Sony brings an end to iconic PlayStation Portable, pushes for Vita

[PALEMOCHI]

 

As dedicated handheld gaming consoles continue to struggle against the ubiquity of smartphones all over the world, Japan-based gaming and multimedia giant Sony has finally put to bed its iconic handheld gaming device, the PlayStation Portable (PSP). The game-makers are putting their efforts behind the new Vita handheld, and will stop shipping PSP’s by later this year.

 

Before the rise of smartphones and casual gaming, the PSP was the handheld gaming platform of choice – Sony has shipped over 76 million units of the handheld console in over 10 years of its existence. But the PSP has been challenged in Japan by Nintendo’s 3DS and more recently by a more encompassing growth into the handheld gaming market by smartphones. The losses are big enough that Sony has finally decided to put the platform to bed, choosing instead to put their efforts behind the PSP’s successor, the PlayStation Vita. Sony declared losses of around USD$1.3 billion last year, and is still expected to take losses this year, hence the move to kill off the non-performing business.

 

But industry insiders are even doubtful of the Vita’s potential to survive in a smartphone-heavy market. The Vita has, from analysis, not really set the gaming world alight with its sales, and Sony is not forthcoming with sales details. To push the gap a little bit, Sony is planning to offer discounts for Vita purchases in Japan for PSP owners. It was not revealed whether the same discounts will be made available for other markets. PSP shipments to the United States have ended in January this year, while shipments to Japan will end this month.

(c)

[bananabrows]

played you like two or three times but RIP

[Mako Yagami]

Hopefully this means more Vita sales.

[Skibop!!]

I thought Playstation Vita was the new version of the PSP

[Hemlock]

I love my psp and still use it from time to time. Also the potential jrpg of the year should be coming out this year.

Trails in the Sky SC! 

[iamayam]

PSP is a good handheld console.

[HvD]

I thought Playstation Vita was the new version of the PSP

Yes, you could put it that way, but in essence, It's better to say that Playstation Vita is the successor to PSP.  They are two different handheld consoles that play videogames in an entirely different format and game engine.  

 

The point of this announcement is to tell gamers that Sony has officially ceased production of the PSP device, and will now put its focus on the Vita instead.  

[Thomopony]

i love my psp 

we've had very good times in the past 

[blazeaire]

Hopefully this means more Vita sales.

Yeah me too Sony should put more original stuff on it though, not just old ports

[Mako Yagami]

I love my psp and still use it from time to time. Also the potential jrpg of the year should be coming out this year.

Trails in the Sky SC! 

 

Weren't they porting that to Vita? I could have sworn...

[Hemlock]

Weren't they porting that to Vita? I could have sworn...

I think the vita port you're thinking of was for a game later in the series. But that's so far away from where the series is in the west. Trails in the Sky is just the original trilogy. We only got the first one so far. There's like ~3 others after the trilogy now. 

 

Trails in the Sky First Chapter and Second Chapter (whenever this comes out) was announced to also release on Steam though. Since Falcom already released some of the Ys games on there i think they're gonna start putting up the Trails series. 

[Mako Yagami]

I think the vita port you're thinking of was for a game later in the series. But that's so far away from where the series is in the west. Trails in the Sky is just the original trilogy. We only got the first one so far. There's like ~3 others after the trilogy now. 

 

Trails in the Sky First Chapter and Second Chapter (whenever this comes out) was announced to also release on Steam though. Since Falcom already released some of the Ys games on there i think they're gonna start putting up the Trails series. 

 

I hate how these games haven't done well enough to speed up the translation process. The first Sora no Kiseki was great. Its been such a long time since I played it though I had forgotten about the sequels. Why did he leave :(

 

Overall the "Legend of Heroes" series is one of my favorites. The previous games were fucking amazing in terms of story.

[Hemlock]

I hate how these games haven't done well enough to speed up the translation process. The first Sora no Kiseki was great. Its been such a long time since I played it though I had forgotten about the sequels. Why did he leave :(

 

Overall the "Legend of Heroes" series is one of my favorites. The previous games were fucking amazing in terms of story.

i fucking love Sora no Kiseki FC. Waiting for SC for so long. They said sometime this summer but haven't said anything since....

 

You've played the previous LOH games? I only tried the Tears of Vermillion one but couldn't get into it at the time. 

[Mako Yagami]

i fucking love Sora no Kiseki FC. Waiting for SC for so long. They said sometime this summer but haven't said anything since....

 

You've played the previous LOH games? I only tried the Tears of Vermillion one but couldn't get into it at the time. 

 

The previous games take a while to get into, but once you do its a great story. All 3 games must be played if you want the complete background and be immersed in the lore.

[Hemlock]

The previous games take a while to get into, but once you do its a great story. All 3 games must be played if you want the complete background and be immersed in the lore.

I'll give it another chance but probably not anytime soon. That's gonna take 200+ hours probably if it's anything like Sora no Kiseki, which took me 70-ish hours to beat. 

 

I'm gonna start another Ys game though. Looking forward to that Falcom JDK Band music!