Sony's Future?

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by Xantar
I think you may have missed my point here. The Playstation 2 will undoubtedly continue to be the most attractive platform to develop for. But when it comes down to the PSP or the GBA, which do you think developers will choose? Well, the GBA has a vastly larger userbase and is cheaper to develop for. So how's Sony going to get games for the PSP? You might think that they'd negotiate with developers and pull a sort of reverse of Nintendo's tactic (whereas Nintendo said, "Develop for our console or we won't let you develop for our handheld," Sony might put it the other way around). All I'm saying is that tactic won't work.

Yes, I do. And if I'm not mistaken, the PSP will not be anything like a replacement for a DVD player of any kind. Aside from its relatively low resolution screen, it doesn't play DVD size disks.

what did you mean by this ("Movies won't look too good on that thing. And if the screen size isn't very big anyway, people might prefer to just get a dedicated movie player"), then?

And about attracting developers, at the very least they'll have all of the dedicated 3D software. I would assume that a lot of companies would like to venture into making 3D handheld games for a handheld Playstation system. There's a reason why relatively nobody makes PSone or N64 games anymore, and it has nothing to do with the console's installed base. It's because the technology is outdated, and people want what's new. Just something to think about...

*btw, you're making some good points. nice to see some respectable discussion from clashing opinions (for whatever that's worth)

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by Rndm_Perfection
Perfect Stu, I like your posts. In fact, I respect your opinions quite a bit. This topic is just another example of your strength of opinion.

Thanks. I don't aim to please...but it's always nice to have a little positive effect on the forum

[GameMaster]

Originally posted by Perfect Stu
Predictions can turn out to be fact. But when someone is making a prediction, it simply can NOT be fact until proven so.

If someone is making a prediction about something that has already been proven than a prediction can be a fact at the same time.

[Rndm_Perfection]

Originally posted by GameMaster
If someone is making a prediction about something that has already been proven than a prediction can be a fact at the same time.

It's not a prediction if it's proven. For it to have been proven, it must have already occured. The only way to really prove something is to witness it first hand, or to do so with mathematics. You can't predict the past.

[GameMaster]

Originally posted by Rndm_Perfection
It's not a prediction if it's proven. For it to have been proven, it must have already occured. The only way to really prove something is to witness it first hand, or to do so with mathematics. You can't predict the past.

It's a prediction to one who has not yet proven it. It all depends on the person.

[Perfect Stu]

in any case, none of that applies to my predictions having 0% chance of being fact. let's get back to the topic...once again, Gamemaster...try adding something insightful to the topic. pretty please?

[GameMaster]

Grrr! You may have won this battle Stu, but you have yet to win the war!

*hops on board a helicopter and disappears into the horizon*

[Xantar]

Originally posted by Perfect Stu
what did you mean by this ("Movies won't look too good on that thing. And if the screen size isn't very big anyway, people might prefer to just get a dedicated movie player"), then?

Let's put it this way:

We've been watching TV at 640 x 480 resolution for a long time now. That resolution is about as old as television itself. At this point, people will not accept anything less for watching movies and shows. Your average PSP owner will either buy a dedicated movie player or just give up on watching movies on the road altogether and do something else like play games or read a book. Very few people will put up with the lower resolution. I don't think that there is so much demand for portable movie watching that people will settle for subpar quality. Movie playback on the PSP will be a gimmick, not a selling point.

And about attracting developers, at the very least they'll have all of the dedicated 3D software. I would assume that a lot of companies would like to venture into making 3D handheld games for a handheld Playstation system. There's a reason why relatively nobody makes PSone or N64 games anymore, and it has nothing to do with the console's installed base. It's because the technology is outdated, and people want what's new. Just something to think about...

I think you are approaching this the wrong way here. Companies follow demand (or what they think will be in demand in the future). It's true, nobody makes Playstation or N64 games any more. But that has nothing to do with developers wanting the latest and the hottest. It's because nobody buys Playstation or N64 games any more.

Companies are not going to start developing for the PSP just because it's the latest thing with technology that makes the GBA somewhat outdated. If that were true, the Game Gear would have gotten a lot more support than the Game Boy and probably beaten it, too. They have to see the demand there first. For that, people have to buy the thing. But why would anybody buy it? Well, it will have to have games that people want. But how's that going to happen if the developers don't see a reason to develop for it? That's what Sony is up against.

I'm not saying that nobody will support the PSP. For one thing, I'm willing to bet money that Final Fantasy games will show up on it. The question is whether the PSP will get more developers than the GBA. At this point, with the GBA being a giant in the industry, I don't think that's going to happen. And as we know from the console industry, the platform with more developers wins.

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Xantar
Companies are not going to start developing for the PSP just because it's the latest thing with technology that makes the GBA somewhat outdated. If that were true, the Game Gear would have gotten a lot more support than the Game Boy and probably beaten it, too. They have to see the demand there first. For that, people have to buy the thing. But why would anybody buy it? Well, it will have to have games that people want. But how's that going to happen if the developers don't see a reason to develop for it? That's what Sony is up against.

Isn't that what Sony was up against with PSX and thing turned out fine with them somehow?

And with NES, I know it competed with the Master System, but I'm pretty sure it did pretty poorly... So then what was the reason for people to buy Genesis? Because I know that did pretty well against SNES...

[Perfect Stu]

PS2 initially sold mainly because of brand name and hype. Well, guess what? Sony's unveiling of the PSP has just started the hype and we have over a year before its release. Oh, and they were smart in keeping the Playstation brandname. What makes you so sure the PSP won't follow the same footsteps?

[Null]

totally differnt markets tho.

unless, and i do say UNLESS, this PSP is really made into the portable media device. IE playing movies / music / and games. i would tend to agree with xantar.

The difference between the portables and what Sony did with PSX is image.

Sony came out with the PSX and it attraced the older audience. it looked 'cool' and was there for the 'cool' thing to have in many peoples opinion.

IF sony goes straight after the handheld market for games....... IMO its a kids market. kids are the ones that use the portables the most.

however if they do the same thing they did with the PSX, (which it looks like they are) and try to attract the older audience. ie making it the portable MEDIA device. or 'walkman of the 21st Century' then they have a very decent shot at it.
plus this isnt something that if it doesnt sell well they end it.... this will be a long term thing. and it will try to build up its user base from now thro the PS3's life.

[gekko]

Well Stu, you asked.

PS2 will remain at the top, and continue to lose support throughout the years. Yes, I did say continue. PS2 doesn't have the name it had a year ago. It has sales, but it's losing it's support from fans and developers. That will continue, no big deal.

PSP will do decent in Japan, Wonderswan and Neo Geo decent. Won't touch GBA. Will do quite poorly, even worse in the US, if they decide to release it here.

PS3 will crash and burn. Sony blew it this generation, they won, but they blew it. Sony can hype all they want, but remember what happened last time, they didn't deliver. Developers won't stand by and let it happen again, gamers won't be so quick to jump on the sony bandwagon. There's a new hardware leader in town, we call it Xbox. Xbox delivers the best hardware by far, and you know what? Gamers will expect it again next generation, just like they had high hopes for Sony this generation. Xbox will get the 3rd party support, Xbox will get the graphic junkies, and Xbox will get the Sony crowd. Nintendo will keep it's large following, and likely pick up quite a few Xbox and Sony fans along the way if they can prove themselves hardwarewise beforehand. Where does that leave Sony? 3rd. Dead last. Why? Because developers will move on, PS2 was way too difficult to develop for at its release last time. They had to stick around, PS2 had tens of millions of owners already. But they can move on now. Gamers will move on, Xbox and Gamecube are getting many more of the big titles already, and that will continue towards the release of these systems. Sony won this generation because they were successful getting a lot of people to buy the console very quickly. Next generation, don't expect people to forget the systems many downfalls.

[Null]

yea. sony won cuz they had a lot of people buy it very quickly..... Not because they did and continue to bash the hell out of every other console in sales month after month.

the nintendo following you speak of is falling apart. its obvious. They're going the way of Sega. Whats that i hear. nintendo wants to get thier next console out before the others do? hmmmm, seen that before... now who was it who tried that in the same position....

PS2 has by far the best games. they continue to get all the support they need. and the playstation name is stronger then it has been before.

and your right a that xbox fans expect the best graphics... i think that will bite them next gen. cuz i dont see them having a big of lead in graphics. Sony proved this gen they can hang with the big boys in terms of graphics. and beat them with thier 'inferior' machine.

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by gekko
Well Stu, you asked.

PS2 will remain at the top, and continue to lose support throughout the years. Yes, I did say continue. PS2 doesn't have the name it had a year ago. It has sales, but it's losing it's support from fans and developers. That will continue, no big deal.

Could you please provide some kind of information that shows that they're losing support from developers and especially fans? You can't always pull information out of your ass...

PSP will do decent in Japan, Wonderswan and Neo Geo decent. Won't touch GBA. Will do quite poorly, even worse in the US, if they decide to release it here.

Care to explain why?

PS3 will crash and burn. Sony blew it this generation, they won, but they blew it. Sony can hype all they want, but remember what happened last time, they didn't deliver. Developers won't stand by and let it happen again, gamers won't be so quick to jump on the sony bandwagon. There's a new hardware leader in town, we call it Xbox. Xbox delivers the best hardware by far, and you know what? Gamers will expect it again next generation, just like they had high hopes for Sony this generation. Xbox will get the 3rd party support, Xbox will get the graphic junkies, and Xbox will get the Sony crowd. Nintendo will keep it's large following, and likely pick up quite a few Xbox and Sony fans along the way if they can prove themselves hardwarewise beforehand. Where does that leave Sony? 3rd. Dead last. Why? Because developers will move on, PS2 was way too difficult to develop for at its release last time. They had to stick around, PS2 had tens of millions of owners already. But they can move on now. Gamers will move on, Xbox and Gamecube are getting many more of the big titles already, and that will continue towards the release of these systems. Sony won this generation because they were successful getting a lot of people to buy the console very quickly. Next generation, don't expect people to forget the systems many downfalls.

Nice predictions...but I see them as more of a pipedream than a future reality.

[Perfect Stu]

Ken Kuturagi stated at today's PSX Unveiling that all the big 3rd party developers have signed up to support the PSP...

Information is from a couple inside sources...I would take it as nothing but fact.