Portables - Sony vs. Nintendo

Sony PSP
PSP specifications from Playstation.com
There is alot of buzz surrounding Sony\'s entry into the portable market.  It\'s been argued that Sony has a technologically superior portable device to anything Nintendo is offering.  Not only can it play games comparable to the Playstation 2 console but it comes loaded with such capablilities as MP3 support and movie playback provided you buy the movie on the new storage format, UMD.  Wireless capabilities also included.  (Forgive me if I forgot something, please post additional information)

Recent reports confirm there are over 60 companies working on PSP titles and an additional 40 are signed on bringing the developer total to 100.  105 games are in development as of 9/21/04.  >>>Link<<<

It all sounds very exciting and it truly sounds like a next-generation portable, but at what price?  Sony has declined to comment on the PSP price however it\'s been rumored that the device could launch as high as $300.  A look at comparable media devices suggests that PSP could very well launch around $300 and higher?  I believe Sony has commented they are aiming at the iPod market, the iPod currently starts at $299.99  Sony\'s outlook is "SCE\'s handheld will still sell well if it\'s more expensive than the DS, since the systems are positioned differently and won\'t be competing directly in price."

Where is the PSP positioned?  Well, it could be said that Sony is hoping to create an audience rather than take Nintendo head on.  We\'ll have to wait and see if they\'re successful in creating that audience and if the PSP has staying power.  The PSP launches in Japan before the end of the year and releases in North America and Europe in Spring \'05.

Nintendo DS and the Next Gameboy

Nintendo has dominated the portable arena for years with the tried and true Gameboy portable.  The Gameboy has seen several iterations in the form of Gameboy Color, Super Gameboy(SNES), then the next generation Gameboy Advanced, Gameboy Advanced SP, GC Gameboy Add-on, and we\'re promised a successor.  Nintendo seems to feel that there is room for another portable in the mean time and it comes in the form of Nintendo DS, or Dual Screen.

Nintendo has stated time and time again that they are in the business of games, period.  Coming from Nintendo the DS is all about new ways to play games.  The DS comes equipped with two screens, a stylus for touch screen capabilities, a built in mic, and wireless capabilities as well as compatability with GBA/GBA SP titles.  One only needs to read about a few games to get the idea behind this new portable.  Early DS games are said to look between N64 and Dreamcast games.  101 developers have signed on and there are currently 124 games in development. >>>Link<<<

Does the DS have what it takes to carve itself a niche in the market while we wait for the next generation Gameboy?  Does it have long term appeal?  What does Sony\'s entry to the market mean for Nintendo and the next generation Gameboy?

The DS will launch in North America on November 21st and follow in Japan shortly after.  Not sure about Europe but I believe it\'s Spring \'05.  The DS will retail for $150.

Your thoughts?

Sony PSP Vs. Nintendo DS (Mind you, these are old)
IGN\'s take on PSP vs. DS
Famitsu\'s Early Polls
Forbes.com

I didn\'t touch on every point I could because I\'m hoping someone else will chime in with additional info.  Also, sorry if I forgot something you feel is important but by all means please share the info.

Also, feel free to add in the cell phone gaming market.  It\'s certainly growing and shouldn\'t be ignored, I just don\'t have enough info to do it myself.

Discuss....

edit- ok sorry.  Like Paul2 said if I\'m outside that last thing I wanna do is game, I do that enough at home.  However when I am in the market for an mp3 player I will look closely at the PSP.  My friend\'s iPod is neat but playing games is a plus.

[Living-In-Clip]

1: Will buy both.

2: Not impressed by either one.

3: Hate idea of 3D gaming on handheld.

4: Excuse me, hugging my GBA SP.

I feel you LIC on 3D gaming on a handheld. I mean to a certain degree i think it could be nice/interesting but it just doesnt seem or feel right. I must admit that i was a bit dissapointed in the psp\'s 3D presentation (just because of the fact that people were saying its just as powerful as ps2).

Ive been playing a lot of my oldschool genesis, snes, nes and turbografx games and i would love to see some of those games make comebacks on these consoles (or games similarly innovative).

I was really dissapointed to discover that the GP32 (game park) wasnt coming out world wide (though you can still buy one). It looked like it could run with some of the big boys. Psx2central: GBA Competitor
Selling for around 110-120.

3D sucks. I hate the thought of playing Gran Turismo 4 on a portable device, so that I can kill time on the train with great graphics! Err... well... ok, so I wub the idea.

I\'m almost definitely buying the DS if I buy either at all. Gotta have my Nintendo.

I\'ll get a PS3 if I want the latest Gran Turismo title.. or the earliest.. heh..

I\'ll pick up my DS when Animal Crossing is available, I need that game!  Mario DS, Mario Kart DS, Metroid Hunters, Sonic DS, etc. will probably be alot of fun too.

I\'d probably get a PSP if I wanted to get a MP3 player or if it has a killer app that I can\'t live without.  Right now it just seems like alot of PS2 ports.

Originally posted by Ginko
Right now it just seems like alot of PS2 ports.

This is one of my only problems with it. Ports are killing it. I love that i could put mp3\'s on there. I could use a new one, and i take the train/public transit alot right now. It would be great with the extra battery pack. And Metal Gear Acid??? NO THANK YOU. If only it wasnt for the ports.

Maybe ill just order a GamePark and say screw these monster companies. *sigh*

Its funny that according to a few articles PSP development kits arent ready and people are complaining about PS2 ports on it, low battery life and high price while nothing\'s been confirmed and its very far from being released.People arecomplaining as if it was a released system and are also forgeting that there is still time to adress the issues.But nobody seems to complain about the many GC,N64 ports and non-original titles on DS, it costs $150 and in terms of graphics its an n64.
I still didnt hear enough information about DS battery life.
Oh and best of all the DS is also 3D but nobody is complaining as much as for the PSP.
And was it me or is Darkstalkers coming to the PSP?
Btw:Why this stupid comparison between PSP and DS when they arent exactly competing each other?

Ok, no. The PSP and the DS are competing to some degree. Odbviously people our age would buy both and not really buy both so if any group of people had to debate buying one or the other then they are competing. On another note, the DS has a lot more traditional games (classics) and a larger 2D library (or so it seems). Its not trying to emulate the new gen and therefor feels less.... techy and "i want to be solely 3D."

Darkstalkers- Im glad its coming on psp, but its not new. We talk of innovation and yet all we have are ports so far (for the most part). Dont get me wrong, the psp looks good and its been my choice of the two but there are distinct differences between it and the DS.

Originally posted by Lord Nicon
Ok, no. The PSP and the DS are competing to some degree. Odbviously people our age would buy both and not really buy both so if any group of people had to debate buying one or the other then they are competing. On another note, the DS has a lot more traditional games (classics) and a larger 2D library (or so it seems). Its not trying to emulate the new gen and therefor feels less.... techy and "i want to be solely 3D."

Darkstalkers- Im glad its coming on psp, but its not new. We talk of innovation and yet all we have are ports so far (for the most part). Dont get me wrong, the psp looks good and its been my choice of the two but there are distinct differences between it and the DS.

True if we consider they are both aiming gaming entertainmen.But it still depends.People that dont have the cash to buy both and are forced to choose arent comparing characteristics that both have in common to choose which one.Its not like consoles where someone compares which one has the best hardware and which one has the most support and games while at the same time they are forms of the same gaming experience.
PSP is more of a techy portable with gaming and other forms of entertainment in mind.
DS on the other hand aims only gaming and a different kind at that.
If a consumer is trying to choose which one he wants he wont compare which is best.But what experience he wants.So its not a matter of quality yet if we view them as still unreleased products and what each one of them is aiming but as two forms of diifferent entertainment experiences.
Its like comparing non-competing products like consoles and handhelds.Many buy both because each offers different kind of gaming experience and others choose only one because they dont have the money to spend for both so they are forced to make a choise.
The difference with PSP and DS is that they are both very expensive and more consumers will be forced to choose what kind of experience they want.Its not exactly a comparison of which one offers the best quality.
Because each one has offerings the other one does not.The only common thing is that they both play games.

Oh also I forgot to add.I dont believe Sony is forcing developers to make only 3D games on PSP.If the developers decide to utilise the PSP\'s capabilities to offer a good 2D game they will do it freely.Or atleast I think

[Bobs_Hardware]

Originally posted by Ginko
I\'ll pick up my DS when Animal Crossing is available, I need that game!  Mario DS, Mario Kart DS, Metroid Hunters, Sonic DS, etc. will probably be alot of fun too.

I\'d probably get a PSP if I wanted to get a MP3 player or if it has a killer app that I can\'t live without.  Right now it just seems like alot of PS2 ports.

As opposed to N64 ports?

Not impressed with the DS lineup as yet. Probably won\'t be getting either of them

Mmmm.. that new Metroid fps looks promising. I keep pretending to play with a stylus on one hand and a normal control pad on the other just to get an idea of how it would feel. Seems farily natural, but I\'ll of course have to play the actual thing to be sure.

PSP is a bit of a meh for me. It\'s a PS2 with a smaller screen. I think Sony has misgudged the portable market by concentrating on graphics. With smaller screens, people look for other things that make a system stand out. Stylus and two screens? Those things stand out.

I dont really dig the new metroids that much. They just feel weird.