DS is the future, PSP is the past, says EB
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Feb 19th 2007 at 4:56PM }
GamersReports has found an EB Games ad that tells you to trade your old systems from the past, such as the original "Phat" DS, the GBA SP ... and the PSP? While Nintendo and EB may want you to think that the DS Lite is the "future," it's everything but: the system is based on tech comparable to the N64 era. Where's the PS2-quality graphics? Or the ability to play multimedia and browse the web? While the games can be quite good, to think of the DS Lite as a "future" tech device would be akin to calling the Commodore 64 a "next-gen" system.
[Thanks, Chi!]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rickmeister @ Feb 19th 2007 5:17PM
Yay for more PSP bashing. Can never get enough of that. Yawn. You're right, the DS lite and PSP ought to switch places in that ad.
Andrew @ Feb 19th 2007 5:24PM
YOu can't blame them i guess, no way in a trillion years would they put this up if the PSP wasn't selling at their own store. Sure DS technically ain't the next generation graphics wise, but you have to say the touchscreen actually freakin works. I bought a Blask DS lite this week, and i have to say with sorrow... the PSP is its case in my drawer for the last 5 days... Sigh never thought this would happen.
clankman @ Feb 19th 2007 5:27PM
yeah there is no way the DS would be the future, because the PSP has so many features that the DS doesn't.
bxbailey @ Feb 19th 2007 5:50PM
Well there you go I'll no longer purchase anything from them anymore.
Bored @ Feb 19th 2007 6:05PM
This is really appealing to peoples' ignorance in order to sell the cheapest product.
Silver R. Wolfe @ Feb 19th 2007 6:20PM
Ouch, that smarts.
Well, technically, the DS Lite is newer than the PSP, since it came out afterwards. :D
Xoxide @ Feb 19th 2007 7:11PM
oh no freaking way. in no way does the DS (of any kind, lite or not) compare to the greatness of the PSP, which has really nice graphics compared to the pre-school art project look graphics of any DS game. the only use full feature the DS has is the touchscreen....nothing else. the PSP has movies and radio and TV and internet and photos and music and a camera and games and everything else imaginable, and if it doesnt have something, you know it will eventually, it has so much potential. where as the DS has no potential with its 16 bit graphics (over-exaggeration) and its over-pixelated games (which the designers use to try to hide the bad graphics)--if u walk close up to anything in a DS game you can see the pixels scattered everywhere. and it doesnt matter which is newer, whichever has better features and games is better. DS games all suck, and they all involve some very childish plot--because Nintendo focuses its games on younger audiences, i dont even think there is one M rated game for the DS...look what the PSP has for games, GTA, Dynasty Warriors, Twisted Metal, the warriors, etc--and it has lots of homebrews. EB is just springing for the larger populated gaming audience, there are more kids, so they support the DS because they know the kids will bound in begging for one. and oh ya one more thing. the DS's screen gets scratched and cracked so easily, theres nothing covering it when the DS is open, atleast the PSP has a protectice layer above its screen.
Billyc407 @ Feb 19th 2007 7:07PM
Yeah I've stopped buying from EB and Gamestop. Due to the fact the bash Sony whenever I was in there, but at the same time 70% of their stores are full with Sony stuff. I don't understand it. The DS in my opinion was built to appeal to the youngsters. While the PSP is ment for an older crowd.
Kade Storm @ Feb 19th 2007 7:09PM
The ad is stupid, but the way you people are contextualising 'future' as 'tech' is miserable. Seriously, how do you know that?
Has anyone bothered considering that maybe, JUST MAYBE, this ad is even more insulting as it might be implying that DS is going to be the console that'll dominate the future, regardless of its empirical worth.
Johnny Lasley @ Feb 19th 2007 7:20PM
I wonder if that was really an official EB ad. Someone could have easily photoshopped that. I doubt EB could legally use PSPs image in such a way that is derogatory to a company that makes the PS2, still the best seller for any game store.
Rawr-Man @ Feb 19th 2007 7:38PM
Sounds like Comment 7 is a graphic whore...But, the PSP has something else that the DS doesn't, a region code. And a majority of the good DS games are Japan Exclusive. However, since the DS doesn't have a Region Code, it can play those imported games without being modded. Saves ya a bit of money.
ProPorn @ Feb 19th 2007 7:38PM
Don't go bashing my Commodore 64, man! It's the future!
Johnny Lasley @ Feb 19th 2007 7:48PM
Sounds like commen 9 doesn't know what he's talking about. The PSP software has no region coding. I have three game unavailable in North America - two Japanese, one European.
Brought to you by the DS Fanboy Word of the Day -
Graphic whore: Someone who is perceived to have forsaken gameplay for higher resolution graphics.
Kade Storm @ Feb 19th 2007 7:55PM
Sounds like all of you have successfully digressed into something else over your intentional misunderstanding of the subject matter.
The ad reads 'future' not 'superior technology'. Future and technology can go hand in hand, but they're NOT THE SAME! Seriously, what is wrong with you people? Channel some of that gamer-rage into interpreting the whole meaning of the commercial statement.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Feb 19th 2007 8:06PM
That's pretty low of EB to call the PSP a system of the past. The DS may be fun but the PSP is much more advanced in hardware. The DS's hardware is, like you said, built off the N64 engine and it can look REALLY ugly at times.
Now, as for the Commodore64...lay off man, lay off...
Rob @ Feb 19th 2007 8:37PM
Thats a really dumb ad, IMO, they could have came up with something a little more un original..let me tell ya, Im looking forward to trading my PSP towards a pen wheeling, kiddy games, horrible graphic ds..sure Ill go right now!
Hater 2000! @ Feb 19th 2007 8:29PM
Crap im not first.I just saw this in kotaku and i was so pissed.The PSP the past? wtf it has better graphics than the Ds.While i hate EB games to death i have to say wait i still hate those jerks.Maybe im over reacting but c'mon the PSP library is like 3 or 5 times bigger and the games 2,4 times better.
Graphic whore: Someone who is perceived to have forsaken gameplay for higher resolution graphics.
Yeah,but are you guys telling me Nintendogs>>Metal Gear?.No "F"ing way.
But now the real question would someone trade a PSP for a NDS lite?.You have to be the Most stupid gamer of all to do that,really.
I dont want to start a system war but c'mon everyone knows the reason Nintendo is winning is because Nintendo systems are dirt cheap.Ka-ching,it prints money.
X360>>>>>>>Wii
PSP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>DS
Sales
Wii>>>>>>>>>>>360
DS>>>>>>>>>>>PSP.
Kade Storm @ Feb 19th 2007 8:32PM
Now that I can agree with. It's a stupid ad, and what it's really implying is that DS is hot, and will be future by that virtue. I hope not.
Strangler @ Feb 19th 2007 9:01PM
"I bought a Blask DS lite this week, and i have to say with sorrow... the PSP is its case in my drawer for the last 5 days... Sigh never thought this would happen."
have you ever played a gizmodo or ngage? even those wer ebetter than the ds imo. colors for the gizmodo looks pretty slick although finished was never released cause the system died, it has a review of the version that would have been released on the lost levels though. And gizmodo had many brilliant games that you could play online anywhere anytime, and games like a 3d snakes seem ehck of cool.
Strangler @ Feb 19th 2007 9:19PM
btw, does this mena the future of online gaming involves friend codes?
lewdvig @ Feb 19th 2007 9:20PM
I bought a used PSP at EB today for $139 CDN. Looks like there is not that much demand. I also bought Ratchet, Warriors, Daxter and PQ. I don't think the DS could any of those titles.
Mike @ Feb 19th 2007 9:21PM
Maybe it's a slipup. Could it be they're calling a PSP an "old" system because they were told by Sony to expect a model revision? It's always a possibility. That would explain why a PSP is being lumped in with obsolete systems.
SKI @ Feb 19th 2007 9:54PM
They are basically saying they think the DS Lites will keep on selling crazy amounts and they are showing what they are accepting as trade-in value for the other systems to drum up even more sales of the DS Lite. It's not bashing or derogatory in any way unless stating the fact that the DS is selling better is considered bashing the PSP to you.
Strangler @ Feb 19th 2007 10:06PM
The Future? Please, I believe the only reason the DS is selling better is because of that damn Dog simulator, which was released right around when? Christmas time. Nintendo knows marketing & could market a piece of turd and make it 'cute' & would sell millions.
Other than the usual Mario/Mario related, Metroid, Zelda, FF, or AW, there just isn't really any good releases from third party developers to make me think the DS is better than the PSP imo.
I've said it before if the PSP was around the same price range as the DS, the PSP would be killing them in sales. Everywhere except Japan where everyone there worships Nintendo like a cult.
Wes @ Feb 19th 2007 10:14PM
You know it doesnt really matter where the multimedia and web browsing are (See Play-yan and Opera browser for DS by the way) When the PSP does have good.......oh whats the word....ah yes, games. For some reason this device that was originally designed for games has now done an about-face and went the "multimedia" route. I wouldn't give $10 for trade in on that piece of crap if it were my buisness.
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Feb 19th 2007 10:20PM
@7: GRAPHICS GRAPHICS GRAPHICS GRAPHICS, ALL I CARE ABOUT IS THE GRAPHICS
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@13: "Nintendogs>>Metal Gear" Nintendogs is not the only game where gameplay takes priority over graphics, and a damn poor example in my opinion. Try playing Kirby Canvas Curse, Meteos, or Elite Beat Agents, all of which would be nigh-impossible without the touch-screen controls, and get back to me.
---
Maybe it's the fact that I own both a PSP and a DS lite, but I honestly think that this advertisement was less of a PSP bash from EB Games and more of an oversight by stupid marketers. (Especially because advertisements and promotions like that are often controlled by individual stores rather than EBgames as a whole.)
---
As for PSP vs DS, I must admit I'd like my DS a bit more. Graphics are worse, true, but the touch screen allows for some gameplay possibilities that are not possible on the PSP. This is fact. Oh and - PSP does ABSOLUTELY NOT have PS2 graphical caliber. Throughout all my PSP games - Vice City Stories to LocoRoco - I have not seen one game with the same graphical quality as the PS2. Case in point: the PSP version of Tony Hawk's Underground 2 has a lower polygon count, a lower texture resolution, a lower screen resolution, and a lower framerate than the PS2 version.
---
The advertisement's still stupid, though- PSP is the same generation as the DS. That's factual no matter what point of view you are on.
(Wow, I had a lot to say)
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Feb 19th 2007 10:21PM
Oh, here's another one:
@21:
Nintendogs was released in august.
Pawsie @ Feb 20th 2007 12:05AM
You all do understand it's more about business than anything else. One system is obviously hot.. and the other isn't getting as much attention. Considering sales aren't as high as the nintendo products, it's quite possible a lot of people are considering trading in their PSP
Regardless of which system it is, EB want you to trade it in to them. This isn't even Sony Bashing.. considering how freaking hard it is to get a DS Lite, it's quite appearant a lot of people want them.
Though this is good news for people interested in getting used PSPs.. but no one bother to think about that angle.
However.. if the sales continue in nintendo's favor... would the PSP have a future?
Zio @ Feb 20th 2007 12:26AM
I would rather trade my DS for SECOND PSP. >_>
jell-o @ Feb 20th 2007 12:49AM
well *future* is the good work for crappy.yes theres the stick screen so you dont need lotsa buttons but the ds is not so special you only have this stick touch gameplay.no special features?.psp got downloadable game demos,videos,mp3 for games etc,movies,games,mp3,internet browser.good quality graphics for a handhield machine.psp IS the future of gaming experience.and still making progress.all that to say.screw EB
Pawsie @ Feb 20th 2007 1:06AM
#29 Truthfully I think someone else said it better... You're confusing superior technology with "the future" Simply because something is better doesn't mean it is the future..That's a misconception of Scifi and crap like the Jettson. The DS isn't the future because it has an MP3 player, video, internet chat, and a calendar. You can get that crap from any PDA or an Ipod...
What the DS offer is the touch screen, and that's really all. It's not really a big deal, but it is the directin the majority of people (meaning gamers and non gamers) are taking.
the PSP has a good chance if they really make it into a gaming machine... But until then, it's basically an over priced gameboy advance that plays micro CDs.. I don't think micro CDs are the future.
Sean @ Feb 20th 2007 1:32AM
Wow, just... wow. I really dislike EB games, they sold me a used, $150, game-less, memory card-less PSP, tried to tell me that the 32mb card was extra, somehow always manage to hire more women than men, took over gamestop, and constantly bash my favorite system like the above ad... I really wish arson was legal. Screw them, video game stores are so crooked nowadays.
Strangler @ Feb 20th 2007 2:35AM
there is actually a practical intelligent quotent 2 in japan.
"the PSP has a good chance if they really make it into a gaming machine... But until then, it's basically an over priced gameboy advance that plays micro CDs.. I don't think micro CDs are the future."
are cartriges and friend codes the future?
Thor @ Feb 20th 2007 5:03AM
Maybe EB have realised that the future of games may not rely on prettier graphics, but new and innovative games? Or maybe having games released on your machine at all?
The DS can browse the web btw.
G-man @ Feb 20th 2007 5:05AM
Nothing wrong with systems from the past, I prefer playing my GBAsp over the DS. heh heh..
I stopped buying stuff from EB ages ago, (not because of crap like this though) mostly because I can get cheaper deals online.
Strangler @ Feb 21st 2007 3:42AM
what would be funnier is instead of the gba and regular ds they had an ngage and a gizmodo.
Pawsie @ Feb 20th 2007 7:26AM
#32 Well.. for the people planning on getting a DS Lite.. yeah, Friend Codes and Cartriges are in their future. It's not specifically better than was in the past, but it's successful.
moosey @ Feb 20th 2007 7:36AM
"for the people planning on getting a DS Lite.. yeah, Friend Codes and Cartriges are in their future"
nice uhm, rebuttal
zelder_man @ Feb 20th 2007 3:57PM
Wow, PSP fanboys are really blind. Yeah the PSP is built for older people, but not for gamers. If it were, it would have original games and not just ports. It may have "great graphics" and all that other bull, but the DS is fun. I had a PSP and it was very disappointing. If you wanna play PSP that's fine, but to sit there and say PSP is the future compareed to DS, that's ignorant. Maybe the graphics, but not the games.
Peace out, Bitches
Alien @ Feb 20th 2007 10:55AM
Wow , thats sad , but the fact that they want your PSP back means that it worth selling it cheaper . Yep , and again , here will go a debate on the pricetag :P
skar @ Feb 20th 2007 12:20PM
Its not a question of what's better or more tecnically advanced, its a question of FUN. and as much as this will hurt to most of you, the DS is waaaaaaaaay better than the PSP just for this reason, besides, the PSP tries to do a lot of cool things and unfotunately, other than looking a pictures and playing ROMS, it does not do anything else particularly well.
but I guess most of you numbnuts are happy waiting for the next GTA and madden.
Extinction @ Feb 20th 2007 2:07PM
#10 "...But, the PSP has something else that the DS doesn't, a region code"
PSP has no territorial lockout.
Also, the ad also says DS and GBA are the past. It's obviously going by release date, not technology (or quality of games, given DS's library sucks worse than any handheld before it.)
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Feb 20th 2007 5:04PM
You're both right and wrong. There is territorial lockout, but only on UMD Video and Audio. No region limitations on games.
Ben @ Feb 20th 2007 5:52PM
I cannot believe how blind some of you are. To the person who said that the NGage and the Gizmomdo were better than the DS-well that has to be true, I mean come on-if the DS was better, would it really be selling a ton and would the NGage and the Gizmondo be relegated to trash cans all over the world? O wait, that would happen. But only if the DS is better. Note-that was sarcasm-to the stupid Sony fanboy who said that the Ngage and the Gizmondo were better than the DS, STFU.
So second of all. I hate all the people who keep saying the that PSP is the best because it has better graphics. You know what? I wouldnt play alot of PSP games even if they looked like Gears of War in 1080p on a 100 inch plasma. Seriously. I have 12 DS games, and I love them all. Not because of the graphics, but because the gameplay is awesome, addicting, and overall much better than PSP games.
Third of all-If i really wanted a handheld that could play music, play movies, display photos, and surf the web, well I would get an iPod and a cell phone. O wait. I ALREADY HAVE THOSE THINGS. And they work wonderfully. So basically here it is. I have a small DS with awesome games, an iPod with a ton more music and movies than the PSP can hold, and a sweet cellphone that can surf the web. Why the hell would I want a big clunky PSP that does all of those things but badly? You can say the PSP is awesome because it has a bunch of different features but face it-the PSP is good at alot of things, but great at nothing. Meanwhile, I have 3 devices that are great at what they do-even though a single one cant do everything.
neyLa @ Feb 20th 2007 6:12PM
I think the PSP and DS are equally good.
*is murdered by both sides*
KillahCheese @ Feb 20th 2007 6:14PM
@43
Thats just ridiculous, you rather watch videos on your lil iPOD video?? I laugh at you. Squinting your little eyes watching some dinky video.
Yeah good job, surf the web on the cellphone for 10-20 bucks a month for a DATA plan, If thats how you roll, that is fine, but PSP, you do not need to pay for internet.
Are you comparing spaces between iPOD and PSP? I laugh at you even more. PSP has expandable memory and there are already 8 gig memory cards. In the coming months, there will larger memory cards to follow. Who here actually uses up the 20gigs of music? The most hip iPods are the Nano and even they are 4gig right now.
Obviously you are a DS fanboy, and the sentence that sealed your fate as a complete moron with incredible levels of ignorance.
"I wouldnt play alot of PSP games even if they looked like Gears of War in 1080p on a 100 inch plasma. I have 12 DS games, and I love them all"
linnyster @ Feb 20th 2007 6:16PM
Incidentally, what's with all the DS elitists who keep commenting here just to go "PSP SUX HUR HUR"? Why are you reading this blog if you hate the PSP? DSFanboy exists too, go show it some love.
moosey @ Feb 20th 2007 6:31PM
46 is teh winnar, dsfanboy's post about this caters more to them anyway
"PSP = teh suck, DS = the future, says EB"
"Now, we wouldn't do anything so childish as to rub this ad into the faces of our competition, but we will, however, make a post where you could comment and, in the process, make fun of them. It's OK, they never read this site anyway (we're pretty sure they can't read, which is why all the flashing colors and dumbed-down games on the PSP appeal to them so), so feel free to say why you hate the PSP.
For us? It's the battery life ... and lack of good games ... and basically everything else."
jay @ Feb 20th 2007 6:40PM
this ad implies that the PSP is a failure and in no way is that true...It might not be selling as much as the DS, but it has sold quite a lot and it is holding on its own against Nintendo and its handheld dominance, considering this is the first portable from sony!!
Kade Storm @ Feb 20th 2007 7:16PM
I was wrong. Because this ad doesn't imply that PSP is a failure; that's extremist. All this ad implies is that DS lite is hot, and that this is all just business. It's really that simple: They're banking on the DS lite-rave to get some cheap PSP, which they can retail for profit on their own terms.
Eesh. This thread is prefect example of how easy it is for the media to prey on the insecurities the audience.