too expensive for a handheld, and probably unnecessary upgrade.

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Predictions:

Monster hunter tri:  1.8 million in japan alone (Not looking good)

Wii hardware in japan will equal 2008 numbers. There will occur a resurgance in the second half of this year with Wii sports resort and MH3.

A HUGE shift in software towards the wii in the japanese market will start happening, and the 2010 lineup will be a different story than this year's.

 

Predictions made: 21st April, 2009

 

sry for double post, but i just realized that people probably anticipated the PSP pricedrop in japan more than the PSP GO

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Predictions:

Monster hunter tri:  1.8 million in japan alone (Not looking good)

Wii hardware in japan will equal 2008 numbers. There will occur a resurgance in the second half of this year with Wii sports resort and MH3.

A HUGE shift in software towards the wii in the japanese market will start happening, and the 2010 lineup will be a different story than this year's.

 

Predictions made: 21st April, 2009

 

jarrod said: Procrastinato said: I hope you guys don't expect the DSi LL to have some whopping opener. Diversity in lineup -- legs is the point. DSi LL is consciously targeting a different audience (seniors), one that tends not to be near as frontloaded when it comes to their buying patterns.  Seems an odd comparison to make frankly, I can't really see it as anything but damage control for these unquestionably disappointing Go figures (28k out of a 150k shipment).

Umm.. the PSP Go isn't targetting a different audience?

Have you guys forgotten that the PSP-3000 is still being made, and is much cheaper?  This isn't "damage control" -- the PSP Go was not meant to shake the handheld world.  On the contrary, anyone expecting the PSP Go to uproot the handheld market is, basically, off their rocker.

Let me reiterate: diversity in lineup.

Look at how many versions of A/V receivers Sony makes, or BD players, TVs, etc. (and look at the price ranges!)  Do you honestly believe that the PSP Go doesn't fit into this same bucket?  Suggesting that it doesn't is, basically, defying decades old logic in electronics manufacturing -- you better have some serious facts to back up the expectation that the PSP Go is anything more than a demographics expansion unit.  

The Go is an alternate unit.  It, basically, cannot fail thanks to its price point.  Claiming its a "failure" is laughable, since there is no logic, whatsoever, that backs the claim.  The DSi is an improved device (with 2x the processing muscle, and 4x the memory of previous DS models -- it is basically a DS v1.5).  The PSP Go is not.  You cannot compare the two releases.  The DSi vs the DSi LL, however, is a valid comparison -- fundamentally they are only a different form factor, just like the PSP-3000 and PSP Go, as far as new buyers are concerned.

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The PSP platform is performing well below expectations. Not my expectations, Sony's expectations. If the PSP Go wasn't supposed to drive sales, then what was? Because they are going to miss their target by several million.

Grimes said: The PSP platform is performing well below expectations. Not my expectations, Sony's expectations. If the PSP Go wasn't supposed to drive sales, then what was? Because they are going to miss their target by several million.

link?  I'm pretty sure you're not a Sony spokesperson, Grimes.  Pretty sure Sony has said exactly the opposite.  They didn't lower their forecast for the PSP, now did they?

The underlined is 100% conjecture on your part, based on the fact that you just plain don't know the reasons for the forecast, as you stated in the part of your post that I italicized.

Maybe you should be asking yourself "what would drive PSP sales to the target?" rather than making unbacked claims.

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When you can get a PSP-3000 for under 170$ now why would you spend 250$ on one that does less? If anything the price cuts for that in Japan would have more sales than the PSP Go.

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Procrastinato said: jarrod said: Procrastinato said: I hope you guys don't expect the DSi LL to have some whopping opener. Diversity in lineup -- legs is the point. DSi LL is consciously targeting a different audience (seniors), one that tends not to be near as frontloaded when it comes to their buying patterns.  Seems an odd comparison to make frankly, I can't really see it as anything but damage control for these unquestionably disappointing Go figures (28k out of a 150k shipment).  Umm.. the PSP Go isn't targetting a different audience? Have you guys forgotten that the PSP-3000 is still being made, and is much cheaper?  This isn't "damage control" -- the PSP Go was not meant to shake the handheld world.  On the contrary, anyone expecting the PSP Go to uproot the handheld market is, basically, off their rocker. Let me reiterate: diversity in lineup. Look at how many versions of A/V receivers Sony makes, or BD players, TVs, etc. (and look at the price ranges!)  Do you honestly believe that the PSP Go doesn't fit into this same bucket?  Suggesting that it doesn't is, basically, defying decades old logic in electronics manufacturing -- you better have some serious facts to back up the expectation that the PSP Go is anything more than a demographics expansion unit.   The Go is an alternate unit.  It, basically, cannot fail thanks to its price point.  Claiming its a "failure" is laughable, since there is no logic, whatsoever, that backs the claim.  The DSi is an improved device (with 2x the processing muscle, and 4x the memory of previous DS models -- it is basically a DS v1.5).  The PSP Go is not.  You cannot compare the two releases.  The DSi vs the DSi LL, however, is a valid comparison -- fundamentally they are only a different form factor, just like the PSP-3000 and PSP Go, as far as new buyers are concerned.

A different audience?  What audience is that exactly?  It's not meant to target the young, male, tech savvy, hardcore, Monster Hunting demographic?  Y'know, the one that buys 50% of the games they want in the first day or two?  

Your revisionist take is cute, recasting the Go as a wider reaching luxury alternative, but that pretty clearly wasn't the intent here.  This isn't something that will broach new demographics, it's aimed squarely at the gamer core.  And they seem to not really give a shit, hence the embarrassing 19% sell-through figure day one.

DSi LL is a much different beast, aimed at a specific demographic subset, not the core audience, and one that is notorious for buying incrementally over the long term rather than upfront.  Maybe we should just compare DSL or GB micro, since those platforms seems to hit closer to your wandering goalposts and actually have figures for comparison?  I'd also be careful of bringing in "logic" when you're staking the claim that any degree of failure is inherently impossible...

A Bad Clown said: When you can get a PSP-3000 for under 170$ now why would you spend 250$ on one that does less? If anything the price cuts for that in Japan would have more sales than the PSP Go.

I wouldn't say it "does less", as far as a new user is concerned.  My PSP-2000 can't store some 30 games internally (it could do about 15, if I had a 16 GB memstick for it, though), and doesn't become a home console, complete with wireless controller (via bluetooth) when I get home.  There are more games available for the other models... assuming you think UMDs are cool, and are willing to visit used retail outlets -- the number of new titles available digitally, however, far exceeds the number available physically.

If you think it "does less", you're coming from a relatively rare consumer perspective -- that of the relatively "hardcore" handheld gamer, who frequests used game shops and places like eBay.

Also, why did near 30K people, in a single day, purchase the more expensive Go model, over the PSP-3000?  Look at the reasons above -- particularly "less stuff to carry around" and "turns into a home console", and think "Japan", and if you known anything about living in Japan, you might understand.

Not for everyone, for certain.  But there ARE lots of people who are interested in the Go, over the other models.  I'd call that (expanding the audience) a success.

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jarrod said: A different audience?  What audience is that exactly?  It's not meant to target the young, male, tech savvy, hardcore, Monster Hunting demographic? (the ones that already own a PSP?  You think Sony would make a device aimed at primarily at selling to the same consumers?) Y'know, the one that buys 50% of the games they want in the first day or two?   Your revisionist take is cute, recasting the Go as a wider reaching luxury alternative, but that pretty clearly wasn't the intent here (oh?  do tell).  This isn't something that will broach new demographics, it's aimed squarely at the gamer core.  And they seem to not really give a shit, hence the embarrassing 19% sell-through figure day one. (embarrassing compared to... what?  The DS 2, otherwise known as the DSi?  It has about the same hardware difference, compared to the DS, as the Wii does to the GameCube... is the Wii actually the "GameCube 1.5"?) DSi LL is a much different beast, aimed at a specific demographic subset, not the core audience, and one that is notorious for buying incrementally over the long term rather than upfront.  Maybe we should just compare DSL or GB micro, since those platforms seems to hit closer to your wandering goalposts and actually have figures for comparison?  I'd also be careful of bringing in "logic" when you're staking the claim that any degree of failure is inherently impossible...

I can't argue with your fantasy conjecture, jarrod.  Good luck with your console hating.

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Procrastinato said: jarrod said: A different audience?  What audience is that exactly?  It's not meant to target the young, male, tech savvy, hardcore, Monster Hunting demographic? (the ones that already own a PSP?  You think Sony would make a device aimed at primarily at selling to the same consumers?) Y'know, the one that buys 50% of the games they want in the first day or two?   Your revisionist take is cute, recasting the Go as a wider reaching luxury alternative, but that pretty clearly wasn't the intent here (oh?  do tell).  This isn't something that will broach new demographics, it's aimed squarely at the gamer core.  And they seem to not really give a shit, hence the embarrassing 19% sell-through figure day one. (embarrassing compared to... what?  The DS 2, otherwise known as the DSi?  It has about the same hardware difference, compared to the DS, as the Wii does to the GameCube... is the Wii actually the "GameCube 1.5"?) DSi LL is a much different beast, aimed at a specific demographic subset, not the core audience, and one that is notorious for buying incrementally over the long term rather than upfront.  Maybe we should just compare DSL or GB micro, since those platforms seems to hit closer to your wandering goalposts and actually have figures for comparison?  I'd also be careful of bringing in "logic" when you're staking the claim that any degree of failure is inherently impossible... I can't argue with your fantasy conjecture, jarrod.  Good luck with your console hating.

I don't think the world can take this much irony.

Please, tell us more about Sony's demographics widening "plan" with the Go...