European Retailers Boycotting PSPgo

[aubergine]

First question you ask is "why not in Sony General?" - I put it in General because as a test case I think this has ramifications for the entire industry.

Sony are NOT first to market with a games console that only has DLC - that would be Apple. But Apple had the decency to disguise their game console as a music player while it snuck up on everyone like ****ing Batman. Apple also don't, to my knowledge, sell their retailer-shivving ninja in specialist games stores.

Perhaps Sony will do fine selling the Go and accessories if they can pitch it like iPhone/iTouch and sell it in department stores... except that the iPhone has mainly gotten out there via seemingly-affordable mobile phone contracts instead of straight purchases.

At any rate, the line has finally started to be drawn on retailers selling their own nooses with some European retailers telling Sony to PSPgo to hell. (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/biggest-dutch-retailer-boycotts-pspgo)

[Stevorooni]

Sony could get around this by offering download code packs for stores to sell, basically a standard PSP case with a dowload code inside.

Stores get to sell stuff, competition remains, Sony don't have to use stupid UMD

[TrinityJayOne]

Sony could get around this by offering download code packs for stores to sell, basically a standard PSP case with a dowload code inside.

Stores get to sell stuff, competition remains, Sony don't have to use stupid UMD
I don't get the UMD hate, they're pretty much CDs with God mode switched on. :/

[AranchineD]

Sony could get around this by offering download code packs for stores to sell, basically a standard PSP case with a dowload code inside.

Yeah, but that wouldn't really entice anybody. COMES WITH FREE GAME THAT YOU HAVE TO DOWNLOAD YOURSELF doesn't really have the same value as if it came with a game you can play on the ride home or whatever.

[Jay]

I hope they call the campaign the 'PSPGo and Get ****ed'. Or the 'PSPStop'. That would be good.

[AranchineD]

'PSPGoGoStop' with James Tobin as the new face of Sony.

[Vindik8or]

First question you ask is "why not in Sony General?" - I put it in General because as a test case I think this has ramifications for the entire industry.

Sony are NOT first to market with a games console that only has DLC - that would be Apple. But Apple had the decency to disguise their game console as a music player while it snuck up on everyone like ****ing Batman. Apple also don't, to my knowledge, sell their retailer-shivving ninja in specialist games stores.

Perhaps Sony will do fine selling the Go and accessories if they can pitch it like iPhone/iTouch and sell it in department stores... except that the iPhone has mainly gotten out there via seemingly-affordable mobile phone contracts instead of straight purchases.

At any rate, the line has finally started to be drawn on retailers selling their own nooses with some European retailers telling Sony to PSPgo to hell. (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/biggest-dutch-retailer-boycotts-pspgo)

Good, retailers have to go.

[ThePhotoshop]

Should have boycotted it due to lack of second analogue stick.

[Shorty]

Should have boycotted it due to lack of second analogue stick.

They can't really do that without splitting the user base. Otherwise, you'd end up with regular PSP games that don't use the second analogue stick and a PSP Go version that does. Sony are pretty much locked in to that design if they just want to make another version of the PSP.

[RunningMild]

I don't see why it's the European retailers boycotting the console. Europe are getting the sweetest package deals with this console (free copy of Gran Turismo IIRC?). All the US gets is the Rock Band demo. I understand that the main issue is with software sales, but you'd think the European stores have a better chance of selling the console than the US ones due to the free games being packaged with it. ;)

[SOX]

I don't see why it's the European retailers boycotting the console. Europe are getting the sweetest package deals with this console (free copy of Gran Turismo IIRC?). All the US gets is the Rock Band demo. I understand that the main issue is with software sales, but you'd think the European stores have a better chance of selling the console than the US ones due to the free games being packaged with it. ;)

But they could just sell the PSP 3000 and then also ensure they will get future game sales.

[Shorty]

But they could just sell the PSP 3000 and then also ensure they will get future game sales.

Not if the PSP Go ends up cannibalising regular PSP sales (e.g. a new customer buys one instead of a PSP-3000 or replaces their old PSP with a PSP Go). You can't trade in downloaded games, so that removes a pretty significant source of income for them (and for the publishers (http://gamepolitics.com/2009/09/11/despite-publishers039-complaints-they-benefit-used-game-sales)) that would normally offset the very thin margins from selling the hardware and even software. They might still be able to make money on accessories but overall they're still going to see a lot less profit from a PSP Go user than they would from a PSP user. Even selling game vouchers isn't worth the trouble because they can put bugger-all on them before customers decide they're better off buying them on the PSN (and for those of you that are going to say "but they need a credit card to do that", I have three words for you - Debit VISA cards).

And considering the thing's going to cost an arm and a leg (250 Euros - which is another argument altogether), what are the odds that they'll get enough buyers to make it worthwhile reserving the shelf space?

[Azzaman]

Is there any incentive to trade in your psp3k though? You'll lose all the games you've built up and have to pay money on top no doubt to get the go.

Sony have made a huge mistake by making this an iteration that has no umd slot, it should've been an entirely new console.

[sausage]

Hmm, upon reading the link it appears that one is boycotting and another is thinking about. One of the comments from a dutch person states that he/she has never even heard of the game outlet in question.

I think this will die fairly quickly if no more retailers jump on board to gain some momentum.

Also from the story:

"And, the shop explained to Eurogamer Holland, there are a handful of reasons why.

The hefty price-tag of €249.99 being one of them. That's €80 more than the PSP-3000 costs, a difference Nedgame believes the new handheld does not justify - the smaller screen is picked out as an example."


Bullshit reasons.

[Shorty]

Is there any incentive to trade in your psp3k though? You'll lose all the games you've built up and have to pay money on top no doubt to get the go.

Depends on if Sony have some sort of UMD-to-download trade program. If they don't, then you probably won't get many people doing that.

[Zace]

Good, retailers have to go.

Vin, the hell are you smoking. You know they will cave to the might Handheld Console LULZ!