"PSPgo will fail miserably" - UK retailer

By Games Industry.biz Published 7 October, 2009

And put others off, says Chips MD.

The managing director of the UK's largest independent games chain, Chips, expects the PSPgo to "fail miserably".

Revealing his views to GamesIndustry.biz, Don McCabe said: "My own personal opinion is that it's a no-go. I've been to a number of presentations to see if there's anything there and I don't feel it'll go anywhere to be honest.

"I'm 99.9 per cent sure it's going to fail miserably, in which case it's going to put back other potential people coming into that digital space."

This failure could be a positive for retailers of course, who stand to lose out on sales of software and trade-ins if digital sales completely take over from boxed ones. "From a retailers point of view the PSPgo is a good idea," he said.

"I heard from someone at Sony saying 'this steps our authority on the digital space and signals our intent,' and actually what I think is that they'll scare the crap out of anyone else who tries to follow."

McCabe's comments follow those of ShopTo CEO Igor Cipolletta, who told GamesIndustry.biz that sales of the PSPgo for the e-tailer have got off to a slow start. Part of the problem, said Cipolletta, is that retailers are unable to discount the console's relatively high price in the form of bundles, due to the absence of physical software.

But a secondary issue, said McCabe, is that while publishers see tremendous growth possibility in digital downloads, they are currently struggling to make profit from them.

"Everybody looks at Apple and says two billion downloads - well, yeah but out of two billion downloads I'd say maybe 70 per cent of those have been free. And of the ones that they've paid for they'll have paid pennies for.

"Apple's a tremendous success story for Apple, it's not a tremendous success story for anybody else."

As such, digital is a pipe dream at the moment, added McCabe, who compares its current state as "like the dotcom boom".

"It's going to come, no matter what, but a very small amount of people are actually going to go on to make any money out of it. One or two will make serious money and they'll be held up as 'you too can do this'. Whenever you see anyone producing fantastic figures, just ask them how much they actually made from it."

Picture of Games.

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Comments (101) Latest comment 2 years ago

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

  • lambtron #1 2 years ago

    Bricking it.

  • el_pollo_diablo #2 2 years ago

    Is that a custom firmware pun?

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #3 2 years ago

    Is that a custom firmware pun? :D

  • DFawkes #4 2 years ago

    I think it's still a bit annoying no shops seem to have a display one you can have a look at, which doesn't instill me with faith. I'd still quite like one eventually, but I'd prefer to see and hold one myself first.

  • stevetuck #5 2 years ago

    Why would anyone want to buy this anyway? its just the same as a PSP and its almost as exspensive as a PS3 and just like a DVD collection i actually like having a stack of games on my shelf :)

  • Hobo #6 2 years ago

    The fuck is Chips? Seriously, haven't heard of them at all.

  • El-Dev #7 2 years ago

    Chips? Never heard of them.

    Bad move by Sony, people(including myself) only see digital downloads as supplementing their games collection that is sitting on their shelf. I'm sure at some point in the future digital downloads will be the only method of purchasing games but not now.

  • Shinetop #8 2 years ago

    Store badmouths thing that will make people not buy stuff from them. More at 11.

  • stepneg #9 2 years ago

    I think everyone already knows it will fail

  • Toothball #10 2 years ago

    @DFawkes:

    Actually being able to touch one makes a few of the negatives go away. This still leaves an abundance of them remaining, but it's worth getting a feel for one if you get the chance.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 10:45

  • Shadders #11 2 years ago

    I think Sony know it will fail, I think for them, it's more about testing the infrastructure and getting consumer feedback before they make their decisions on PSP2.

    If they only sell 100k I don't think they'll be too fussed, they certainly haven't pushed it into people's faces like they have with the slim PS3 anyways, which suggests they have reasons other than profits to get this pushed into the market.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 10:50

  • TopKatt #12 2 years ago

    Might help a bit if Sony advertised the bloody thing! No-one I work with has heard of it.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 10:51

  • spookyzombie #13 2 years ago

    @ DFawkes - They had them on in display in the Gamestation I was in yesterday. Have you tried there?

  • Darren #14 2 years ago

    Isn't the reality that local retailers want the PSPgo to fail because they won't make any profits from selling its games?

  • MrMarbles #15 2 years ago

    I find these shop-owners' opinions as enlightening and essential as Industry Analyst Michael Pachter's.

    Tomorrow I'd like to read what Mick the Sandwich Man has to say about how piracy and second-hand sales are affecting the industry in this current economic climate please.

  • stevetuck #16 2 years ago

    Isn't the reality that local retailers want the PSPgo to fail because they won't make any profits from selling its games?

    pretty much yep :)

  • jonthepymm #17 2 years ago

    Well I've read enough to know I'm in the minority but I'm loving mine! UMDs were fiddly to carry, noisy, slow to load and drained the battery life so I'm glad they're gone. The PSP-go is small (so pocket-portable), silent, and weighs as much as a console controller so not uncomfortable for long play sessions.

    I agree pricing is slightly more expensive through PSN than through shops but there are still some bargains: Final Fantasy VII at £7.99 is hours worth of gameplay. Personally, I think PS-one games look better on the PSP-go than they've ever looked before.

    Maybe the PSP-go will fail - but I'm impressed with it so far.

  • IkariW #18 2 years ago

    Me thinks Lambtron is bang on the money, Don McCabe is cr@pping himself.....

    And heres why I think this, currently, games retailers take around 60% profit share of a game, publishers get around 30%, the Developers see approximately 10%!!!!!

    You see what is wrong with this picture I hope....

    His argument as regards the iPhone is totally unfounded also.
    True, people are more likely to buy free 'Apps' on the iPhone, and the uptake of people paying £3 + for software is probably slow. But he is forgetting one thing, the iPhone has only ever been digital, people, you and me, are already used to buying games at retail for £30+ so when a new game arrives digitally at a £35-40 price point, who is going to question it? no one because as long as you do your research about the game, you know you are getting quality.

    iPhone games are still finding their feet, but the quality will come I have no doubt.

    Personally, I think retailers have had far too big a slice of the pie for far to long! You only have to open a copy of MCV to see the amount of bullsh!t award shows, days out, etc they all get free!! For doing what exactly, selling games that sell themselves anyway*!!! (*If they are good)

    Example, I'm going to buy COD MW2, lets face it, I'm one of many.... (As long as the reviews are horrible, which I doubt.)
    Now, do I really need some 'know it all smuck' in one of these games stores to pass me the box and comment "Thats good that is mate" and take my money off me???
    NO I don't, and neither does anyway else.....

    Cut out the middle man I say!!!

    Viva la revolution!!!

    ;)
    Ik
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 11:05

  • brokenkey #19 2 years ago

    Its not just local retailers though, its any games retailer. I expect if Sony really do want it to sell they'll end up pushing it through non-games channels.

  • roz123 #20 2 years ago

    "Apple's a tremendous success story for Apple, it's not a tremendous success story for anybody else."

    Em yes it is, there are loads of success storys of developers making bucketloads from the apps
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 11:27

  • Schiraman #21 2 years ago

    What a bunch of crap. Why don't you go tell Valve what a pipedream digital games distribution is, and while you're at it perhaps you could mention it to Stardock - and to all the publishers who sell their games through either Steam or Impulse or both. Start with Ubisoft perhaps, or maybe EA...

  • davisorle #22 2 years ago

    I really dont care if you havent heaqrd of Chips, like neither have I actually, but most of his points are more than logical and I agree with them. As in PSPGo failing and scarin others of the market doing the same step any time soon, while at the same time giving room to other's entering similar, handheld market and as well as other points he made.

  • menage #23 2 years ago

    You guys should come take a look at my lcal trainstation. The advertising practicaly covers the whole thing.

    Still think it won't do well. Too confusing for the masses, to loose for the hardcore (I'd like to own my games without losing them when PSP2 hits)

  • bnazir #24 2 years ago

    Picked up a pspgo the other week from the States for $250 (£160). It's a fantatsic and sexy piece of kit, but would not have bought one at UK price levels, way too expensive for what it is.

    Still. the digital distrubition platform from a pricing point of view is way off from the retail chains. In order for it to suceed Sony must drop the price of the hardware significantly (sell at just below cost even) and make money through software sales.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #25 2 years ago

    At the Braehead shopping centre near Glasgow, there's currently a big Sony promotional booth in the atrium. They've got this open-topped shack thing with different rooms, and TVs on the outside promoting PS3 stuff like Singstar, Eyepet, Uncharted 2 and such.

    Then they've got this ring of seats with PSPs chained to them. But the PSPs are all 3000s, not PSP Gos.

  • miiiguel #26 2 years ago

    Cut out the middle man I say!!!

    Viva la revolution!!!

    That must be the most expensive and monopolistic "revolution" ever, as if you ever "cut the midle man" you'll destroy competition; price cuts; freebies... et cet era. I'll pass this one.

  • Zomoniac #27 2 years ago

    Might help a bit if Sony advertised the bloody thing! No-one I work with has heard of it.

    I'm getting told how great it is between every 3 songs on Spotify.

  • Golgo #28 2 years ago

    "I HOPE PSPgo (and other digitial download services) will fail miserably", says retailer keen to fleece customers.

  • Zomoniac #29 2 years ago

    I think Sony know it will fail, I think for them, it's more about testing the infrastructure and getting consumer feedback before they make their decisions on PSP2.

    This. The dev costs on it can't have been that high, and at that price they're probably making getting on for £100 a unit even after retailer/distributer markups. Sell 50k and each one buys a few pieces of software and they probably break even, and they have some invaluable market research. Either they're not as stupid as they make out, or they should come and read our comments :)

  • Sunyavadin #30 2 years ago

    Seriously, who the hell are these "Chips" people? Can't even find mention of them on google under games retailer searches... I'm guessing they're based somewhere in the southeast? Or are they the company who own a few of the smaller national chains, like Entertainment Exchange?

  • IkariW #31 2 years ago

    "That must be the most expensive and monopolistic "revolution" ever, as if you ever "cut the midle man" you'll destroy competition; price cuts; freebies... et cet era. I'll pass this one."

    As in the 'Digital Revolution' not the 'Sony Digital Revolution'
    So long as different Publishers, hardware manufacturers exist there will always be competition, price cuts and freebies.... just because this will happen digitally doesn't mean it won't be there!

    It won't destroy anything!! it will make it everything better, quicker, and more stream lined....

    Just need to be open minded thats all.

    ;)
    Ik



  • Sunyavadin #32 2 years ago

    What a bunch of crap. Why don't you go tell Valve what a pipedream digital games distribution is
    Yes, but the stuff available over Steam is usually available elsewhere, meaning competition exists, meaning they offer pricing incentives to buy via Steam, often fairly good ones as Valve can afford to lose a bit more profit margin per unit for increased overall profit. That's how competition drives down prices. No such competition exists in sony's model for the PSP

  • des #33 2 years ago

    Water is wet also...

  • youhavenomail #34 2 years ago

    Rentals will be the Go's saviour. It's a nice looking piece of kit and being able to rent movies as well as games to play all over the place for a couple of days on it is appealing. What they're trying to do at the moment, i.e. to convince consumers that there are any advantages to paying a little extra for the privilege of not having anything physical to show for it is not going to work while UMDs are an alternative.

  • mingster #35 2 years ago

    We've got a Chips retailer near us i personally haven't bought anything from them as they are too expensive compared to online.

    They are right though PSPGo is going to fail horribly.

  • skillian #36 2 years ago

    @Sunyvadin

    [link url=http:/ /corporate.chipsworld.co.uk/about-chips/
    ]http://co rporate.chipsworld.co.uk/about-...[/link]
    [link url=http://www.chipsworld.co .uk/
    ]http://www.chipsworld.co .uk/
    [/link]

    Although I must admit I had never heard of them either. Just shows how few indie games stores are left in the UK.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #37 2 years ago

    Damn, I was so set against getting one due to cost/reduction in functionality/proprietary connectors and cables/no UMD/no replaceable battery/generally feeling of wallet abuse... but with all this talk of it being a miserable failure and something that nobody wants makes me want to get one for my collection of games machines that didn't make it.

    It will sit pretty next to my NeoGeoPocket, Gizmondo, Virtual Boy etc.

    My only worry is that if other people start to think along the same lines, it may actually become popular and therefore not be the utter failure that it looks like it may be at the moment.

  • IkariW #38 2 years ago

    Don's argument is that the 'Go' will fail because its digital....

    I think he is forgetting a few things.
    1: Developers make the games,
    2: Publishers pay to have them made,
    3: This is business, if their is any way on earth that the publisher can make more profit, they will.

    The digital age is coming whether we like it or not! I'd be very surprised if the 'Next generation' of consoles have a DVD/Blue Ray drive, in fact I'd be surprised if they have Hard drives. Digital download, Multiple USB ports, and alot of 'Solid state' memory.... its the way forward...

    Think about it, no more moving parts in consoles, less noise, less heat, less chance of 'Red Rings/Blue light' hard ware fails.....

    Everyone is a winner, apart from retail, so instead of bleeting on about how rubbish digital is, they need to embrace it, and find ways of making it work for them. If not, they will be out of business, and I for one won't shed a tear over that.

    Okay, I've finished on this... ("Thank the lord" ;) I hear you say :)

    Ikari

    Edited by 2 at 07/10/09 @ 12:06

  • Sir_TimAlot #39 2 years ago

    Strangely the PSPGO recently made me buy a PSP-3000, its great!

  • Goodfella #40 2 years ago

    @ IkariW

    Exactly, times change and businesses have to move with/embrace advances, or risk going under. What does this dick expect Sony to do, bend over backwards to help him make more money with as little effort as possible on his part?

  • jjadi #41 2 years ago

    Chips is an overpriced indie that attempts to expand by ripping off franchisee's.
    At least a digital download will not stink of fags like most of the stuff from their shops.

  • miiiguel #42 2 years ago

    @IkariW : been buying many GoD then?
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 12:01

  • Markusdragon #43 2 years ago

    A download-only future, if modelled similarly to the PSPGo's system, is very bad news for both retailers and consumers.

  • parablax #44 2 years ago

    Anyone know the % of psp/ps3 owners that actually use PSN or go online. My guess is that the average /casual owner,

    a) doesn't have an available wireless network
    or
    b) doesnt know how to connect to psn or go 'online' using their console/handheld.

    If this is the case, then the psp-go is definately going to struggle.

  • Ryze #45 2 years ago

    I fully expect that this is like the 1st gen iPhone, where it was WAY overpriced, and lacked a killer feature - 3G.

    Unless Sony are idiots they'll be back next year with a REAL PSP2 - with the same form factor - but with the missing features included:

    - touchscreen
    - tilt sensor
    - right-analogue
    - better analogues
    - PSN messaging and friends lists
    - GPS
    - improved resolution and graphics h/w
    - 32GB option

    etc...

  • Ultra238a #46 2 years ago

    What a load of crap! Digital content delivery is the way forward regardless if we or the retailers like it or not. Whilst this guy is obviously going to do everything he can to protect his business I personally think retail shops are going to be a dying bread.

    You only have to go in to any Game, Gamestation, HMV etc and the lack of available PC games is horrendous if they have any at all. Stream has to be the way forward for the PC.

    Whilst 70% of apps "purchased" on the Apple store might have been free I bet Apple are over the moon about transacting 30% of 2 billion apps as paid for transactions. Nobody complains about the price of iPod Touch

    Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are all selling games directly to their current generation consoles and whilst it might be the thin end of the wedge currently as far as retail sales are concerned you can almost be sure that the next generation of consoles will be lacking any kind of optical drive at all

  • gremly #47 2 years ago

    In other news!...Don McCabe was found DEAD today, Clubed to death by PS fanboys.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 12:14

  • mingster #48 2 years ago

    The PSPGo is an experiment for Sony. It wont succeed and will pave the way for the PSP2.
    It is an expirement to test the waters and see how many people are interested in a download only service.
    They will scrap it once they have the data they require. Exactly as they did with the PSX (No not the PS1 the PSX look it up if you've never heard of it)

  • Spooke #49 2 years ago

    I think it's inevitable that the way it will go is digital downloads. But don't fear, pirates will still find ways to circumnavigate any security.

  • Shadders #50 2 years ago

    @Ultra "Whilst 70% of apps "purchased" on the Apple store might have been free I bet Apple are over the moon about transacting 30% of 2 billion apps as paid for transactions. Nobody complains about the price of iPod Touch"

    It's worth remembering that McCabe has just made these 70% stats up off of the top of his head with no facts to back it up, for all we know the figures for the app store might be a lot more appealing than he suggests.

    The guy's clearly a hack, and if he's any sense he'll sell up now while he still can, retail is dying and no amount of stamping your feet and denying the inevitable is going to change that. The fact of the matter is the content makers are getting a raw deal, why the hell wouldn't they look for a way to cut out retail as soon as possible, Sony (et al) have no reason at all to drag their heels on digital distribution.

  • AngryBadger #51 2 years ago

    Hes clearing pulling these figures from thin air in a desperate attempt to give his opinion more credibility.

  • NotSoSlim #52 2 years ago

    Getting one from Florida next week as it's worth it for £160!! If it fails it fails

  • Cid #53 2 years ago

    With digital distribution aren't we handing over too much power to Sony (or whoever) and giving them licence to charge whatever the hell they like for things? Even if they reduced prices of certain games themselves it wouldn't be to the same extent as the highstreet or online stores, because they'd have no need to knock them down that low. I've seen big DS games on Play which had been reduced to under a tenner one week after release. If we were already in the age of digital distribution then we wouldn't have seen bargains like that.

  • LilithsCurves #54 2 years ago

    I think selling something for a profit (which should be there at 250) is not really a fail. And i guess there are a lot of people who will get eventually a hacked PSP and Sony will have made money - and the gaming time (and money spent on other companies products will be reduced). For retailers who deal also in second hand copies that device is not good, therefor they are not enthusiastic about it. I do understand that - so doom in gloom messages.

  • Bealsy #55 2 years ago

    But I like owning a box for something I buy. And pre-owned games are win. Both of these I don't get with a Go

  • moggsy #56 2 years ago

    Seems like someone has really pissed on McCabe's chips.

  • Tyronne #57 2 years ago

    I have to be honest but why is this bloke getting such a airing on here lately?

    I and it seems quite a few others have never heard of `chips` nor seen any shops, so why should I care?

    And when it comes to independent game stores, I have not used one since 1986, the places I have lived since have never had one and I have not missed what I have never had for 90% of my gaming life and I honestly do not see what all the fuss is about.

  • stampax #58 2 years ago

    The man speaks alot of sense, completely agree.

  • dr_faulk #59 2 years ago

    I bought a new pair of Sony headphones the other day. Is the PSPGo compatible with them?

    I see the joke is lost on two people.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 16:52

  • curtlikesmeat #60 2 years ago

    Never heard of Chips....

  • makeamazing #61 2 years ago

    Chips, never heard of them, the only chips I know of in the Midlands is the fast food type, and trust me there are lots of those these days.

    I dont think it will fail miserably, yes its over priced, but isnt most new tech, give it 12 months, the price will drop (it already has)

  • Byblos1 #62 2 years ago

    I wouldn't buy a PSPgo mostly because it ties me to the PlayStation Store and from my experience with digital downloads thus far, that means being gouged on price despite them cutting out the retailer.

    Until there's competition for delivery of content I'm not interested in digitally downloading games.

  • lavalant #63 2 years ago

    I like the thought of digital distribution that lets me back up and transfer the content just like I can do with MP3's bought from iTunes or Amazon. It's bad enough that I buy digital content and can't return it, trade it etc but when publishers tell me I can only use it one console, can only transfer it once per year with a massive pain in the arse process and no real guarantee on what happens in the future Piracy is a real viable alternative.

    Digital distribution on the other hand is good for developers who can by pass large behemoth corporations(publishers) who take the lions share of the profits and stifle innovation.

  • madgerald Verified Studio Head of PR & Marketing, Colossal Games LTD #64 2 years ago

    I used to manage an indy shop back in the 80s; and we made most of our profit on pre-owned NES, MasterSystem, C64 and Speccy games. This was years before the big chains saw there was money to be made from second hand games. DD is going to kill the pre-owned market.

    Digital Distribution is coming, and it is a worry for all B&M retailers even online retailers will need to change. Amazon and play are already dabbling in DD.

  • dr_faulk #65 2 years ago

    I installed Windows 7 on my Mac Pro the other day. I installed Steam, signed in for the first time in four years, and it remembered I owned HL2, Ep1, and CS Source. So it let me download and install, without having the original DVD.

    Digital distribution FTW!

  • Ornithophobe #66 2 years ago

    Are you:

    * Interested in a retail business?
    * Looking for a business that’s fun and profitable?
    * Prepared to work hard?
    * Able to invest around £30,000?

    THEN you could soon join the exciting world of video games and run your own CHIPS store.

  • Moonprince #67 2 years ago

    This failure could be a positive for retailers of course, who stand to lose out on sales of software and trade-ins if digital sales completely take over from boxed ones. "From a retailers point of view the PSPgo is a good idea," he said.

    lol?

    And Chips? Who? Never heard of them...

  • cam_guin #68 2 years ago

    @madgerald

    too true. Its a shame, but the publishing houses have been looking for a way to cut out the second-hand market - they've been pretty quiet as of late on this front (I guess, to avoid shitstorms with the buying audience) - my guess is digital disitrib will be emabraced by them all sooner rather than later, as it puts the publisher back in command...
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 13:19

  • SwedBear #69 2 years ago

    I got myself one at launchday and so far I am really satisfied with it.

    The reason I like it is:

    * I like digital distribution. I love being able to just download to my Xbox,PS3, PC (Steam/Inferno), iPhone, Android Phone, NDSi (although Nintendo really suck at providing good stuff) and now the PSP.

    * The formfactor. I used to have a PSP1000 and later a PSP Slim before I sold it. The PSPGo formfactor is so much better (IMHO). It fits very neatly in my pocket and it is basically the size of my iPhone although thicker.

    * Good quality. I wasn't that impressed with the build-quality of my PSP Slim as it felt plastic. The Go in my opinion has better build-quality and feel to it.

    * Surprisingly I like the Go Media program. It is like iTunes but much faster (iTunes is a resource hog). It even picked up all my music on my iPhone so I could transfer it to the PSP.

    I do not miss the UMD at all but that is mainly because I never had a big back catalogue of UMD-discs. So to me it is a fresh start. I do not think the prices are that bad. I'm usually not going around trying to find the absolutely lowest price anyway so the conveniance of being able to just get it when I want even if it is late a night and I realise I want to play game x is a big bonus for me.

    There are things I do not like though. It has slow WIFI (what the heck is that ...? Lucky I can just download via Go Media on any computer), no GPS and cost a bit too much.

    When I first started using it my first though was actually: Sony Ericsson PSP Phone. To me this is the first step towards making a phone with the PSP brand. They could use the formfactor, add touchscreen and tweak the GUI a bit and have a very interesting phone. They already have an "appstore" which they could open up and the hook to the PS3 would give it an edge.

    Yes, I could have gotten a PSP 3000 and downloaded to it but in the end the formfactor of the Go won me over. In the end I wonder if they should have released a PSP-4000 at the same time as the PSPGo so that it was obvious that they now plan to split up the PSP Line into the regular PSP and the PSPGo.

  • M_of_the_sys #70 2 years ago

    AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Fucking Russell Hobbs!!!

  • des #71 2 years ago

    No need for will...PSPgo failed miserably...next

  • schnide #72 2 years ago

    All these comments from retailers who are quite obviously shitting it are almost enough to make me want to get a PSPgo on principle.

  • butler` #73 2 years ago

    Cue 'Mr Retailer' shitting it about digital download services. He's talking pure arse.

    And really wtf is Chips anyway? :p

  • Sunyavadin #74 2 years ago


    [link url=http://co rporate.chipsworld.co.uk/about-...
    ]http://co rporate.chipsworld.co.uk/about-...[/link]
    <a href="http://www.chipsworld.co .uk/
    ">http://www.chipsworld.co .uk/
    </a>

    Although I must admit I had never heard of them either. Just shows how few indie games stores are left in the UK.

    Good find there! Up here in the northeast we have a fairly large chain in Grainger Games, a chain that started with one store in Newcastle a few years back and now have stores in more towns across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham than Game/Gamestation do.

    I think it's inevitable that the way it will go is digital downloads. But don't fear, pirates will still find ways to circumnavigate any security.

    Damn right. If they think piracy's a problem now - they've seen NOTHING. Once all consoles are designed to use only downloaded software - it'll be even EASIER to mod them to access torrent networks and warez sites INSTEAD of the official service.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 13:47

  • skillian #75 2 years ago

    How can you downvote SwedBear?

    It's a well-written, thoughtful post with a useful list of likes and dislikes.

  • jonsaan #76 2 years ago

    Chips? what sorry? Nope never heard of you.

  • jonsaan #77 2 years ago

    Regardless of what you think of the pricing. Sony are acutally being incredibly bold putting out a device which only uses DL media. More power to them I say. It could well be seen as a pivotal system in years to come. It's not like you can't buy a 3000 if you want one. The whinging is utterly pointless.

  • NotSoSlim #78 2 years ago

    Would all these retailers be bitching if sony gave them the game redeem codes to sell?? Doubt it..they are worried in case the next gen machines are more digital distribution based!!
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 17:00

  • actionfitz #79 2 years ago

    The managing director of the UK's largest independent games chain, Chips, expects the PSPgo to "fail miserably".

    because he cant make any money from it after throwing his toys out of the pram...
    - on a separate note he is right, but only because its stupidly priced - about the same a ps3, even though its just a standard psp with no umd drive.
    if sony want to sell direct via digital download thats their right - though ripping people off from the get go isn't a great way to start.

  • kiroquai #80 2 years ago

    I really, really want to justify owning a Go as a friend has one and it's certainly a nice bit of kit, but I can't currently. Being a PSP owner as it is I have a fair old slab of UMD games and it'd be nice as a replacement, but not as a slightly different alternative. Give me a way to convert my games to the memory stick like originally planned and knock a little bit off the price and then we're talking.

  • Mono_X #81 2 years ago

    @IkariW

    "And heres why I think this, currently, games retailers take around 60% profit share of a game, publishers get around 30%, the Developers see approximately 10%!!!!! "

    Even if your figures accurate, this completely fails to take into account the actual true distribution of revenue for games sales.
    For example a very good game might sell 5,000,000 copies.
    A individual shop might sell 100 copies and earns 60% share of those 100 sales. Chains like GAME will get more obviously, but that 60% is split amongst all retailers
    A publisher might only get 30% share of all sales, but they get 30% of 5,000,000 sales.
    A devco will get 10% of 5,000,000 sales.

    It's pretty easy to see who actually really gets the lion's share of the profit - and DD will only increase that.

    And ultimately, I believe that a DD only model will end costing the consumer (i.e. us) more.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 14:31

  • Edz72 #82 2 years ago

    I might have to pick one up for xmas :)

    I like the fact that I can buy a game and have it there and then rather than ordering in advance or having to go to the shops (20 mins walk)

    The prices don't seem to bad for some of the older games (GOW is £14.99). Sure I could get it cheaper online but again it's about having it when I want it.

  • toy_brain #83 2 years ago

    "Good find there! Up here in the northeast we have a fairly large chain in Grainger Games, a chain that started with one store in Newcastle a few years back and now have stores in more towns across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and County Durham than Game/Gamestation do. "

    The North-East used to have a few more Chips' I think, Sunderland used to have one but I think it closed, South Shields might still have one, and there might be one in Darlington tucked away in a back alley somewhere.
    I'm pretty sure Grainger's expansion (and cheaper prices) has killed off a lot of smaller 'indie' chains and Chips were no exception, which might be why so many people are saying "Huh? Chips? Who are they?".

    As for the PSPGo...... Hmmmm, I do have to wonder, could Sony not have implemented all this new PSP PSN content and functionality without touching the hardware? I hear so much negativity about the machine that it feels like its permiating into the PSP brand as a whole, when really its the same decent, powerful, flexible handheald as ever.

  • TruSmiles #84 2 years ago

    To those posting pointless comments such as "Chips? Never heard of 'em" is it really that hard to type in 'Chips game shop' into Google and find information about them? They have many branches across the UK. I would say they are at about the same level that GameStation was at about five years ago, just not as big or widely known.

    Grainger Games in the North East, as a few others have posted, are also a fairly new independent game shop that has doubled in growth over the past few years, with a new branch springing up rather often. There are practically no other independent game retailers (With more than one branch) spread across the UK now that GameStation are owned by GAME, so is it not worth actually listening to what they say, no matter what sort of agenda they may have, rather than assuming their expertise are pointless because they aren't as mainstream?

  • db3 #85 2 years ago

    The end is nigh. Sony have only got to get the software pricing right.

    Surely they must realise that if the price is right then customers will gladly download leading to less piracy and trade-ins.

  • ronuds #86 2 years ago

    Wow - if you've never heard of Chips it must make his point less valid!

    The guy probably does have his motivations for saying these things, but in all seriousness - what is the appeal of the PSPGo? It's expensive, and offers current PSP owners almost no reason to upgrade. New potential buyers will probably look at the price of it and the DSi and laugh.

    And then they'll buy a DSi... :p

  • thewool #87 2 years ago

    Hey - my stuff from Chips stank of fags as well.

    I still remember the first(?) Chips on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough, run by Don... I much preferred the Games Store...

    edit: and my games were covered in stickers as well (or pen) so they knew when you brought one of their games back. Don's rip off franchises survive like leeches in today's games industry. TBH I would not call them an indie as the franchises are run as a unit. Bottom line Don my old mucka, you can't expect to get away with ripping people off forever.
    Edited by 1 at 07/10/09 @ 15:33

  • icematt12 #88 2 years ago

    It don't matter what the hardware is like, if the games for it are only available at rip-off prices people will avoid it.

  • Les #89 2 years ago

    If people judge digital distribution based on the PSPgo they're idiots with the iPhone/iPod Touch showing how it should be done.

    Sony has tried to combine a brick & mortar business model with a pure download model and that simply doesn't work. Combine that with a poorly thought out hardware update and the result is inescapable failure.

  • NotSoSlim #90 2 years ago

    I find it weird that Sony gave actually priced there own games at a reasonable amount £21.99 for gran turismo and it's £17.99 online, EA game prices are laughable tbh!!

  • DevilsNeverCry #91 2 years ago

    Well, I don't like McCabe and Chips stores are a load of shit but he has a point.

    I was having this debate with my friend at work the other day - are we (the people) ready for a purely Digital distribution infrastructure? I am inclined to say a big FAT no.

    Firstly, the physicality of owning a new game, the case, cover art etc. - people like that and I think it acts as a form of security as opposed to buy something then have only 5 downloads or something.

    Secondly, we are extremely price sensitive, and when only online/digital services are available, we are screwed. We will all have to boycott the console/medium that this exists on because we want cheaper games, not more expensive ones, and since there will be no incentive to make games cheaper or offer them at bargain prices we will be FORCED to pay full price all the time.

    I know this doesn't necessarily include everyone, but I mean, imagine MW3 on the next PS/Xbox consoles, DD only, then Bobby Kotick and the corporate tossers all win becase 54.99 SRP becomes the actual price.

  • Stormflood #92 2 years ago

    Steam, Apple Apps, Nintendo Store, PSN, Xbox Orginals and Games On-Demand... yeah, we're just not ready for digital distribution, what the hell were Sony thinking?

  • SwedBear #93 2 years ago

    I would definitely say that we are ready for digital distribution. DD is getting its breakthrough in more and more fields.

    In music is already has had its breakthorugh through iTunes and Amazon. In Europe video download is still rare but in the US iTunes, Netflix, Hulu etc. all are sucessfull examples where accessing video digitally is working fine.

    Books: The Amazon Kindle is finally coming to Europe and already have done a lot of e-books in the US. Audio books are very popular on iTunes.

    Games: Steam, Inferno (Stardock), Xbox Live, PSN, WiiWare, AppStore etc. all are sucessfull and show that DD is actually working fine already.

    Yes, it will be along time until it is the only way we consume media or buy games but I think the age of DD is already here. I agree there is an issue right now with to little competition between services but all we need is to get a few more services to pop up to start getting some compeititon between them. There is no reason except for maybe greediness from publishers why a game could not be availalbe from Steam, Inferno, "Amazon Game Store" (when they get into the game), Direct2Drive etc. and thus we see different pricing between these services.

    The way retailers can still get some money would be to sell Vouchers for games that can be used in the different stores ...

    I guess there still is differnece though between us users. I've gone mainly digital download now with my PC, iPhone and now the PSP and if Xbox Live and PSN started to sell all their games online I probably would start getting most that way. I very rearely sell my old games anyway so the loss of second hand market isn't really a big deal for me. I do see why it is for others though. What's interesting is that there shouldn't really be a reason why digital downloads couldn't be sold second hand either. In fact, you could even make the argument that by providing people a way to resell their DD on a service like Steam it would be possible for the publishers and Steam to get take a small commision fee. True, a second hand sell could mean a loss of a "real" sale but it could also mean a new user that wouldn't have bought it anyway and a way for the publishers to get a small cut of that sale ...

  • enzima #94 2 years ago

    The idea of a psp relying only on digital distribution is just genius.... and i would have bought one already if prices on the psn store were readjusted to that reality. I know that this gen Sony cannot afford to readjust games prices, otherwise all stores would boycott the psp altogether. Who would buy a game in a shop when you can buy it cheaper from your sofa? Also i would have liked a second analogic...just my thoughts!

  • VMerken #95 2 years ago

    Oh, we are as ready for digital distribution as we have always been. The readiness is not the problem - the implementation is, but it's too soon to say what will happen since the industry still has some maturing ahead. Personally, I think we're going to be looking at a few "interesting twists", where the consumer will gradually be conditioned into paying as much money as always, but in its place will be receiving much less than before.

    But we'll see.

  • canIdoyabombsforya #96 2 years ago

    Digital downloading is already a massive success story for the DS and PSP, just that they're not legal. Rather ironic.
    Sony would do better off cutting costs and selling the PSPgo online, and giving away say 10 free downloads to get you going.

  • jambo74 #97 2 years ago

    This reeks of fear that 'traditional' games buying is going out the window and hence his company!

  • funkateer #98 2 years ago

    In other words "Let's tell em it's crap because we'd rather sell PSP3000s".

    Maybe Sony should consider the retailer's pov and think of a way to make things more attractive to them. Like giving retailers profit shares of the PlayStation Store per sold PSP.
    Just thinking out loud.

    FWIW, I think the PSP Go is a good product for PSP newcomers. If you consider that a PSP Go is actually a bit cheaper than a PSP 3000 with 16GB card (and also cheaper than an IPhone), then it suddenly looks a lot more attractive, especially if you prefer digital distribution over old school noisy UMDs.

  • Loghorn #99 2 years ago

    The man (Don McCabe) has spoken the truth. And hopefully, it does fail altogether.

  • neosalad #100 2 years ago

    firstly. i've never ever seen a "CHIPS" video game shop... maybe there just down south or something?
    a bit like "Grainger Games" are all over the place up here (in the North-East)
    but there are a lot of valid points...

    i just cant see it succeeding int he short term at least. anyone who has a PSP wont be buying one and the price point will put the majority of buyers off. why buy a PSPgo when the 2000/3000 is so much cheaper! and also plays the UMD's that can be picked up relatively cheap.

    the PSPgo is the equivilent of an ipod that only lets u play tunes you've downlaoded from iTunes, but wont let you put the CDs on you've already bought!


  • jjadi #101 2 years ago

    Want something extra from your controllers, Wii motes and second hand consoles...?

    Come to Chips....For peripherals with a hint of yellow and the unmistakeable smell of fags.....

    Chips...adding the sense of smell to the gaming experience....

    But seriously....all their stuff smells of fags...and the franchise business is a total con.....