"Rampant piracy" makes PSP the perfect gift in China

[wraggster]

An article from PSP Fanboy that explains a lot why the PSP struggles to sell the Commercial games it should:

The Chinese video game market is a difficult one for manufacturers to deal with, simply because piracy is totally out of control in that region. Many publishers and console manufacturers avoid the market altogether. However, the Chinese market loves to play video games, and a blog called Shanghaiist is recommending the PSP for holiday gift givers this year:

"Our buying decision this holiday season has every bit to do with the PSP being a nifty gadget as it does some of the extra "resources" available to us as residents of Shanghai, or China for that matter ... rampant piracy of games. The PSP is no different. Machines for sale here are from either Europe or Japan, but with firmware downgraded/modified so that they can handle "backup" (read "pirated") games."

While I'm all for sales of the PSP increasing, I'm appalled at this recommendation. Telling people to buy a system because you can easily pirate games on it is really uncool. Of course, it seems like many people on the Internet also seem to think the PSP is all about homebrew and piracy as well. What have you experienced on the web?

So who agrees with the article above ?

[SmashinGit]

With all the raving about Devhook recently being able to emulate 3.02 it makes me wonder just how many people actually own a umd that needs fw 3.02.

[Cap'n 1time]

for me the psp is all about the home brewed projects out there. If i want to play a game then i will pay for it... and a certainly wouldnt pirate psp's $#@!ty collection of games.

[Veskgar]

Sounds like they need to focus less on restricting the Internet and spend more time on the counterfeiting issues.

[the catalyst]

I think that the main reason the psp has a whole bunch of "$#@!ty games" is because they know that if they made a good game nobody would buy it, and everyone would just pirate it.

Homebrew is good, and really enhances the purpose of the PSP, but most homebrew games don't match up to the quality and depth of most commercial games (no offense to anyone). It just seems sad some people (those who pirate the games) complain about the quality of the PSP selection, when in the end, they helped cause the paucity of good games in the first place.

[Ichijoe]

Those who decide to come to the PSP™ Party now, hopeing for an easy out, (e.g. ISO Loader / Devhook), shall likely go away disapointed!

Think about it?
There the new Mainboard(s) TA-082 & TA-086, I don't think there are many Cherry v1.50s' left in the Wild.
And arn't all the new PSP'™ Systems being sold with Firmware v2.8x now? :rofl:

V2.7x may have been somewhat hacked, but lets' face it v2.7x IS NOT v1.50 and never will be either!

And how many PSP™ Owners out there even know about the whole Homebrew Scene?

No unless those Chinese possess some Mad Soldering Skilz, I wouldn't worry myself needlessly over this event. :thumbup:

[mikebeaver]

I have a few games on my PSP, all on UMD and all quite good fun to play, i dont totally disagree with piracy otherwise where would that leave my large collection of emulated games (although I do own quite a large proportion of them in there original format aswell) but the reason I got a PSP was for the simple fact I was getting bored of my DS and wanted a change, the extra functionality has kept me interested in a product that would possible have grown very old, very quickly wioth the large amount of sub-standard games released.
I feel that the article telling people to buy one just because it is "back-up" friendly is a disgrace, it's behaviour like this that will stop truely groundbreaking games being released and sound the end of comercial development.

[mikebeaver]

V2.7x may have been somewhat hacked, but lets' face it v2.7x IS NOT v1.50 and never will be either!

Surely with a 2.7x downgrader it WILL become a 1.50, it's with a 2.8x that you can hack but not downgrade (yet!, it may be possible one day)The homebrew scene is amazing for this format, but with every new-comer is the possibility of just another pirate, it's a conundrum alright
PS sorry for the double post, didnt know how to edit and add a quote

[irishwhip]

i would have sold mine long ago if it wasn't for homebrew. there is not one commercial game that appeals to me.

[Avenyet]

Homebrew all the way just there are just some amazing things u can do with this hardware and it a great platform to practice coding on i love it really

but it is true people only buy consoles when they know they can get free games just look at the PSX in it finaly years i know some people that never brought a real game and how about the amazing dreamcast...

still i;m surprised how few people are award of homebrew considering all the gaming magizine in the UK have covered it.