Worldwide PSP releases for the week of December 14
by Majed Athab 
{ Dec 14th 2008 at 1:00PM }
NA Games:
- No new releases
- No new releases
Amazing week for Asia, er, Japan we mean. There are nine new titles hitting the market, no doubt to cash in on a late Christmas shopping buzz. Though there are a lot of games out this week for Japan, we'd have to say we're a lot about getting our hands on Dissidia.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Klemens @ Dec 14th 2008 1:35PM
DISSIDIA, I WANT IT NOW!
Saigon @ Dec 14th 2008 2:30PM
I second that.
daniel-kun @ Dec 15th 2008 5:20AM
I third that.
imbecile pete @ Dec 15th 2008 2:51PM
i fourth that
4pocalyps3 @ Dec 15th 2008 3:00PM
I...fourth..that..?
but yh me want dissidia nows!
Angel @ Dec 14th 2008 2:14PM
People the new themes for Final Fantasy Dissidia are up the official Japanese site. They have the ones from FF I to VI now!
pixelator @ Dec 14th 2008 1:50PM
Rapidly becoming a mantra:
[Please insert any one of a hundred different ways to say 'Sony has abandoned the PSP in the USA (and Europe)' in this space.]
SCEA has seen to it that US/EU PSP owners get a lump of coal this Christmas. Way to go, Sony.
Chris @ Dec 14th 2008 2:40PM
This is getting absolutely ridiculous. Sony gives us all a big middle finger week in and week out. And then they wonder why everyone mods them and how to stop it. The only support I am seeing from the psp is coming from Square.
Siva @ Dec 14th 2008 3:24PM
It is like Sony try to say "Take that NA/EU!!!"
Well, we all wish that Square would have think about worldwild simulation release 3 years ago NOT just now.
atastysammich @ Dec 14th 2008 4:58PM
Because it's fun and easy!
pixelator @ Dec 14th 2008 2:57PM
The launch calendar needs serious bolstering in the US - BADLY. It's up to SCEA to get some of those big games in Japan localized for the USA. Until some effort is made to that end, domestic developers will continue to show little interest in the PSP.
And yet when the PSP doesn't sell many units or sell through into the top 10 software titles, Sony will continue to blame... Who? Why, their customers, of course.
Zippon @ Dec 14th 2008 6:10PM
I know you strongly believe in the scenario that has NA/EU gamers lined up to spend their cash and Sony manically laughing as it denies us games and themselves profits (in what universe does that sort of behavior make sense?).
But have you looked at game sales back when the PSP was fairly new and more titles were being produced? Were sales EVER strong? I'm honestly asking because I don't know. I try to apply realistic motivations to people and businesses, and I think it was poor sales all along that caused Sony and others to abandon localizing games. And modding and piracy have accelerated that. That makes a lot more sense to me. Have you seen data that indicates otherwise?
And, yes, piracy exists everywhere, but that is irrelevant. If sales are already poor here, piracy can do nothing but hurt the situation, even if it exists elsewhere.
Your thoughts?
pixelator @ Dec 16th 2008 1:50AM
"I know you strongly believe in the scenario that has NA/EU gamers lined up to spend their cash and Sony manically laughing as it denies us games and themselves profits (in what universe does that sort of behavior make sense?)."
So you're saying that Sony is exempt from supporting millions of existing PSP owners in the USA because there's nobody 'lined up to spend'? You don't think people who have purchased a PSP system are 'lining up' to buy games? Remember that 14.7M PSP units have sold in the USA compared to 11.1M in Japan. The US PSP market remains wholly untapped by Sony and combined with Europe is about triple the installed base that Japan has.
You're right about one thing, Sony's behavior regarding the US/EU market doesn't make sense. That is mostly why the system software and hardware sales are nowhere near what they are in Japan.
"But have you looked at game sales back when the PSP was fairly new and more titles were being produced? Were sales EVER strong? I'm honestly asking because I don't know."
They were stronger, especially considering that there were far fewer PSP owners 'back when the PSP was fairly new'. I'm confused, though - are you trying to say Sony shouldn't bother supporting the PSP in the US? Because it seems as though you are.
"I try to apply realistic motivations to people and businesses, and I think it was poor sales all along that caused Sony and others to abandon localizing games."
It's a 'realistic motivation' to incite interest in your game platform by infusing it with GAMES. If you have the games, the people will buy them. Even quirky localized imports sold well on the DS and GBA. Why? Because there's a constant influx of varied titles spanning multiple genres.
"And modding and piracy have accelerated that. That makes a lot more sense to me. Have you seen data that indicates otherwise?"
Modding in and of itself doesn't hurt sales and no data exists to even remotely support such a ridiculous claim. As for piracy, no real data has yet been presented that indicates USA hardware and software sales have been significantly affected. Piracy has failed to ruin the software/hardware market for this system in Japan despite a very likely HIGHER per-capita mod/pirate ratio, so I'd say there's actually 'evidence' to indicate piracy and modding are NOT highly influential factors.
"Yes, piracy exists everywhere, but that is irrelevant. If sales are already poor here, piracy can do nothing but hurt the situation, even if it exists elsewhere."
You're looking at it backwards. If piracy exists in Japan and is also prevalent on such successful platforms as the DS and GBA (and several consoles), then it's clear that illegal downloads alone are not the main factor in creating the sort of situation you see with current PSP sales in the US.
PSN: Erdie @ Dec 14th 2008 4:01PM
Come now SCEA, let's see some support for your best selling console.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Dec 14th 2008 4:18PM
They do have some justification for it, and that is the PS3. That console is costing them money so they have to produce games for it so they can make some kind of profit on it. They also have sold many PSP systems in which they've made profit on so they may not see it as a top priority, especially considering the amount of piracy going on.
I don't defend Sony on their weak support for the PSP, but at least there are some good reasons behind it.
PSN: Erdie @ Dec 14th 2008 5:24PM
Whatever effort they've put into the PS3 didn't work, as it sold less during this year's November shopping season than last year's.
But I'm more concerned with them finding ways to increase third party support. When was the last Capcom game? Monster Hunter 2 back in August 2007? Granted they've got their hands full as of late, but it's still disappointing. Even Konami's been silent for a year.
Jeremy @ Dec 14th 2008 5:58PM
No, the last Capcom game was Harvey Birdman, originally a PSP exclusive, ported to the Wii and PS2. On the Capcom boards the Capcom guy (Sven) said that sales of it would determine future PSP support in NA, and I guess it flopped pretty badly.
Still, we are going to get Monster Hunger 2 G eventually. So maybe if that sells..
Hashbrown Hunter @ Dec 14th 2008 6:43PM
Yeah I do agree that Sony should be looking towards third-parties and try to convince them to develop on the system, but the only way that someone would sell a game that they know would be stolen would be to release it as a downloadable game on the Store.
That's what Sony needs: a AAA-exclusive title that will be released by digital download. It wasn't beats, it wasn't Syphon Filter: CO, it probably won't be SSP or Everday Shooter. But it will come eventually. All we PSP faithful have to do is wait.
Dr Haisook @ Dec 14th 2008 6:34PM
People in Japan go to the stores and regularly buy PSP games. People elsewhere download the games from the internet. Why would the developers elsewhere spend money and time on something that will be distributed for free?
Japan deserves it, we do not.
Eliott @ Dec 15th 2008 2:48AM
12-14-2008 @ 6:34PM
"Dr Haisook said...
People in Japan go to the stores and regularly buy PSP games. People elsewhere download the games from the internet. Why would the developers elsewhere spend money and time on something that will be distributed for free?
Japan deserves it, we do not"
Absolute rubbish.
How much time do you spend in Japan to know what people are doing here?
I know 10 people that have a PSP, all 10 of them are hacked and everyone downloads games. Not just PSP games but all sorts of homebrew/emulators.
All are Japanese.
Dr Haisook @ Dec 15th 2008 8:26AM
Assuming you live in Japan, it must be a terrible coincidence that you know the only 10 people in Japan who download PSP games.
Also, I'm not talking about homebrew/emulators. Most emulators were developed by the Japanese. I know that. There's nothing wrong with it.
Darlaten @ Dec 14th 2008 8:16PM
Hmm, the best way to promote the PSP in North America is not to release any games - particularly at Christmas. It's a very interesting strategy for sure so gotta give kudos to Sony for thinking outside the box :)
Seriously, it would be nice to see some release dates for North America.
Jeremy @ Dec 14th 2008 8:44PM
Anyway though, if you look at the release schedule of other consoles/handhelds, they are pretty light, too. Companies prefer to put stuff out a lot earlier than this so in order to get get early Xmas sales on Black Friday (not to mention sales for Hanukah)
ryok @ Dec 15th 2008 10:03AM
Definatly gonna import Dissida 'cause there isn't anything else for me to spend my money on and im tired of waiting for thisawsome game.
Do any of you know exactly what day it's getting realesed??