away from releasing UMD movies. Before we get into this, let's look at a blog with a suspiciously similar take on the situation. "This latest delay, which is not exactly new, will not only disappoint awaiting fans, but will also probably affect the PSP. This update is considered to be the latest in a number of blows coming PSP's way, following several movie companies' decision to stop producing UMD Videos for the handheld," says PSPUpdates.
The failure of the UMD as a movie platform, something no-one with any sense was ever counting on, does not detract from its success as a gaming platform, and perhaps the only viable one for a machine like the PSP. Perhaps the only thing to top this level of stupidity would be for a site to represent a game without a confirmed release date as being in dire straights.
ZOMG! Halo 2 is in teh canZ!!11!one!!
You see what we did there right? For an actual reason to kick GT4M, click here. The rest of us will simply wait for what will be The Reason we've carried a PSP around with us for 18 months.
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Comments
siberdib 4 Sep 2006 14:03
1/16
What I find funny is the comments of the PSP being surposedly at "deaths door". Its shipped over 20 million and must have sold at least 16, phaps around 18 since its release. Ok its getting hammered in Japan by the DS, yet its still selling a respectable 30-40k weekly. And just look at its third party support, it has at least as many if not more games upcomming than the DS. I have both a PSP and DSlite, and admit my DS gets alot more play, although ive still enjoyed Daxter, Loco Roco, Tekken and Lumines and a few other games since its release. As a portable games machine its going to be around for a while to come, and if Sony were to release a redesign, lower the price here in Europe and get some more original content.... Well the portable battle could become alot more interesting. (Sorry for speaking off topic there, as for GTM I couldnt care lessabout the game, ive never really enjoyed the series that much)...
tyrion 4 Sep 2006 14:23
2/16
Surely the reason the PSP game has been delayed is to better tie it in to GT5 on PS3? We could have virtual rear-view mirrors and mobile tuning shops if this is done correctly.
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warbaby 4 Sep 2006 15:23
3/16
Dammit, I always wanted to turn my $300 PSP into a $5 mirror. Imagine the possibilities of moving the rear-view mirror from the top of the tv screen to the PSP. I will now be able to set it atop my set, as it teeters on the brink of an iminent plunge.
OptimusP 4 Sep 2006 16:58
4/16
What i find funny is that people still think that Sony's PSP shipped number are that close to Sony PSP's sold number. They aren't! For every million PSP's shipped there is about 300 000-400 000 units of that million just lying there in someone's (being Sony's or retailers) stock.
Also the tie-in ratio is horrible...In Japan there are still more PSP's sold then there are PSP-games sold. What better third party support? EA has acknowledged that it has overestimated the PSP and are investing more in DS development because people want fun games (in a more indirect way, EA is actually calling the PSP not fun at all)
Also the tie-in ratio is horrible...In Japan there are still more PSP's sold then there are PSP-games sold. What better third party support? EA has acknowledged that it has overestimated the PSP and are investing more in DS development because people want fun games (in a more indirect way, EA is actually calling the PSP not fun at all)
siberdib 4 Sep 2006 17:08
5/16
Phaps I overestimated PSPs sales, their still impressive considering the time its been out. Obviously in relation to the DS they are nowhere near the same numbers but still respectable. What I mean to say this talk of the PSP tettering on the edge, and at deaths door is far from true. Its not going anywhere soon. As for EA, in the run up to christimas their releasing twice as many PSP games as DS games. Obviously this will change with the increasing popularity of the DS by the new year probably to a more equal ratio.
tyrion 4 Sep 2006 18:48
6/16
OptimusP wrote:
What i find funny is that people still think that Sony's PSP shipped number are that close to Sony PSP's sold number. They aren't! For every million PSP's shipped there is about 300 000-400 000 units of that million just lying there in someone's (being Sony's or retailers) stock.
That sounds like quite a claim, so lets look at the figures.
Here are SCEI's shipped figures for PSP - as you can see by 24-Jul-2006 SCEI say they shipped 5.20M into Asia, 8.17M into the USA and 6.65M into Europe.
According to Media Create's Figures, 3,749,630 PSPs were sold in Japan up to 24-Jul-2006, leaving 1,450,370 sold in the rest of Asia and unsold in warehouses. That's about 28%, which isn't far off your 300,000 unsold per million, which would be 30%. However, we know some have been sold in South Korea, etc so the figure is probably much lower. Not conclusive.
This page says NPD has tallied 4,873,061 PSPs sold in the US until the end of July. Leaving 3,296,939 unsold or about 40%! That's more like your 400,000 unsold and that's quite shocking.
Compare those US figures to the PS2's SCEI Says 42.97M PS2s shipped into the USA by the end of July 2006, NPD says 34,219,980 sold in the same time. This leaves 8,750,020 unsold or just over 20%.
That looks bad, but when you look at the amounts unsold and the last months' sales figures, you see that there are 20 months supply of PSPs unsold and 36 months supply of PS2s unsold, and that doesn't look as bad for the PSP.
I dunno where I'm going with all of this, but it looks like your 30-40% unsold figures match quite well in the US, if not elsewhere. That's why I only ever quote figures from Media Create, NPD or ChartTrack when I post sales figures. Those organisations get data directly from the point of sale terminals of the retailers so they are over the counter sales.
OptimusP 4 Sep 2006 19:25
7/16
Do note, NPD does not include game sales from Walmart and other large shoppingchains like walmart (lost the names, walmart is the only one i know) and online gamesales (from Amazon for example) which is a a growing thing in the US with every passing day.
On another forum, taking those factors in, someone calculated NPD accuracy is about 60% and dropping while Media Markt has a accuracy of about 90%. (just mentioning this...because i hate NPD...stupid overcharging bastards)
When Sony talks about shipping numbers, i find it peculiar that those shipping numbers are always equal with Nintendo's SOLD DS numbers. And like you have showed...there are 4-6 million PSP's just lying in someone's stock (let's be carefull and say Europe has a very optimistic 10% PSP stockpile).
So...do not take Sony's shipping numbers as a reference! Also the 30-40% theory is dangerously derived from last year findings that when Sony said it shipped 10 million units, combines salesfigures were talking of 6-6.5 million sold PSP-units.
On another forum, taking those factors in, someone calculated NPD accuracy is about 60% and dropping while Media Markt has a accuracy of about 90%. (just mentioning this...because i hate NPD...stupid overcharging bastards)
When Sony talks about shipping numbers, i find it peculiar that those shipping numbers are always equal with Nintendo's SOLD DS numbers. And like you have showed...there are 4-6 million PSP's just lying in someone's stock (let's be carefull and say Europe has a very optimistic 10% PSP stockpile).
So...do not take Sony's shipping numbers as a reference! Also the 30-40% theory is dangerously derived from last year findings that when Sony said it shipped 10 million units, combines salesfigures were talking of 6-6.5 million sold PSP-units.
TigerUppercut 5 Sep 2006 00:38
8/16
tyrion wrote:
Surely the reason the PSP game has been delayed is to better tie it in to GT5 on PS3? We could have virtual rear-view mirrors and mobile tuning shops if this is done correctly.
GT5 (actually even 4HD) will force me to buy a PS3. And I'll happily glue a PSP to my face if it acts as a rear-view mirror.
GameGod 5 Sep 2006 02:41
9/16
tyrion, who will blindly eat everything Sony throw at him... & then vomit it back at all of us (reminds me of "Bad Taste")... I feel dirty after reading your posts...
tyrion 5 Sep 2006 07:32
10/16
GameGod wrote:
tyrion, who will blindly eat everything Sony throw at him... & then vomit it back at all of us (reminds me of "Bad Taste")... I feel dirty after reading your posts...
I'm sorry that shot your dog in another life, truly I am, how many times must I apologise?
However, had you actually read and understood my post you would see that it's really critical of the figures that Sony publishes!
I pointed out that 40% of the US shipped figures for PSP that Sony shouts about are sitting in a warehouse somewhere. How that is stating a favourable position towards Sony is beyond me.
If however you're referring to my "rear-view mirror" post, please look up sarcasm in your favourite dictionary.
hollywooda 5 Sep 2006 10:21
11/16
what i'm amazed at is that people are suprised that sony have fooled the public again!! haha come on haven't we learnt anything? fake video's for PS3 games? mock up boxes for PSP games? Even Sony must be laughing thinking, "right what else can we feed these suckers!!"
wanderingsoul 5 Sep 2006 19:39
12/16
"...Speaking to Japanese publication Famitsu, developer Polyphony Digital has confirmed that the game has been given an indefinite release date. The news is the latest in a number of blows to hit the PSP, following the decision by several movie companies to stop producing UMD Videos for the handheld, and recent suggestions that Sony's platform is on death's door", states Totalvideogames.
Read the paragraph carefully. You will note that this paragraph is talking about UMDs in particular. It's not unlikely that you took the quote out of context. The quote most likely means that the UMD platform for movies is on death's door, not necessarily the PSP itself.
Read the paragraph carefully. You will note that this paragraph is talking about UMDs in particular. It's not unlikely that you took the quote out of context. The quote most likely means that the UMD platform for movies is on death's door, not necessarily the PSP itself.
SPInGSPOnG 5 Sep 2006 20:32
13/16
OptimusP wrote:
For every million PSP's shipped there is about 300 000-400 000 units of that million just lying there in someone's (being Sony's or retailers) stock.
That's just not true. I know Sony's detractors want to believe that, and they keep repeating it over and over in the hop ethat it will bewcome true. But modern supply chain management just doesn't work like that anymore. No one wants stock sat in warehouses, it ties up capital. Everyone works JIT these days.
Also the tie-in ratio is horrible...In Japan there are still more PSP's sold then there are PSP-games sold.
I hear you. But I'm not sure that I believe you. Can you cite reliable data to support that. It just doesn't make sense that anyone, least of all the Japanese, would buy a gaming platform and NO games. Certainly here in the UK the PSP attach rate has been better than the DS, though this may be changing since the launch of the DS Lite.
EA has acknowledged that it has overestimated the PSP and are investing more in DS development because people want fun games.
When did EA ever produce fun games, rather than tepid sports sequels and crap movie tie-ins? I'll tell you when, in 1993. So unless they are planning to roll out their old 16-bit games on DS, I'd take their input with a piece of salt.
siberdib 5 Sep 2006 20:46
14/16
Your right in that paragraph they are refering to the state of the UMD format, but in the very next paragragh whats written talks about the PSP generally.
"Amazingly, it seems that the PSP is teetering on the edge of demise because Polyphony won't commit to a firm release date for GT4M,".
This would have been a better quote to have used, clearly here referring about the PSP in general, and not specific to the UMD movie format.
"Amazingly, it seems that the PSP is teetering on the edge of demise because Polyphony won't commit to a firm release date for GT4M,".
This would have been a better quote to have used, clearly here referring about the PSP in general, and not specific to the UMD movie format.
OptimusP 6 Sep 2006 08:41
15/16
Rod Todd, did you not read the number post on page two from tyrion where he proved that globally yes from each million PSP-units shipped there are around 300 000-350 000 (bit less in Japan, 40% in the US...so 300 000-350 000 is a nice average globally) units just lying there in someone's store.(please note, someone's store can be Sony's own stock or retailer stock)
IT IS happening! Sony is just cramping out units there is no demand for so they can lower the productionprice on each unit and claim shipping numbers who aren't far away from Nintendo's sold numbers to make them look good towards the Sony community (who just gobbles it up whitout question) and their shareholders.
It's like someone else here said, Sony is just figuring out "right what can we make those fools believe now...hmmm..." I thaught last E3 was a good lesson in how Sony is full of marketingshit sometimes.
IT IS happening! Sony is just cramping out units there is no demand for so they can lower the productionprice on each unit and claim shipping numbers who aren't far away from Nintendo's sold numbers to make them look good towards the Sony community (who just gobbles it up whitout question) and their shareholders.
It's like someone else here said, Sony is just figuring out "right what can we make those fools believe now...hmmm..." I thaught last E3 was a good lesson in how Sony is full of marketingshit sometimes.
config 6 Sep 2006 09:00
16/16
If MediaCreate works anything like ChartTrack, then those figures are EOPS sellthrough from a sample of retailers.
You cannot rely on those figures as being indicative of total sellthrough.
You can use them to compare sellthrough between platforms.
You cannot rely on those figures as being indicative of total sellthrough.
You can use them to compare sellthrough between platforms.