What Sony's John Koller thinks about the DSi
by Alan Tsang 
{ Oct 7th 2008 at 11:00AM }
We didn't even have to ask -- because Sony's John Koller, director of hardware marketing, approached Gizmodo directly in hopes of discussing their side of the story. Does this new iteration provide enough differentiation from its predecessor? "Nintendo has kind of a history of these [moderate] kinds of updates, and even with DS Lite, there was a lot of discussion, 'Is that enough?' And they seemed to do pretty well there."
How will the DSi fare? "I can see the DSi being successful. The DS lite was obviously very successful. Will DSi do well with [the DS's] demographic? It probably will. Will it be a product that expands their user base [beyond] under 12? I'm not sure." Unfortunately, Koller did not directly address how the DS's hardware refresh compares to the PSP's hardware refresh. But it did seem like Koller was giving a backhanded compliment to Nintendo's handheld -- it will do reasonably well, but you'll only be selling it to children again. How do you guys feel? Do these hardware refreshes matter? Or is it ultimately software that determines the winner?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
strike @ Oct 7th 2008 11:16AM
I think younger children want the DS's, because of interaction, they want something to shake, throw or bite (even though that's not what DS's are for =p)
I think Sony want to bring us new unique games, with original ideas and hard-core and casual gameplay.
Nintendo are thought of as unique and original, despite they release *the same games* every year.
This is my opinion, so please don't yak at me =p
hdofu @ Oct 7th 2008 5:21PM
@ strike, what specifically is unique to the psp game play?, I thought alot of the games were based on console titles or remakes of console and arcade titles.
Not saying that isn't cool, looking forward to trying those out, just gameplay wise, what does it have to make it stand out from previous consoles like the gba or game gear.
strike @ Oct 7th 2008 5:58PM
I'm not trying to compare it to the gameboy or game gear, i'm trying to compare it to the DS. If you are a DS owner, I'm sure you notice the amount of learning games or simulation games you are swamped with, when looking through the games section. I'm sure that most of them are almost identical (nintendogs).
Personally, when looking through the psp games section, I see ALOT of games I'd like to buy, but it's almost the opposite with the DS.
The DS is a great idea (even tho i dont like touchscreen objects), but being bombarded by these same titles, time and time again in not unique or original. And, for me, those two things are very important, when it comes to selecting games. Hey, I should write game articles lol ^_^
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 7th 2008 6:59PM
I know it's your opinion, and I'm not gonna bash it. It's just that, after reading this...
"The DS is a great idea (even tho i dont like touchscreen objects), but being bombarded by these same titles, time and time again in not unique or original."
...I know that you don't know anything about the games that the DS has to offer. I own a PSP and a DS, and have an absolute shitload of games for both, and while almost every DS game I own is creative and/or innovative in some way, shape, or form, the PSP seems to consistently give me the 'console game on a handheld' feel it's going for. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but to say that the DS has a lack of creative games, and then comparing it to the PSP when it comes to creative games... well, that just comes off as a bit crazy to someone who owns and plays both on a regular basis.
strike @ Oct 7th 2008 11:17AM
*Despite the fact they release
>_< Clumsy fingers!
Jeremy Gray @ Oct 7th 2008 11:23AM
I'm under 12? Dang! For a second there I was sure I was 33!
In all seriousness, the "under 12" comment aside, this is probably the nicest overall statement that a Sony staffer has ever made about a Ninty product.
I love my PSP (and my DS, DS lite, 360, Wii, and as soon as LBP comes out, my about-to-be-purchased PS3 ;) ) but between the sales records and my own personal experience in noting that my DS lite gets more playtime than the rest of my handhelds and consoles combined, I really doubt that Ninty is going to have a problem selling the DSi, whether to the under-12s or otherwise.
Extinction @ Oct 7th 2008 12:07PM
He's implying the majority of DS owners are 12 and under, not all of them. Much like how people say PSP isn't reaching out to the female demographic. Yes there are girl PSP owners, but they are the minority
trystero @ Oct 7th 2008 11:44AM
I don't own a DS myself, but I find it hard to consume anything that Koller puts out there...
Hardware and firmware, I am pressed to find any amazing evolution of the PSP platform between revisions.
Extinction @ Oct 7th 2008 12:27PM
Are you kidding? PSP has had massive evolution.
Hardware wise, TV out is huuuuuuge. You can get a camera and GPS for it.
Firmware wise, it's gotten a web browser with flash, Remote Play and LocationFree, RSS, PS1 emulation, Skype and Video chat if you have the camera, downloadable games, music visualizers, Internet Radio
PSP has evolved more than most, if not all consumer products ever made.
DS is finally getting a taste of the functionality PSP launched with.
trystero @ Oct 7th 2008 1:45PM
I don't know man... TV out... ok. GPS is not available in the states despite a couple years promises of 'we plan to release it'. A 1.3 megapixel camera? :( I don't believe this is out in the states either ( unless you import ). A browser that has trouble rendering any number of sites, outdated Flash...
Sony promises more than it delivers...
See Koller here in June:
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/koller-promises-more-first-and-third-party-games-less-ports/
and earlier in March:
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/john-koller-talks-about-the-psp-turning-3-and-whats-to-come/
I don't see much delivered here. Yoshida admits a near total drought of 3P development in an interview a month ago.
Koller, himself, in Sept ( just a few weeks ago! ) bailing on earlier promises regarding games in 2008:
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/sonys-koller-ignores-holiday-2008-promises-better-2009/
Meh :) It's a giant hype machine :)
Virtuous @ Oct 7th 2008 3:07PM
Few PSP owners have either the GPS or camera. I bet few PSP 2000 owners actually use video out or even realize it's a feature.
Extinction @ Oct 7th 2008 11:43PM
The camera is extremely easy to import. Amazon.com sells them. The GPS isn't that hard to get either.
The browser is actually better than iPhone's. It doesn't crash every 5 damned minutes, opening in a new tab is a built in feature. It actually has flash. You need to stop comparing PSPs browser to firefox/IE and realize it's a microbrowser. It's only meant to be better than most cell phone browsers. And considering the 32 MB of RAM system works better than the iPhone with 128 MB of RAM, that says a lot.
Sony delivered their promise on games. Out of all my systems, I have the second most amount of games on PSP at 39, the first being PS2 at 41 a. And PSP is due to overtake it this year. As for less ports, I'd prefer more actually. I bought it to be a portable console. And I'd much rather buy games for it than PS2.
As for Sony not delivering on other promises, they will. That's why they are promises. They aren't saying they'll be out tomorrow. And I find it silly you are harping on them for not being out now. (Granted I will give you Home has been promised for far too long)
Lots of people use TV out, EVERY 2000 series PSP owner knows about it, it's listed on the box, the case of the PSP, the XMB interface itself, the cables on the wall next to PSP games in the store. Sony goes through a lot of trouble to show off this feature. You'd be stupid not to know about it, or claim most people don't.
andwhyisit @ Oct 8th 2008 1:21AM
Actually there was a revision of the flash player sometime between firmware 3.90 and 4.01. No-one noticed because Sony never changed the flash version or even announced it. But it is noticable that it now supports flash 7 movies.
Creciente @ Oct 7th 2008 12:04PM
It's all about the software. It's tiring to see handheld upgrades so often, and spending money on them.
Speaking of which, I have a couple questions to ask: I plan to purchase PSP soon, but I am unsure of what to do if I'll get the opportunity sooner than I expect - wait until PSP-3000 will be available in Russia with a good chance of hightened price and release delay, or get Slim & Lite 2000 that is freely available right now? Also, if I'll get 2000 now, I have a couple of good offers to choose from: Ice Silver Entertainment Pack / God of War: Chains of Olympus Limited Editions (both are US imports), or Piano Black PSP with a free copy of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. What would you do? The prices are nearly identical.
Thank you in advance.
HAAS599 @ Oct 7th 2008 12:47PM
wait and import the piano black psp-3000 with the 4gb Memory card and everyday shooter
bryansurvive @ Oct 7th 2008 1:34PM
ask yourself. do you want a brighter screen and built in mic, or do you play outside in daylight a lot? if the answer is i don't know or no then go buy a 2000.
Creciente @ Oct 13th 2008 8:09PM
Thank you, bryansurvive. Will do.
Roto13 @ Oct 7th 2008 12:37PM
"Will it be a product that expands their user base [beyond] under 12? I'm not sure."
Wow. Dude doesn't have a sweet clue what he's talking about.
Haohmaru @ Oct 7th 2008 8:28PM
No.. no, he doesn't. Don't get me wrong - I love my PSP, despite the fact that third-party support has dropped to a trickle. But I'm going to go back to playing the Dragon Quest IV remake now and chalk this post up to more Sony PR BS.
Alien @ Oct 7th 2008 12:45PM
Well as much as I love Sony, and I will probably blindly follow them until they will die out, I have to admit that this is BS. Common, show us a real update and not the 2000-3000 model crap, and maybe then we will take you seriously ;)
Extinction @ Oct 7th 2008 1:00PM
TV out is more than we've ever gotten from any new model for a portable before. Same for skype. Sorry but the 2000 series PSPs are a real update.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Oct 7th 2008 1:14PM
"Nintendo has kind of a history of these [moderate] kinds of updates..."
Moderate updates, huh Sony? WTF do you call the PSP Brite??? If there were planning to release a second refresh just one year after the first revision then they should've gotten rid of the Slim altogether! Now I feel abandoned and cheap, especially with features that are MUCH more worthwhile than the Slim's headlining features.
Nintendo did a great refresh and now I'm personally a lot more interested in the DS then I was before.
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 7th 2008 6:58PM
"TV out is more than we've ever gotten from any new model for a portable before."
Yeah, now you can play your PSP games in a tiny ass window on your HDTV and have 'em look more pixelated/blurry and less vibrant than on the screen the dang thing comes with.
RemoteJoy did the whole Video Out thing better and works with the original model. Sure, Video Out is big, but without the option to play games on interlace televisions (which the 3000 boasts, which is one of the only reasons I'm interested in it... a big update, it is not), it's not really all that.
Extinction @ Oct 7th 2008 11:47PM
No I'm not limited to a tiny ass window. My HDTV has a zoom button which upscales quite nicely. Nor would I care if I were. TV out is still huge. And even limited to a tiny ass window as you put it, it's still many times larger than PSPs screen now isn't it?
"Moderate updates, huh Sony? WTF do you call the PSP Brite???"
They were claiming it too is a moderate update. Don't get your panties in a bunch. They were including it in the group.
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 8th 2008 7:45AM
"it's still many times larger than PSPs screen now isn't it?"
Yeah. Looks like crap when you blow it up, though. My HDTV has zoom functionality as well, but when you blow PSP games up... ugh, I don't wanna go there. The results just don't look good, even when upscaled.
Jacob @ Oct 8th 2008 8:24AM
Admittedly I am a DS fan, but I have to question why TV out is such a big feature. If you're in front of your HD TV, wouldn't you rather be playing a console game instead of a PSP game?
I mean really, does it make any sense to play a PSP in a small window of your TV if you've got a PS2 hooked up? I'll definitely admit its a nifty feature, but it doesn't seem very useful overall.
Jason B. @ Oct 7th 2008 1:08PM
I will never understand the 'Apple' effect on people. Why people feel the need to upgrade their hardware for newer versions of the same thing with minor updates and spend way too much money to do so every year or two is beyond me. Good business model, but consumers should know better.
Extinction - the updates are actually helping to increase the PSPs user base. At least I hope so. I don't think small updates to the DS will increase their userbase.
gpdrummr @ Oct 7th 2008 1:23PM
nintendo is a kid company.
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 7th 2008 6:31PM
Probably perfectly suited for you then, eh?
BebopFox @ Oct 7th 2008 1:31PM
I think Johnny boy needs to look at his own device's "upgrades" before calling out another company's device. For me, software is really where it's at. Unfortunately, the only games that have kept me playing my psp are the Monster Hunter ones. If it weren't for them, I'd have never bought a psp in the first place nor kept playing them today. On the flip side, I think the ds is getting some great games (if you like rpg or strategy games), I just wish I could afford all of them on a college budget. :(
Last, sorry to be the down-player, but the camera and tv upgrades for the psp are extra components you have to buy....so it isn't something built-in that you can access right away. Other than that, next-to-everything else had/has been done by the homebrew community, which I feel led the psp in terms of firmware implementations.
Gaucho @ Oct 7th 2008 1:46PM
I have both a PSP and a DS lite and to be honest i only use my DS for Tetris, FF VI (GBA) and on nostalgic occasions Super Dodge Ball. I may have been tempted to get a new DS if it weren't the case that the DSi looks like a downgrade from the DSlite. no GB advance slot? that's BS there isn't enough of an upgrade in all the other aspects of the system to justify that cut.
Adultgamer @ Oct 7th 2008 2:00PM
I was at a restaurant the other day sitting across from a huge loud family with 4 little 5 year old girls waving around their DS's whose moms had to keep reminding not to stand on the chairs.
When I went to Best Buy to get a new DS game, I stood among a bunch of little girls who were looking at Barbie, horsey, kitty, and Dora the Explorer games.
As much as I'd like to deny that the DS isn't a kiddy system, I keep getting reminded that it is. Telling myself over and over again that John Koller is wrong in saying that the system appeals mostly to 12 and under doesn't change the fact that the ones around me who also play the DS really are 12 and under.
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 7th 2008 6:33PM
Back when the SNES was still in it's heyday, I remember going to Toys R Us and game stores and picking up games amidst a group of kids.
There's a difference between 'kiddy' and 'family friendly', and even then, the term 'kiddy' shouldn't be applied to any console because I have yet to see a mainstream console or handheld that hasn't offered plenty to the hardcore or core gamer. Especially the DS, which, despite having plenty of games that appeal to kids, also has plenty of games that appeal to gamers.
joeybeast @ Oct 7th 2008 2:46PM
I wouldn't have minded a built-in camera for my PSP.
Then again I wouldn't have used it in public.
CameronHilliard @ Oct 7th 2008 3:40PM
I'm so mad the psp-3000 does not include a camera...I guess I'll have to wait 6 months for them to release the psp-4000... "And that's all I have to say about that" (Forrest Gump).
Kristian @ Oct 7th 2008 4:12PM
yeah ds is more for a younger age group
the psp is pretty much for everyone
it kinda seems like nintendo is coying some of sony's ideas, i mean with the camera, browser, and is there media? whatever, it seems like their copying them
and i dont know why some of you are complaining about there only being a few updates with the pspbrite
i mean sure only a glare-resistant screen, mic and whatever else they got in there
but think about it, isnt that stuff useful?
although i hope there is some secret things sony shoved into the pspbrite before releasing it
they better make a 4000 model or something cause they need some more improvements to add
like dual analog, built in camera and gps
A LOT more ram, and maybe some other useful stuff
oh well all gotta do is hope
darklink @ Oct 7th 2008 4:45PM
it's pretty pathetic that psp fanboys are playing the kiddy games card. Questions:
1. If PS3/P has the same library, and all planned games right now still exist, but just like magic, companies released my little pony and barbie ames on the ps consoles. remmeber, all the games you like are till there as well as no cancellations, gow3 is still coming. Still, the magic new kid games now outnumber the core games 3 to 1. Would you call the PS consoles kiddy?
2. You compare DS's worst games to PSP's best. Pathetic, if you don't like Hotel Dusk, Castlevania, Zelda, final fantasy 4, and the upcoming KH, Dragon Quest 9, and Sonic RPG by Bioware, say it, don't ignore these awesome games. If deciding between a nissan and a honda, yo don't compare nissan's base model to honda's SE/LX/whatever is the top model.
Mazrael @ Oct 7th 2008 4:47PM
Instead of releasing slightly improved hardware, that a lot of people will buy to be up to date (and increase hardware sales) I'd really like to see more games for the PSP.. DS graphics are horrid now I've played my 360 for so long, if I feel like playing a handheld, I reach for my PSP nowadays.. but 5 minutes later it's turned off.. I've about 4 or 5 games for it & had the most fun with the Phastasy Star demo (had it since Dec 07)..
Maybe it's just the UK market but you walk into a shop asking if they have any PSP games and they look at you as if your dressed from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.. I see the Japanese get a steady release/re-release of games.. but here in the UK you'd be happy for a port of Blacksite 51..
I'm not interested in any of the connectivity.. I just want decent games, exclusive & built for PSP at that!
KinjiroSSD @ Oct 7th 2008 5:10PM
My wife loves her pink DS lite and its perfect system for her. On the other hand, I have a hard time liking it and doesn't hold a candle to my PSP. I guess I'm saying that the DS is a nice system for certain demographics.
Jeremy @ Oct 7th 2008 5:16PM
While there is little doubt that kids make up a huge DS demographic, and perhaps even the bulk of the software. There's quite a bit of software for adults too.
While I personally don't like the DS Lite much, hadware wise (lousy d-pad, small screen, small buttons), it's gotten more software this year that I was interested in than the PSP, and that only seemed to be increasing in the future.
Which isn't exactly saying much, since it's because PSP development has largely seem to have come to a screeching halt, but the DS does get a decent stream of strategy, RPG and adventure games.
farfisa @ Oct 7th 2008 5:48PM
Obviously the biggest changes to the DSi are the cameras. Other than that, the changes are as marginal as those we've seen in the PSP-3000. (and as for TV-out in the PSP-2000--did anyone else think that was going to be an add-on for the PSP-1000?)
But the camera thing could be big, if there's software support. And that's what Nintendo seems to do well.
The funny thing is that the biggest critique ever of the PSP is that it only has one thumb stick. But if they ever added another one, they'd have 10 times as many people complaining. The PSP can't evolve too much.
What they could do to compete more directly with the DS is bring out a different product entirely. A smaller, more simple, flash based system that plays PSN or other downloadable games.
Gurbinder @ Oct 7th 2008 5:58PM
who gives a **** what Koller thinks, hes an idiot, his marketing sucks along with any strategic selling (Japan does do the main stuff though and its too bad it does not work out here with the same games). And why does Dsi get a camera and psp in general, only has an external camera only available in certain regions.
PSP @ Oct 7th 2008 6:29PM
What i think is tht Nintendo just ripped off of what sony did except for the Cam and touch screen
I see a lawsuit
i think the Dsi is gonna be lame because the PSP has way better titles and better graphics and movies and more features and once psp brite comes out its gonna be a success
Heed my words
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Oct 7th 2008 6:37PM
"I see a lawsuit"
Uh, do you even know how things like that work?
"i think the Dsi is gonna be lame because the PSP has way better titles and better graphics and movies and more features and once psp brite comes out its gonna be a success
Heed my words"
What an open minded gamer.
andwhyisit @ Oct 8th 2008 6:54PM
If everyone was open minded then we wouldn't have "OMG Piracy is killing da PSP!!!!1!1!1111" and "PSP vs DS" arguments.
andwhyisit @ Oct 8th 2008 6:55PM
If everyone was open minded then we wouldn't have "OMG Piracy is killing da PSP!!!!1!1!1111" and "PSP vs DS" arguments.
usagi704 @ Oct 7th 2008 6:44PM
I'm not sure why this guy had to say anything about their competitor's system upgrade considering it will only make him look bad in the process.
"Nintendo has kind of a history of these [moderate] kinds of updates, and even with DS Lite, there was a lot of discussion, 'Is that enough?' And they seemed to do pretty well there."
Seems to me the PSP has had moderate updates too, so it is pretty dumb to use that as a negative against the DS.
"Will it be a product that expands their user base [beyond] under 12? I'm not sure."
Umm, seems to me their user base is and has always been well beyond 12.
Hiddenemerald @ Oct 7th 2008 7:10PM
This "ds is for kid" shit is kinda dumb. I know more bratty little kids with a psp than with a ds. In fact, some kid sais he'd rather go to jail than be seen with a ds. He was 9 years old.
I know a ton of college level people who have a ds, and know how to look away from the shovelware. I notice that unless you own a ds, you only see shovelware. The DS has a ton of quality games that ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN. You just have to actually look away from television ads that only show the crap.
Now, I love me my psp, and I'm excited for some of the games.
The DSi, I'm sorry to say, has way more new things than the psp brite. A hellofa lot more.
pixelator @ Oct 13th 2008 1:49PM
So your totally baseless, factless, purely anecdotal blathering is supposed to convince us that 1). More kids prefer the PSP, 2). The DS is preferred by older gamers, 3). The DS has more mature and better games than the PSP and 3). Everyone inherently knows how to sort out the shovelware on the DS.
I'd love to see where you base these ridiculous assertions other than "I know people," or "I've seen lots of people." My 'experience' has been that little kids eat the DS up with all its crapware cartoon games and Mario/Peach/Yoshi/Etc. IP rehashes/sequels. It also appeals to women and older nongamers, but for the most part, the PSP nails the gamer teen-to-adult male bracket. And yes, it has a better good:bad ratio and far, far less junk cluttering the shelves. It just needs MORE games and better support from Sony, which lately one would think was an anagram for 'FU, USA'.
The DSi does absolutely nothing new. It offers downloadable games like the PSP, PDA's and cell phones have had for years, a camera like has been available (in Japan at least) on the PSP and just about every cell device for the past 3 or 4 years and a higher pricetag.
PSP @ Oct 7th 2008 8:16PM
Well if you think about it
The Dsi is just like tht psp as i said
so what do you think people would go for?
Because Psp have a big screen well the Psp brite is.and the Dsi well its cool and all but looking at 2 screens which is work and that what we gamers are trying to avoid(My opinion)
I'm not a Ds hater or anything i used to have one until i uhh broke it
and the DS upgrades uhh are there any?
When i had one there wasn't any
And