Sony's new PSP strategy: 'You cannot have ports.'

[wraggster]

With third-party PSP support dwindling and becoming increasingly coveted -- even by Sony's own Shuhei Yoshida -- it seems that a new plan of action is in order for the high-tech, twice-revised handheld. Speaking to Edge Online, SCEA's director of hardware marketing, John Koller, provided just such a strategy: "You cannot have ports."

Sony hopes to guide publishers and developers down a better path, enabling them to produce PSP games that take a cue from their console versions, but leave the identical content and gameplay behind. "The recipe for success on the PSP resides simply in providing franchise games that are strong brand names like on consoles, but have unique gameplay on the system," said Koller, listing Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, God of War: Chains of Olympus and the forthcoming Midnight Club as titles that stand on their own, despite their recognized branding.

Koller went on to predict that 2009 would see "significant growth" for the PSP, with "a number of very strong franchise games" on the way and revitalized hardware sales bringing publishers back from the brink. And who knows? Maybe those persistent petitioners will finally get their Assassin's Creed PSP game.

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/sonys-new-psp-strategy-you-cannot-have-ports/

[mike_jmg]

not Assasin's Creed,
better get Devil May Cry and Resident Evil

[Ryupowerup]

What about doing enhanced ports of games (like Capcom did with BC rearmed(ps3 need, use remote play) ,MMXMH, MMPU)

the identical content and gameplay but added to it with better graphics , WIFI, and other extras

[uberjack]

Oh shit, so much for my hobby of porting software...

But seriously,


What about doing enhanced ports of games (like Capcom did with BC rearmed

The difference is that it costs relatively little to put a game like bc: rearmed on xbl, therefore charging $10 for it is not necessarily a problem. With PSP, you're looking at spending a lot more - for licensing, advertising, umd mastering, etc, etc, etc... I doubt the average person would be willing to spend $35 or more on bc: rearmed (mind you, I bought the game and found it brilliant and quite fun).

I don't know about the rest of you, but playing normal 3d games on psp kills my eyes. By the time I finished GTA: LCS, I was pretty much forcing myself. On the other hand, a game like Hot Shots Golf is much easier to play, thanks to the appearance of the game (large, cartoony characters).

I agree with sony's decision - handhelds require a different approach to gaming - you can't simply convert a ps2/ps3 game to psp and just expect it to handle just as well.

[Buddy4point0]

Most ports to PSP suck, so this is a good thing.

Almost all of the good PSP games are original PSP games, not ports, and most of those are only for PSP.

PSP games are much better when they're focused and created specifically for PSP.
The reason we have so many bad PSP games is because many developers just throw a terrible port of their console game on the PSP system.

[jamotto]

I like ports, but their needs to be a good balance between ports and exclusives.

I wouldn't mind a port of Spy Hunter, especially if they added in the helicopter level that had to be dropped in the arcade version.

[dark heart]

Most ports to PSP suck, so this is a good thing.

Almost all of the good PSP games are original PSP games, not ports, and most of those are only for PSP.

PSP games are much better when they're focused and created specifically for PSP.
The reason we have so many bad PSP games is because many developers just throw a terrible port of their console game on the PSP system.

some of the best psp homebrews are mods of a port... quake. I'm making one now.

[Justise]

I don't mind having a port here and there as long as it's not a crappy one.
For example:
The ports of Valkyrie Profile and Ape Escape were crappy.
The ports of Breath of Fire and Tales of Eternia are just bad and lazy, since they didn't even bother to fix some original bugs and problems.
The ports of Tekken DR and Disgaea were Good ports.
The port of Dracula X is a masterpiece since its a full remake with extras.

I wouldn't mind having collections like King of fighters or metal slug, or remakes like Dracula X and Star Ocean, or Even good ports that some people haven't play before, like the Tales of games in bugless versions.

PSP just had lazy ports.

[carlitx]

I don't mind having a port here and there as long as it's not a crappy one.
For example:
The ports of Valkyrie Profile and Ape Escape were crappy.
The ports of Breath of Fire and Tales of Eternia are just bad and lazy, since they didn't even bother to fix some original bugs and problems.
The ports of Tekken DR and Disgaea were Good ports.
The port of Dracula X is a masterpiece since its a full remake with extras.

I wouldn't mind having collections like King of fighters or metal slug, or remakes like Dracula X and Star Ocean, or Even good ports that some people haven't play before, like the Tales of games in bugless versions.

PSP just had lazy ports.

oh? i liked Valkyrie Profile

[repuken2]

I'd like them to make more remakes (doh!) of old games like they did with both megamans, ultimate Ghost n' Goblins and Castlevania - Dracula X , they were al great.

[Justise]

oh? i liked Valkyrie Profile
PS1 version of Valkyrie Profile had received amazing improvements (and Censorship) when it got released in the US. Yet the PSP version is based on the inferior Japanese one.

In the PSP version...:
1) The anime and FMV scenes have been replaced with 12 CGI movies.
2) You cannot sort items.
3) Only your active party can change equipment.
4) If you switch Valkyrie from bow to sword or vice-versa, all her skills will unequip themselves. This could cause you a problem during the A ending, when she automatically gets a sword.
5) Some enemies and bosses are not using their great spells to make the game easier.
6) Some American Censorships made it to PSP. (e.x. Badrach is smoking)

I don't call that a good port....:mad: