Microsoft man takes a pop at PSP

By Robert Purchese Published 13 June, 2008

Says UMD format "hasn't been successful".

Microsoft hardware boss Robbie Bach has had a bit of a go at the PSP, criticising the device for trying to do too many things at once.

"The PSP is a reasonably successful product at the profit-and-loss level. But as a product concept, there are cautionary tales to learn from it," Bach told VentureBeat (spotted by Kotaku).

"While it is good at producing audio, it's not a good music player because it doesn't have local storage (except for flash memory slots). You can't keep your music there. It has a beautiful screen, but you can only get the video under the Universal Media Disc format. That format hasn't been successful. On a game level, it has done well. But even there, it is mostly PlayStation 2 ports. There isn't much original content." Tell us how you really feel, Robbie.

"When you do these devices, they can't be pretty good at a lot of things. They need to be great at what they do."

Bach went on to say he thinks of the PSP as a game player that also does video and music, unlike the Zune - which he feels is a more "broad-based entertainment device". "It is technically possible to do games on [Zune]," he added. "But you aren't going to see a broad gaming effort from us until we sort that through and have it figured out."

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (37) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • spongebob #1 4 years ago

    Only thing they got right was homebrew scene.

  • spongebob #2 4 years ago

    Sorry.
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 09:54

  • Eraysor #3 4 years ago

    I only use my PSP because it's hacked beyond all recognition, which actually makes it useful.

    Also, Zune games are pretty awesome. Wireless multiplayer Pong!

    I have a Zune and personally I think it's far better than an iPod. Much larger screen, easy to make homebrew applications for it, wireless syncing and a more intuitive touchpad.
    Edited by 1 at 13/06/08 @ 09:59

  • johnnybrn #4 4 years ago

    The Zune is hardly something to be proud of

  • dadrester #5 4 years ago

    it's an ace movie player. i just wish it could reliably play standard def divx files.

  • aldo_14 #6 4 years ago

    Hasn't the Zune been a bit of a financial/sales failure? Albiet, what the hell has it got to do with the PSP, when it's closer to an iPod?

  • Dizzy #7 4 years ago

    Water is still wet.

  • SEVQA #8 4 years ago

    This dude is an idiot! You can watch movie's off your MSpro! And the philosophy of do what the hell you want with a product, obviously doesn't fit into Microsoft’s model of, you are free do as we tell you, so we can eventually charge you for shit services and content! Be it Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft, the PSP rocks and is loved by many.

  • McFly55 #9 4 years ago

    Another pop at Sony for the sake of it.

  • seasidebaz #10 4 years ago

    News At Ten:
    UMD a failure.

    Next tonight:
    The sun will rise tomorrow.

  • XdarXideX #11 4 years ago

    This is news? Is it slow today? Have you turned into The Sun, eurogamer?

  • bag-in-box #12 4 years ago

    so i must remove my music from my psp now then? :S

  • DanWhitehead #13 4 years ago

    Have you turned into The Sun, eurogamer?

    Well, I have got my tits out...

  • Murbal #14 4 years ago

    Mostly PS2 ports my f***ing arse.

  • betahoven #15 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:36:16 17-12-2011

  • Goffee #16 4 years ago

    I'm not sure how he can criticise the PSP on this point. It can be argued that UMD is a failure, but Sony are starting to offer games by download, so the PSP is evolving - meaning the product is flexible, therefore (at least a little bit) good

    And why bring the sack of poop Zune into the argument, hasn't even launched in most markets, so much for an iPod killer...

  • kangarootoo #17 4 years ago

    Hmmm. I think this guy needs to do a little research.

    "While it is good at producing audio, it's not a good music player because it doesn't have local storage (except for flash memory slots). You can't keep your music there."

    That is like saying a camera is not good for storing photos if it only has an SD card slot. A bit of an odd thing to say.

    "It has a beautiful screen, but you can only get the video under the Universal Media Disc format."

    Or you can watch video files from the memory stick. There are plenty of shareware apps out there that let you convert pretty mcuh anything into PSP friendly video. And didn't I read about a firmware update (current or future, I'm not sure) that lets you drop an SD resolution of any Bluray film from your PS3 to your PSP's memory card?

    "On a game level, it has done well. But even there, it is mostly PlayStation 2 ports. There isn't much original content."

    That one isn't even worth responding to. As an observation of the games industry as a whole one could say there isn't much original content. I think of all the beneath-TV platforms, the 360 (which I own) could be mostly easily accused of a lack of variety.


    I'm not saying the PSP is the futaar or anything. The DS has an awful lot going for it and is clearly kicking the PSP's arse globally. I just tend to think that when people open their mouths in public they should probably make sure that the words which come out make a proportionally high degree of sense.

    Cage rattling like this kind of makes me wonder whether MS have something on the cards in the same "does more than just games" sector.

  • kangarootoo #18 4 years ago

    @XdarXideX

    Christ, can people just cork their gobs with this whole "slow news day" bollox. News sources are there to report news, not decide what is and isn't news. This is gaming news, so EG should report it. If you don't want to read it CLOSE YOUR EYES.

    /sigh

  • mingster #19 4 years ago

    What a nob.
    You can watch any media format from the memory stick .. doesn't require UMD at all.
    You can rip any format to the memory stick vioa USb using unix/apple or windows.
    You can use it to listen to internet radio/shoutcast
    You can watch you tube on it.
    It browses the web.
    It plays any PS1/GBA/ SNES/MAME/NEO-GEO game
    it plays PSP games...
    It has a camera... (extra) It has GPS (extra) it has skype capability... (extra) Messaging....
    it pretty much does everything except give you a blow job.
    Compare this to the Zune and it wipes the floor with it.
    MS man you should be ashamed of spouting pure rubbish like that.

  • miiiguel #20 4 years ago

    "MS should talk more about their own products and less about their competitors'. " and "One might ask why MS felt the need right now to rag on the psp. " and... many more:

    Maybe if you read the whole interview, you could know that someone asked him if he was planning for the Zune something like PSP....
    FFS.., I've been told this is cinical-land, but sometimes it's just too much.

    The funniest thing about Zune (well, in here, it's kinda usual), is that it is a product most of you only saw in pictures, and still... you're passionate about it.

    /turns on Zune.../

    Edited by 3 at 13/06/08 @ 11:10

  • johnnybrn #21 4 years ago

    @ Miiiguel,

    The funniest thing about Zune (well, in here, it's kinda usual), is that it is a product most of you only saw in pictures, and still... you're passionate about it.

    Going to have to disagree with that statement, I own a 360 and love it, and own a ipod and love it. Not interested in the Zune.

  • Rubakai #22 4 years ago

    I wish they would make more games for PSP, i agree with his suggestions from this point of view

    Cant wait for Blood Bowl

  • dadrester #23 4 years ago

    UMD as a movie format = Fail
    HD-DVD as a movie format = Fail

  • miiiguel #24 4 years ago

    I own and iPod and I own a Zune, and they do basicaly the same thing (well Zune has the radio thing, which I like). But neither are a reinvention of the wheel, I mean... you put music in it, and then you...er... listen to it.
    I can't pragmaticaly say iPod suck or Zune suck... well, without sounding even weirder than I usually do.

  • homerramone #25 4 years ago

    [/i] On a game level, it has done well.
    So a handheld gaming device hasnt done that well if its good at playing games and not so good any anything else....

    Riiiight.

  • QPRHOOPS81 #26 4 years ago

    ease of hacking the PSP is its biggest struggling point. I dont know anyone with a PSP that buys games for it. They all have custom firmware. Though to be fair the DS has the same issue and thats even easier to hack.

    I guess the difference is lots of people (not everyone before i get shouted at) who buy the DS (eg. mums, young kids) wouldnt even think of hacking it. The PSP on the otherhand is normally owned by people more technology savy. These people are more likely to know about hacking etc.

    I know lots of people will disagree with this but of all the people i know with DS's only two use an R4. One of those was because the first guy sorted it for her. Before he informed her about it she didnt know you could. Whereas on the PSP as i said every single person i know with one has it hacked.

    I can understand why you would run copied games. PSP running game off UMD is slow loading and the batt lasts about 4 hrs. Whereas running off a memory card loading times are vastly quicker and the batt lasts for about 13 hrs. Also the ability to use homebrew is a massive insentive. I guess on the DS this isnt the case as pirate games give no advantage other than cost.

    Whatever the case poor game sales mean less developers are ready to spend alot of time making games (god of war developers just quit PSP). That game was great but i dont know anyone who paid for it.

  • penguin_overlord #27 4 years ago

    Rather pointless rant by Microsoft, especially as the PSP regularly outsells the 360 in many territories. In fact it's the shining star in Japan at the moment and is helping to keep the PlayStation brand at the forefront.

  • Mr_Bison #28 4 years ago

    We think your machine is crap....we dont have anything...but theirs is crap

    o.k boy its 6 o'clock go to bed now

  • septimus #29 4 years ago

    UMD hasn't been successful? Welcome to 2005 MS guy!

    Cock.

    Anyway, PSP is still a good handheld with some very good games. (Crisis Core is excellent and well worth getting as a side note).

  • XdarXideX #30 4 years ago

    kangarootoo> Sorry, but recently there have been too many "stories" seemingly designed to create competitive behaviour.

  • Skywise #31 4 years ago

    Has their Zune sold even 1/10th of the PSP?

    Their whole story of having a focused device seems weird in light of these sales figures.

  • djcool3005 #32 4 years ago

    I don't think the boss of Microsoft hardware can complain since Microsoft's main Hardware, the 360 itself, overheats, breaks and is also very very noisy. He should be taking a lesson from Sony on how to build good hardware.

  • Feanor #33 4 years ago

    Buying a PSP at launch has been a great decision for me because of games like Wipeout Pure & Pulse, FF Tactics, Crisis Core FFVII and Ridge Racer 2.

  • Tweakmonkey #34 4 years ago

    The PSP is a great device. This man is talking cobblers.

  • seasidebaz #35 4 years ago

    Anyone who agrees with this guy has never had a PSP.

  • Wildsleven #36 4 years ago

    i bet he owns a psp!

  • louyfitz #37 4 years ago

    I have a psp, 2 actually. and I do sorta agree with him.

    I would love to see an Xbox branded handheld, and I'm sure if they made one it would be better than the PSP (FOR ME, not for everyone, before I get flamed)


    PSP cant play FPS games in any traditional sense of the word, one analogue "nub" is a fucking stupid idea.

    come on MS, I know it'll be over priced, unrealiable and bulky, but I wanna see a handheld.