When I moved here in Singapore back in 2008, there’s PSP everywhere. If you don’t see it, chances are there’s a bunch of Nintendo DS. It’s as if game consoles are vital gadgets that almost everyone either owns a PSP or DS. That was before iPhone, Android and a slew of very capable smartphones.
Fast forward today, barely three years when I landed here, and there are only few traces of the game consoles. Now, everybody carries a smartphone. And if a recent statistics is correct, almost 2 in every 10 own an iPhone. That’s how disruptive iPhone phenomenon is.
And though you’ll still see some people using PSPs in the train, they are usually those hard core gamer type. And I think that’s the key on problem Sony is facing — only gamers like to buy their device. When casual games became available in iPhone, there’s no more use of their dedicated device. Casual gamers simply switched over to iPhone and there goes the throngs of people who used to be Sony’s and Nintendo’s cash cow.
But PSP is coming back with their PSP phone. Basically, it is a smartphone with game console. That is if the rumors are right. But there’s no reason not to believe because some people already got it and actually disassembled for all the interwebs to see. So whatever the results of this new reincarnation of PSP would be interesting. Same goes with the Nintendo 3DS.
Goodluck to them. It will be an uphill battle.
Kwatog Nonsense 