Viewing Thread:
"Will PSP hurt DS?"

Sony's new handheld is going to make a dent in the handheld domain normally cosily held by Nintendo, but how much will it affect Ninty?

Will the people who would have bought a DS now buy a PSP instead? Well, I think not. Given that most people who would have bought a DS or any new Nintendo handheld, buy it because they know what it does anyway, launching the PSP will only encourage Playstation fans and those casual gamers familiar with the brands it produces. That, coupled with the £180 price will mean that the usual Nintendo userbase won't really suffer that much.

I guess the question is, how many more people can Sony hope to pursuade to get into handheld gaming (the people who wouldn't normally be interested at all)?

Yep, so many good games coming out at the end of the year. I've got Nintendogs on pre-order (American version). I'll post my impressions then. Nintendo DS games I'm looking forward to:

Mario Kart
Animal Crossing
Lost in Blue
Super Maro Bros.
Viewtiful Joe DS
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (online :P)

Can't think of anymore.

Herr Dark Wolf wrote:
> I think the PSP is gonna sell really well. Literally no one I know
> has a DS, and no one at school has one either. I told them that I
> got a DS, and they go "meh, PSP is gonna rock." Of course
> where I live is Sony fanboy territory, it might be different
> elsewhere. The PSP really doesn't appeal to me, IMO the only good
> thing about it is emulation, and you can only do that if you can
> import it.

Hm. Well there are about 5 people I know who have a DS, and the way they are advertised in shops is poor.

Just you wait though - come Xmas time, loads of decent games will be out (Mario Kart, Nintendogs, Metroid Prime, Wi-Fi) and it will all be lovingly bundled. PSP does have a chance though, especially over in the UK. Yipes.

I think the PSP is gonna sell really well. Literally no one I know has a DS, and no one at school has one either. I told them that I got a DS, and they go "meh, PSP is gonna rock." Of course where I live is Sony fanboy territory, it might be different elsewhere. The PSP really doesn't appeal to me, IMO the only good thing about it is emulation, and you can only do that if you can import it.

Hedfix wrote:
> Yep, actually HAVING a userbase in Europe right NOW has got to make
> Nintendo popular with publishers, especially european ones.

Exactly... the DS has sold way in excess of a million in europe. That's a large userbase already without any killer aps or a major holiday season (I don't really count easter)...

The GBA SP also has a mega userbase... it sold unbelievably last Christmas and if you were one of those who got a GBA SP last christmas the idea of getting a PSP THIS christmas is less likely...

I mean what's the point in getting a new handheld 12 months after you got the last one? To be fair my ickle brother is getting a 360 and got an X-box last christmas and my even ickler brother is getting a DS after getting an SP last christmas but there is a reason...

Backwards compatibility... my brother justified it to my parents getting a DS this christmas because all the GBA SP games he has just bought still works on it.

Yep, actually HAVING a userbase in Europe right NOW has got to make Nintendo popular with publishers, especially european ones.

I believe the PSP may well beat the DS, I mean the DS despite selling like hot cakes over here, has not been recieved great by critics.

Meanwhile I cannot see it beating the GBA and the DS. The GBA in america last christmas sold 3.5 million (unbelievable, even beat the DS) and thanks to 2 special edition systems, Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong AND a price cut, the GBA stole the show last Christmas in Europe as well. This year there is even a new GBA coming out.

Reasons why Sony will smile this Christmas:

A: Initial pre-orders of the PSP in GAME have sold out.

B: Its september release allows for another sell-out shipment.

C: The graphics are gorgeous!

D: Adult gamers are getting more and more keen on handheld gaming.


Reasons why Nintendo will be smiling this christmas.

A: The DS has already built up a fan base of around a million thanks to the lack of competiton in Europe. Nintendo have also had 2 sell out shipments without any need for the Christmas rush.

B: The GBA Micro could well be the suprise package, it looks stylish and is set to be cheap. Also the millions who bought GBA's last Christmas will be less keen to get another handheld this christmas.

C: The DS has a lot of software due this Christmas, including Mario Kart, Metroid Prime, Nintendogs and many more little titles. Not to mention the launch of Wi-Fi.

D: Nintendo have the price-point on their side, £70 cheaper at the moment and rumours are rife of a price drop or the same price with an additional free game. Also rumours of a new colour being released.


I tell you this is gonna be closer than you think.

I can't see it myself.

It may make a dent in the potential future sales of the DS, but certainly not kill it. Especially when there are so many fans of the franchises like Advance Wars and Animal Crossing...

Tiltawhirl wrote:
> I predict that the PSP will kill DS saleswise in the UK.

I predict that the PSP will kill DS saleswise in the UK.

There'll probably be a hardware add-on for MP3's.