The mid-2000s saw some serious determination towards portable gaming consoles that would take the gaming world by surprise. However, this period also witnessed some intense competition between two gaming conglomerates of the time, Sony and Nintendo. When Sony launched the PlayStation Portable, Nintendo released the Dual-Screen in the same year.
However, the PlayStation Portable did not manage to stay in the forefront for a long time. In an attempt to bring the debate back, we aim to talk about whether the PSP was far behind or ahead of its time.
You can say that there are two sides to the debate. While one argues that the PSP’s downfall was a result of the timing, the other side claims that PSP simply wasn’t equipped to deal with the competition, i.e., Nintendo’s DS.
PSP Graphics Were Ahead of Their Time
When it was first released, PSP was one of the best contenders in the world of handheld devices. It also generated over 80 million sales. In terms of the graphics, PSP was far ahead in the competition. Unfortunately, it didn’t prove to be as valuable as it should’ve been in its success factor.
Another area where Sony took the lead was the upgraded hardware and software. However, due to its single-screen design, it wasn’t able to beat Nintendo’s dual-screen contender. From the graphical point of view, one can argue that the technology was way ahead of its time.
The Arrival of PSP Vita
Even though Sony could not beat Nintendo in the said market, it didn’t stop the company from experimenting and launching newer and better upgrades. In the early 2010s, PS Vita followed the footsteps of PSP but came out with updated functions such as a 5-inch touch screen. Additionally, the PSVita also had a quadcore processor to give gamers a console-like experience.
Sony further decided to enhance its marketing by providing the players with free bonus rewards. Even today, the PlayStation Store allows you to access several titles and older games. When Sony launched the PS Vita, it was revealed that the company looked up to several markets for inspiration and incorporated technology to get new gamers on board.
Several promotional tactics such as free titles, reward points, and subscriptions were also offered to give a much more enhanced experience to the existing and new gamers. Hence, PlayStation made sure to balance free and paid offerings to pave the way for success it couldn’t’ garner earlier.
In conclusion, the timing could be an important determinant of success, especially in PSP that was surely ahead of its time. One can also argue that the mid-2000s gamers weren’t ready to seek graphics of that caliber. No matter the case, PSP’s approach back in the day may not have meddled well with the audience. However, if something of the sort is launched in the market now, it may stand a better chance of competing against other portable market contenders.