Restrictions on PSP Minis Make them Nearly Pointless

[wraggster]

PSP Minis, coming to the PSP Go, are just like iPhone/Android apps (just more focused on gaming). But the list of things developers can't do on the platform destroys any point of its existence in the first place.

• no network or online features
• no downloadable content (expansions)
• no peripheral support

It's funny, the 100MB size restriction is the least of PSP Minis' problems. We're talking about closed box games, titles that are not only restricted in terms of multiplayer, but completely thwarted from doing anything interesting (like rendering superior graphics or, say, pinging twitter) in the cloud.

The original PSP was forward-thinking, stuffed with stars in its eyes as it promised networking with the PS3 anywhere from in the world. Now PSP Minis present the complete opposite idea. You will play your game on the PSP, and on the PSP it will stay.

http://gizmodo.com/5362451/restrictions-on-psp-minis-make-them-nearly-pointless

[symbal]

Well i can keep criticising Sony for these decisions but their stupidity is just giving me a headache, I mean they must have at least 1 person at Sony telling them these are bad business decisions.

[shadowriffe]

I'm actually gonna stand up for Sony on this one. The problem with the PSP Minis is that we've come to associate them with anything under 100MB. However, it has become evident that the initial goal was for it to be PSP Mini(Game)s.

Think about Christmas this year. Some 12 year old kid is gonna get a PSP Go, and he's gonna turn it on. BAM, no games. Screwed.

Is it gonna be a good move to make the kid's parents buy some $40 game that they know nothing about, or would it be better for him to buy 20 $2 games? I know which I would probably choose.

The other new types of PSP were just rehashes. The PSP Go is the only thing that is different enough to be new.

If it becomes successful, I can see Apps coming. But they won't be Mini Apps. They will be full apps. Until then, apps would just take up space and be more clutter to sort through to buy a game. The PSP Go for now is a gaming device.

Could they make a better browser to allow this to better compete? I'm almost sure.

Could they give better incentive to buy online? Hell yeah.

But the Mini's are a good move. Remember it could be just the beginning.

[symbal]

When i see Sony i can't help think of Mr Burns.. i imagine the president making all these stupid decisions and a room full of Sony yes men saying yes Mr President, brilliant idea Mr President, Psp go will be best thing since sliced Iphone mr president.

[dave_wellington]

"Restrictions on PSP Minis Make them Nearly Pointless" - absolutely ridiculous statement, especially when you back it up with strong reasons like "pinging twitter". As someone said earlier, it's about games! For years and years, we've been playing games that unknowingly fit within the confinements of the restrictions put in place by Sony, and we didn't complain. They also give extremely valid reasons for why the restrictions are in place. And if you do want to make a title with online support and expansions, they also give you the ability to do that! It just happens that it won't be a PSP Mini game that's all. So unless you know something I don't, I really don't see what the problem is.

[NOCHUCK]

The 100 mb restriction i don't really like. Some of the best or coolest iphone games clock in at over a hundred. Monkey Island SE(controls are akward but good game), Myst(works excellent with the touch screen) Gangstar(GTA rip off that's extremly fun) and Madden 10 are all over 100. Heck Monkey is over 300 and Myst is over 600.

[andwhyisit]

That is stupid.
1. Do you consider all single-player and offline multi-player games to be pointless?
2. Very few full commercial games require peripheral support.
3. Not everyone uses DLC as it is a fairly new thing.
4. This is for games, not apps.
5. Under your logic the only commercial or homebrew game I know of that isn't "pointless" by your definition of the word is "Eye of Judgment".

[NeoXCS]

Well its will all be single player, no network play would include a local "network". Direct connection is a network, if it had said "no online multiplayer" then it would be safe to assume it would have offline network capabilities. Not to mention any game that would be worth playing multiplayer will indeed be hampered by the size limit anyhow. If they increase the size limit over time I can see this being a bit more interesting.

[andwhyisit]

Regardless I still find it foolish to suggest that single-player games are worthless.

[dave_wellington]

The 100 mb restriction i don't really like. Some of the best or coolest iphone games clock in at over a hundred. Monkey Island SE(controls are akward but good game), Myst(works excellent with the touch screen) Gangstar(GTA rip off that's extremly fun) and Madden 10 are all over 100. Heck Monkey is over 300 and Myst is over 600.

I'm sorry but using "Madden 10" and "Myst" as examples just proves you have no idea what you're talking about. PSP Mini's is intended for small games, and opening the door to indie developers.

Games like Madden 10 and Myst would be released on the Playstation Store as well, but just not under the Minis range. Infact according to this link (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/11/psp-version-of-myst-hitting-playstation-network-july-16/), Myst is already available as a downloadable title for PSP and PSP Go!.

[PSmonkey]

Can we drop the Myst example. Myst is already on the flipping PSN store already.

:rofl:

The point of PSP mini are small miniature games that can be released at cheap prices. If a dev wants to go all the way, then they can release it as a regular PSN title. Not to mention that the devs who would actually do this are most likely big name publishers who can dedicate the time/effort to do such things.

Minis are just an effort from sony to streamline the whole process and make it cheaper for smaller indy devs to get their games on PSN.