PSP will arrive on March 24th for $249.

[Shockeye]

It's true! Press releases don't lie.

I seriously doubt Nintendo can scrounge up enough mediocre titles for the DS before then to keep anyone interested.

[HaemishM]

I'm not sure about the DS, but I know Nokia should be shitting bricks over this.

[Mesozoic]

What was the main PSP issue again?  Battery life?

[Alkiera]

What was the main PSP issue again?  Battery life?

That, and a tendency to eject the current disc forcibly across the room when a relatively small amount of torsion was applied to the body of the device.  Hopefully it's fixed now that the Japanese have had awhile to beta test it.

Alkiera

[stray]

This is from December, but I found it amusing (especially the step by step packaging screenshots -- scroll down to see it).

Everything you ever wanted to know about the PSP:

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-17-71-7o-74-ox.html

[Shockeye]

Seems there's a press release about their launch line-up as well. Will the PR never end?

   -- Ape Escape(R):  On the Loose, Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- ATV Offroad Fury(R):  Blazin' Trails, Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- Darkstalkers Chronicle(TM):  The Chaos Tower, Capcom
    -- Dynasty Warriors(R), KOEI
    -- FIFA 2005, Electronic Arts
    -- Gretzky(TM) NHL(R), Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- Lumines(TM), Ubisoft
    -- Metal Gear Acid(TM), Konami
    -- MLB(TM), Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- MVP Baseball, Electronic Arts
    -- NBA, Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- NBA Street Showdown, Electronic Arts
    -- Need for Speed(TM) Rivals, Electronic Arts
    -- NFL Street 2 Unleashed, Electronic Arts
    -- Rengoku(TM):  Tower of Purgatory, Konami
    -- Ridge Racer(TM), Namco
    -- Smartbomb, Eidos Interactive
    -- Spider-Man 2(TM), Activision
    -- Tiger Woods PGA TOUR(R), Electronic Arts
    -- Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix, Activision
    -- Twisted Metal:  Head On(TM), Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- Untold Legends:  Brotherhood of the Blade, Sony Online Entertainment
    -- Wipeout(R) Pure, Sony Computer Entertainment America
    -- World Tour Soccer, Sony Computer Entertainment America

Once again, I say goodbye DS. How can Ape Escape not be the #1 seller on release day?

Also, the lowest price on any games will be $39.99 according to the press release.

[Soukyan]

$249? Naw. I want the $99 price point. Unless it gives fellatio, anything higher than $100 is a ripoff.

[Rasix]

I'm not seeing a must own game there.

[schild]

Not seeing a must own game? Sure babycakes. It's launching with more better games than the DS could have even imagined launching with and will have more titles out than the DS will have after 6 months. That's called fucking pwnage.

$400 won't get you a system and 3 games though. That makes baby jesus sad.

[Soukyan]

FIFA is about the only one that would interest me and I'd rather play Winning Eleven on a regular console system with a big screen anyhow. I have to agree with Rasix. That game lineup is just "meh". I'm getting old though, so that could be lending some bias.

[schild]

That's funny, I'm looking at the list and I see MGA, Lumines, THUG2, Rengoku, and Wipeout. But that's just me. Though, curiously, Mercury is missing and I don't see an excuse anywhere.

[Shockeye]

$400 won't get you a system and 3 games though. That makes baby jesus sad.

I understand math is hard, but let me break it down for you.

$249 + $40 + $40 + $40 = $369

My local tax is 8.1%, so $369 + $29.89 = $398.89.

$398.89 < $400 unless you're using metric math or something.

[Mi_Tes]

Quite a list there.  The price isn't the issue, but what is the issue is that I don't see many "kid" games in it.  I am sure that will change at some point and more kid games will be added, but until kids see games on that list they really want, I don't see them caring or asking for it.

[schild]

Metal Gear Ac!d will cost $49. Just sayin'

[schild]

Quite a list there.  The price isn't the issue, but what is the issue is that I don't see many "kid" games in it.  I am sure that will change at some point and more kid games will be added, but until kids see games on that list they really want, I don't see them caring or asking for it.

Ape Escape
Hockey
SpiderMan 2
Baseball
Basketball

Did kids stop playing sports games? When I was little I was all about the RBI Baseball and other junk.

[Rasix]

Not seeing a must own game? Sure babycakes. It's launching with more better games than the DS could have even imagined launching with and will have more titles out than the DS will have after 6 months. That's called fucking pwnage.

$400 won't get you a system and 3 games though. That makes baby jesus sad.

Crappy games on both systems doesn't make one magically better.  Of course, if I was to buy a mobile gaming system, it would likely be the PSP.  Styluses annoy the holy hell out of me.  This would be if I actually needed mobile gaming; last time I checked books don't have batteries.

Edit: You're listing games, but they're still registering a mighty, "I don't give a crap".

Edit #2: Die Shockeye.

[Shockeye]

Of course, if I was to buy a mobile gaming system, it would likely be the PS2.  Styluses annoy the holy hell out of me.  This would be if I actually needed mobile gaming; last time I checked books don't have batteries.

When did the PS2 become portable? Sure it's slimmer, but it's still going to be a pain in the ass to play on a bus or train when you have to drag a screen around.

[Rasix]

Of course, if I was to buy a mobile gaming system, it would likely be the PS2.  Styluses annoy the holy hell out of me.  This would be if I actually needed mobile gaming; last time I checked books don't have batteries.

When did the PS2 become portable? Sure it's slimmer, but it's still going to be a pain in the ass to play on a bus or train when you have to drag a screen around.

My avatar could kill your avatar.  You know that, right?

[Mi_Tes]

Quite a list there.  The price isn't the issue, but what is the issue is that I don't see many "kid" games in it.  I am sure that will change at some point and more kid games will be added, but until kids see games on that list they really want, I don't see them caring or asking for it.

Ape Escape
Hockey
SpiderMan 2
Baseball
Basketball

Did kids stop playing sports games? When I was little I was all about the RBI Baseball and other junk.

They enjoy football, snowboarding, or fighting games, but those are really the only sports games they would want.  In addition to those, they enjoy anything with:
Teen Titans
Incredibles
Spongebob Squarepants
Yu Gi Oh
Dragon Ball Z
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Fairly Odd Parents
Spyro
Monkey Ball
Sharktales
Zelda
Mario
WoW
CoH
Pokemon

[Soukyan]

That's funny, I'm looking at the list and I see MGA, Lumines, THUG2, Rengoku, and Wipeout. But that's just me.

All of which would have appealed to me when I was still 16, but again, it must be an age thing.

That and I'm in the "bring a book" camp with Rasix.

[schild]

Dude, I'm older than you. Aren't I?

I hate to invoke Boog here, but it's more apropos: Why do you hate fun?

[Soukyan]

Dude, I'm older than you. Aren't I?

I hate to invoke Boog here, but it's more apropos: Why do you hate fun?

No, you're younger. I'll be 28 on the 27th of this month.

[schild]

Ok, now to the fun part.

[Trippy]

What was the main PSP issue again?  Battery life?

That, and a tendency to eject the current disc forcibly across the room when a relatively small amount of torsion was applied to the body of the device.  Hopefully it's fixed now that the Japanese have had awhile to beta test it.

Alkiera

Here's a list of some additional hardware problems:
http://psp.ign.com/articles/574/574098p1.html

There's also the square button issue which Sony claims is "working as intended":
http://cgw.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3137897

[Mesozoic]

Yeah, I'll wait for a price break on the PSP Deluxe Package: Now With Operational Hardware release.

[Trippy]

I'm not seeing a must own game there.

I don't see one either but that's because I'm mostly waiting for a really good RPG or SRPG for the PSP or DS.

[Fabricated]

I'm not seeing a must own game there.

I don't see one either but that's because I'm mostly waiting for a really good RPG or SRPG for the PSP or DS.

I'm sold on Dynasty Warriors and Metal Gear Acid alone.

Considering that there's a Y's title coming as well, I'm feeling pretty good about the PSP. At least, for me anyway, I dunno how it'll do in the market.

Sony really should sell a system-only box for $200.

[HaemishM]

Metal Gear Acid looks very good. Of course, depending on your feelings on Metal Gear, that could be the system's killer app or not.

[Paelos]

Metal Gear is a movie masquerading as a game last time I checked. However, perhaps the format would cut down on the useless cinematics.

[Fabricated]

Metal Gear is a movie masquerading as a game last time I checked. However, perhaps the format would cut down on the useless cinematics.

Play MGS3, it's more gameplay, less cinema. Hard as balls though.

[HaemishM]

Metal Gear is a movie masquerading as a game last time I checked. However, perhaps the format would cut down on the useless cinematics.

Are you mocking the superior acting skills of Raiden? Or his annoying fucking girlfriend?

[Sky]

Raiden was a lesbian? I thought Raiden was Snake's girlfriend. I'm confused now.

Never got off the boat in MGSubstance, controls too wonky imo. Game seemed really cool watching the eqholic play it on the ps2 (first game I thought the gameplay looked nice on the system, maybe the only...).

I'd probably grab TW golf, NFS, Dynasty Warriors, maybe the SOE title (err...is it online entertainment, though? odd). Saw the DS a few weeks ago, just seemed gimmicky and I'm not a big fan of nintendo's GBA lineup (or the GBA, really)

I did have that Sega handheld (game gear?). That was actually a decent system, used to use it while travelling with the band, surprisingly a lot of road people had them, I did a lot of game trading. Seem to remember a decent Prince of Persia and Sonic, and some strategy title that reminds me of FFT.

[Shmtur]

Uh, wasn't Metal Gear Acid a card battle game or somesuch?  So, how exactly is that appealing, again?

STEALTH GAMEPLAY, BUT WITH CARDS!

[Margalis]

I seriously doubt Nintendo can scrounge up enough mediocre titles for the DS before then to keep anyone interested.

Here is what you meant to say:

I seriously doubt if Sony can scrounge up enough $100 off coupons to keep anyone interested.

History has shown over and over again, expensive handhelds don't sell. Parents won't buy them for their kids because their kids will break them or lose them, and $250 is too much to replace.

Looking at that launch list...what? The DS is backwards compatible with the GBA and the GB no? I see a list of mostly ports and uninteresting titles, more than a few of which will be delayed. (Come on people, learn from history)

It's the Game Gear and Turbo Express all over again, yay!

Edit: Yes, the Metal Gear game is a card battle game...wow I'm impressed.

[Riggswolfe]

Metal Gear and a couple of others look interesting. However, if I spend close to $300 on a handheld game I'm afraid I'd have to kill myself.

DS wins by reasonable pricing.