PSP "resurgence" in 2009/2010 - Koller

By Tom Bramwell Published 3 March, 2009

Has been telling publishers how to do it.

Sony's head PSP zealot John Koller has been explaining his plan to "ensure that 2009 and 2010 would see a tremendous resurgence" in PSP games.

According to an interview with MTV Multiplayer, this involved going round the publishing houses and showing them the money - or, at least, telling them how to make the money.

Koller's evidence was that almost all the first-party PSP games had a "positive gross margin". The platform holder also suggested marketing budgets, and offered advice on which existing games might work. "The number one request we had [for them] was: look at franchise games, and don't port them," he said. He also recommended cross-console functionality with PS3 versions in the same series.

So where had all the PSP games gone in the first place? Koller puts it down to flagging sales of the original portable slab prior to the launch of the PSP-2000 in September 2007. "The sales have been on a very strong trajectory ever since," he said.

What's more, he sounds like he's not too bothered about the nearly-100-million-selling elephant in every room, handbag, carry-on and coat pocket, the DS. "If you look at it just from a strict unit sales metric, PSP games outsell the DS counterpart," he said.

"But the DS games require much less development investment, because the graphics aren't as good, the gameplay isn't as deep. In general it's just not created for a more sophisticated, mature gamer, but usually [someone who is] under 12." (Have at it.)

Anyway, Koller believes the future is bright, although he hasn't said anything yet about whether it has a slide screen, no UMD drive, and offers shoulder-button-only control, which is the rumour.

And, to be fair to him, 2009's PSP releases will count LittleBigPlanet and Assassin's Creed among their number. We'll have to wait and see how much more Koller and company's efforts have paid off, but PSP owners can at least look forward to continued, serious support from Sony.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • Daikon #1 3 years ago

    What's next? An N-Gage resurgence in 2010-2011?

  • Goffee #2 3 years ago

    Well, Sony aren't totally 'on the ball' just yet, but at least they've found it, cleaned off the poo and blown it back up.

    A few ideas that could help Sony and other devs along are:

    Raid the archives, some ardent franchises have slipped away in various territories that are perfect for reinvention on the PSP:

    NetHack / Dungeon Master
    Codemaster's Micro Machines
    X-Wing or Tie Fighter
    Gauntlet (not the yukky remakes)
    Shenmue
    Resi Evil: Code Veronica

    There are hundreds more, all with fan-bases crying out for some love, feel free to suggest your own.

    Encourage the homebrew/shareware crowd:

    With the WiiWare and PSN stores starting to see PC ports; Flow!, World of Goo and so on, encouraging littler developers to have a crack on the PSP should be a priority for a stream of low-cost, high-impact titles that don't need to be Triple-A hits, just stylish enough to be popular in a lunch time break. The homebrew community is showing how to do it, why not open the floodgates, in an official manner.


    Edited by 1 at 03/03/09 @ 11:24

  • kangarootoo #3 3 years ago

    If this guy's job is to issue public statements, I think a little extra training would come in handy. All I could glean was a mix of marketing/accounting nonsense speak, mixed with a sprinkling of the tired old "the DS is for kids who like shallow games" that people wheel out when they can't think of anything else to say.

    The first is confusing and pointless, the second is simply not true.

    Must try harder.

  • DFawkes #4 3 years ago

    I wonder how well the N-Gage Platform games are selling? As a digital distrubution system, most new NOkias have it, but I think they might be scared to publish low figures. Good games though.

    I'd have a new PSP if there's a redesign, I've been looking for an excuse to get a new one. Either that or I'll have the Assasins Creed pack.

  • aldo_14 #5 3 years ago

    If this guy's job is to issue public statements, I think a little extra training would come in handy. All I could glean was a mix of marketing/accounting nonsense speak, mixed with a sprinkling of the tired old "the DS is for kids who like shallow games" that people wheel out when they can't think of anything else to say.

    The first is confusing and pointless, the second is simply not true.

    Sony seem to be very good at throwing out statements that alienate potential customers.

  • Dizzy #6 3 years ago

    Still trying to be the cool kid on the block I see.

  • Meho #7 3 years ago

    Can't wait for all the great PSP games that will blow shallow, simplistic, aimed-solely-at-12-year-olds crap like Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, Castlevania Order of Ecclesia and The World Ends With You out of the water... I mean, make no mistake, I have both consoles, I want them both to be happy, but this kind of speak is really uncalled for...

  • Ceatlan #8 3 years ago

    I just want a redesign of the PSP that makes it comfortable to use. I've had a PSP since the Jap launch, but I have hardly touched it since the first couple of months because I find it uncomfortable to use for more than a few minutes. I've never had that problem with the DS.

  • des #9 3 years ago

    More games for the pirates,yay

  • kangarootoo #10 3 years ago

    @Meho

    "I have both consoles, I want them both to be happy"

    This I think, is the part that Koller seems to be missing. The DS has sold so many damn units that a lot of potential PSP customers already own a DS. Calling them names or suggesting they buy crap products is hardly likely to get them on side.

    As it happens, I own a PSP but don't own a DS. I never really use the PSP (except for PS3 remote play, which is by far and away its best feature).

    I've been tempted many times to get a DS, but I kind of figure I don't really use a portable games machine to justify the spend.... but then with only my PSP setting an example, perhaps my view of the usefulness of a portable games machine is simply distorted.

  • StooMonster #11 3 years ago

    I'll get my PSP out the drawer when there is a new game worth playing ... available to buy, not pre-announced.

    PSP has sat unused and unloved since God Of War was completed.

  • Les #12 3 years ago

    "But the DS games require much less development investment, because the graphics aren't as good, the gameplay isn't as deep. In general it's just not created for a more sophisticated, mature gamer, but usually [someone who is] under 12." (Have at it.)"

    What an idiot!

    This kind of thinking (simple graphics = simple game) allows Nintendo to make loads and loads of money virtually unchallenged. Keep this up and in 10-15 years there will be no SCE anymore.

  • Fixxxer #13 3 years ago

    Do you think there's been a memo go round Sony Towers telling executives to position the DS as a kids toy at every opportunity?

  • MyPointIs #14 3 years ago

    With that kind of corporate thinking, there's no hope for them.

  • spammage #15 3 years ago

    Indeed. It is very much this thinking that has kept the PSP in the shadows for so long. The DS is awash with mediocre titles and kids movie tie ins, that said, there are still more reasons to own a DS than a PSP (from this "mature" angle, which is moot).

  • zedzee #16 3 years ago

    Hang on, so this guy Koller, where was he first time around then, when the release list of games for the PSP was sh*te?!

    There's no point in barking at Nintendo DS because, let's face it, they could release a cigarette smoking simulation game on it and it will still be popular with adults and the children behind the bike shed alike!

    Sony simply have had too many balls to juggle (they've now had three consoles out for a very long time) and while they've hoped that third party developers will simply continue their support, they've actually been dazzled away by Microsoft and Nintendo's offerings.

    This guy needs to go back to marketing school and learn the basics of good bullsh*tting.

  • Fodder #17 3 years ago

    Looking at the charts, it's hard to see how games are making money on the PSP. Final Fantasy Crisis Core was at the top of the UK PSP chart for weeks, but quickly dropped out of the all format top 40. God of War was similar - top game on the PSP made it 29th in the all formats. If being at the top of the PSP chart doesn't even get you near the top 10, then surely developers are better off putting their money into other platforms as they'll get a better return? It's not like the PSP is especially cheap to develop for.

  • Diomedes #18 3 years ago

    Theres a lot of pirates in the UK thats for sure ,but both FFVII and God of War charted in the Top Ten not for a week but for the whole month in USA when they were released ,and they did the same in some countries.PSP software sells quite good in Japan too.And now the unpiratable PSP3000 should be adding some non-pirate PSP users month after month to the market.

    I dont know about a PSP resurgence but as long as there are good games for 2009 and early 2010 its ok that would mean the console has been in the market for 5-6 years with a good support.And with games as FF Dissidia ,Kingdom Hearts ,Disgaea 2 ,Little Big Planet ,Motorstorm Artic Edge ,Assasins Creed ,Rock Band ,Ushiro ,Dynasty Warriors Multi Raid ,Resistence Retribution ,Final Fantasy XIII Agito ,Parasite Eve III ,Tales of the World II etc thats for granted .

    People keep talking about how the DS software is better etc etc but if you take a look at metacritic or gamerankings you will see the PSP hanging there with the DS in quality titles.And the DS just cant touch things as Everybodys Golf 2,Wipeout Pulse ,God of War COO ,Final Fantasy VII CC ,Out Run 2006 ,Ace Combat X ,Super Stardust Portable ,Daxter ,Syphon Filter Logans Shadow ,Syphon Filter Dark Mirror ,Killzone Liberation,Burnout Revenge and Dominator,PES ,etc.

    DS has some good games here and there but few and far between.It sells because Brain Training and to a lesser degree Mario Kart and New Super Mario and it had that big boom thanks to Nintendogs and Brain Training.Pretending that it sells because it has a balanced lineup with the best of each genre a handheld can provide is being a bit blind to reality.

  • Kaecyus #19 3 years ago

    You know, before I saw this article, I thought the PSP would have another chance with me.

    Chance is officially out the window.

  • drumbaby #20 3 years ago

    Just keep on releasing those Monster Hunter games on it...untold hours of joy.

  • peterfll #21 3 years ago

    As a PSP owner I just get frustrated that there's simply not more great content on it. Because there has been some fantastic games for it. Like others, the last time I used mine in angre was a year ago for GoW.

  • Ryze #22 3 years ago

    Resurgence = right-analogue stick to move the camera / aim, and loading games (quickly) from flash instead of UMD.

    The rest comes from a decent handheld experience via the hardware and games.

    Many people are too scared to even take a PSP outdoors.

  • djed #23 3 years ago

    i'd enjoy my ps3 more if the company behind wasn't a complete douchebag.

  • rprince #24 3 years ago

    LBP for PSP? :-O

  • Zaltan #25 3 years ago

    I want to get rid of mine... I've missed the new Pokemon, so I want a DS!

    PS do places like GAME/Gamestation check what firmware you have on it when you trade them in? Will they care if mines of Custom Firmware?
    Edited by 1 at 03/03/09 @ 22:59

  • Ryze #26 3 years ago

    Diomedes

    The issue is that if you look at the PS2 and even the Dreamcast lifespan - they had a huge number of better titles.

    The PSP is in the realm of the Saturn for quality titles. The platform is flawed for what it is being used for primarily - portable games.

    Since 2004, the PSP should have had many, many more of the hit (downloadable) games released for it:

    Rez
    Braid
    Peggle
    Bust-a-move
    Puzzlequest
    Loco Roco
    Lumines

    All of these and more should be sat on internal storage on PSPs, or released as installable UMDs

    PSP struggles as a portable platform due to its (percieved) fragility, loading times, uncomfortable design / controls and the temptation to simply port PS2 titles over. This has been the problem since launch.

    The Saturn was flawed when it came to making 3D games - it was often more trouble than it was worth trying to get the potential out of it... reminds me of another console that's struggling to match its competitors...

    /runs