NationStates Jolt Archive

For any wrestling afficionados, the Who's Next is a Goldberg line I am using to refer to who will be removed next. NeoGeo and Sega consoles have been done in for good.

A quick run up of consoles: all major players (MS, Sony, Nintendo) will be coming out with new consoles sooner or later. However, the main point of thsi thread is the hand held market.

Nintendo has dominated the handheld market after it ran out the Jaguar due to the fact it had better games despite the Jaguar's better technological prowess. It also beat out the later Sega handheld system and NeoGeo pocket. They again lacked a strong game market compared to the Nintendo despite, again, better technology. Last I heard, alot of Nintendo's profits is based in the market it has no real challenge in: handhelds. It's Game Boy has been realistically unchallenged since it first came out and until now there are no contenders.

The Sony PSP is a major threat to the whole of Nintendo. The Nintendo DS has an ok game line, but is so far heavily based on the touch pad rather than game ability and is again recycling classics to emphasize the DS is a 64 bit system. The PSP not only fulfills the hand held classification well enough to challenge Nintendo's superiority but it also runs the gambit of a techno gadget with tons of extras. it also has a powerful game backing and can recycle games people still want to keep playing that wern't retired years ago.

Even with Nintendo's extensive character pool it has the rights to: Donkey Kong; Mario; Legend of Zelda; Pokemon; and even Sonic now, can it last in the face of a real challenger like Sony? Sony has astrong console and is putting out an equally strong hand held. Could Nintendo go down eventually in the face of Sony like years of contention with Nintendo and then the next gen consoles took out Sega?

Nintendo started as a handheld gaming system. they made the handhelds before the console.

Sony has the money and resources... so their foray into the Handheld world is backed well.

Microsoft... well we'll see... they tend to do their research before venturing.

Nokia... N-gage... err... that remains to be seen. tho they, IMHO, will fall next.

Nokia... N-gage... err... that remains to be seen. tho they, IMHO, will fall next.
I would agree, but they arn't trying to get a peice of the handheld market. They are a phone and are trying to get by as a neat gadget. A phone that plays REAL games

Nintendo has a strong and very loyal fanbase throughout the world, so I don't think they are in danger just yet - but if the so-called 'Revolution' doesn't inspire and reinvigorate Nintendo gaming, I don't see them lasting as a console developer for more than another 5 to 10 years. Whilst the PSP seems to have some very interesting pieces, the DS and touchscreen combo continues to seem a gimmick in the face of great competition, lacking many games of note (How the possibilities for an incredibly original and playable strategy game can have been overlooked fails me.), whilst the PSPS has already at launch got good, solid titles such as Lumines - Wipeout Pure and Dynasty Warriors are likely to be further examples of PSP excellence, whilst the DS appears to have little of value on the way.

I hardly even consider the N-Gage to be a portable console, but I have no doubt it will fall next. Whether MS enters the market remains to be seen, but it could be a very interesting situation if so.

*groans* I hate these topics... it feels like everyone grabs a bat and takes a swing at a deceased equine.

So far, DS trumps the PSP in worldwide sales. This is mainly due to Sony's self-induced shortage which it finds necessary for every launch.

In America the PSP had a lackluster launch. Very little advertising was done the week before launch (this week) and so far shelves and shelves of stock on the system and games remain.

In addition to the poor launch, the PSP is plagued by several hardware issues. Dead pixels are more prevalent than on the DS (PSP fanboys' number one insult for the DS). There are several hardware defects, including but not limited to: UMD port design flaws (shooting discs, bad doors, etc.) and button design flaws (shoulder pads which do not work, broken analog sticks, square button, etc.), and poor battery life.

The PSP was given several "extra features" to try and conquer a wider market. It goes as a multi-media device instead of a game machine. It has the UMD movies and MP3 compatiblity. It can also play emulated games from other systems (illegally). It has online support. All of these things may be good, but it isn't purely a gaming device. Attention will always be divided between garnering the support of developers as well as Sony's music department (which will start an online mp3 service) and the movie industry.

Also, many people are wondering why Sony's releasing a handheld at all. The next-gen console is right around the corner and Sony is KNOWN for its consoles. Why fork out $250 now when you're going to fork out at least $150 more for the PS3? You get to watch your movies and listen to burned CDs on that. Why would you get the PSP for MP3's if you've got an iPod or another MP3 player?

Then there's the fact that this IS a handheld. Why UMD discs? Sure, you get movies and more data, but you have to cart around discs and memory cards. Who wants to watch Spiderman 2 a second time, much less on a smaller than TV sized screen?

*shrugs* Maybe I'm overanalyzing, but those're the reason why I WON'T get a PSP. Sure, it's got online NOW, but the DS is supposed to have it by the end of the year. Animal Crossing DS is supposed to be online. That enough is worth it to pick the DS over PSP.

Sure it looks "sleek and sexy," but I'll bet the PS3 will look better. I'm sure the PS3 will have better online support, better developer support, and... well... better support across the board. Why wouldn't it? Sony's known for their consoles, and I honestly wished that they had pushed all of their resources into the PS3 instead of a handheld. I know it's always good for someone to push Nintendo out of it's lazy streak as far as handheld support goes, but I think that Sony has a good thing going on the consoles and wished they'd stay where they're strong. *shrgs*

That's all from me on this for now.

*groans* I hate these topics... it feels like everyone grabs a bat and takes a swing at a deceased equine.
Rather beet this dead horse than some of the others.

I'm still waiting for something with a neural jack...

The PSP has the multimedia features... but its a bit pricey just to use them. I mean to get a UMD movie is in the DVD price range. Unless they start making UMD players for your TV not many people are going to buy the same movie twice just so they can watch it on your TV. At that point you might as well get a portable DVD player that you can use as your main DVD player and take it out when you want to go on the road, thats how I do it. But in the end it will come down to the games, and at 50 bucks a pop, thats a lot of moneys worth of electronics your lugging around. I mean it would be awsome to have a portable current gen system in your pocket, but its a pretty huge step from the 100 dollar systems that Nintendo has put out with the Gameboy with 20-30 dollar games. Its the price that at the moment is going to scare away parents from buying the PSP for their kids... Once the holidays come around, however, is when the real test begins...

Sega will return...and is still the best Console ever.

Sega Genesis shall return! mark my words!

I'm still waiting for something with a neural jack...You hear about that guy who was wired into his apartment? He could turn his lights on and off and open or close his door with certain movements.

Anyway, the PSP is getting a lot of advertisement here in the States now. Or so I've seen. And Penny-Arcade prefers it too!