Well, the PSP was released today and only one word can sum it up, PATHETIC ! Down here in Shimonoseki (Yamaguchi Ken) there was next to no PSP stuff what so ever in the independent store while big shops only had accessories and a sad line up of only 6 titles. This has got to be one of the most sorry excuses for a launch ever in Japan !! Possibly worse than the PSX (That DVD writer one not the original PlayStation). No shops had posters promoting the new hardware today or even on the run up to the launch. Nintendo DS on the other hand is plastered in every games shop. The attached pictures were taken in Toy's R Us in Chofu Shimonoseki. This is a BIG Toys R Us too. As you can see the only displays were of 6 games sitting lonely on a shelf with a massive Nintendo DS box above them which was invading the space since the DS section was so big with 5 playable machines. The glass cabinet shows what few accessories were available. You'll also notice that there are no PSP display boxes at all. This is very odd. Even when items are sold out Toys R Us always have display boxes. I wonder if Sony sent all their shipment to Tokyo since they knew that's were the media would be to see the launch. They wouldn't want to look as if they f*cked up now on TV, would they. Talking of TV, PSP TV adds are also few and far between while DS adds are always on TV and have been for well over 3 weeks now. Yakumo
Maybe that's because you've only seen the ones on Nintendo's site. There are quite a few of them on TV now. I've seen 8 DS adds on TV only today yet only 2 PSP adds since two weeks ago. The phrase "Fuck up" doesn't come close. By the way, is that a naked Akane in your Avatar? Yakumo
Perhaps all this talk of battery life and poor ported games they have decided to keep a low profile Interesting regards the adverts etc. So did they sell out of the things in Toys R Us?
The DS had piss-poor marketing ( read : next to nothing on TV, no displays in stores, games and system shoved unceremoniously beside GBA games and systems) and was the weakest North American Nintendo launch in history., particularly here in Canada. That PSP display you showed in that pic there Yakumo? That's BETTER then ANY DS display here. There ARE no DS displays. The thing was ushered in with zero fanfare, shoved next to GBA stuff. Yet it's sold out pretty much everywhere. Does that tell you something? Yes it does. TV ads alone do not alone a successful launch and console make. Word of mouth and other mediums have a huge impact, and this shortage of PSPs will only increase attention towards it.
Anyway, i want a PSP. Just for Ridge Racers! rayer: I'll wait for the USA version, with reasonable prices though. ;-)
The jap version will soon be reasonable and im thinking of getting one come january. Unless the dollar is still very low compared to the pound.... When is it out in the USA?!
Lik-Sang already got one, and dissambled it for us to see it :smt082 http://www.lik-sang.com/psp.html More pics + info here: http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3545 :drinkers:
Hmm you have to wonder weither sony deliberately planned releasing tiny amounts so everyone would get hyped up because of the shortage. Seems strangely like the ps2 launch in japan where they used the same tactic. Everyone went mental trying to get one & when they eventually did all they used it for was to play dvd's as the launch lineup was terrible. :smt042
I thought the PS2 launch was impressive. In the US, nearly all PS2 were hitting $1200 on eBay so even like a year after the J launch Sony still didn't have their act together. At least PSP won't be released elsewhere this Xmas.
DS marketing has been fine in the US. Huge hype leading up to launch. More so than any portable ever. I'm going to purchase like 5 PSPs on launch and sell 4 of them on eBay. I'll make back the money I spent on the one and then some. :smt042
Ah, the newer ones don't have "Sawatte Mo Ii Desuka" on them. Now she says "Nintendo DS, Touch !" I know one thing though and that's Hikaru can "sawaru" any part of me anytime :smt033 Or better still "Suwaru" on me :-D People who under stand Japanese will know where I'm going. Yakumo
i dont know japanase, but since sawatte mo ii desuke means something like " can i touch it" i think sawaru = touch me? :smt009
How about this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=62054&item=8154602461&rd=1 A freakin PSP for 1300 $. That is trueluy insane
