Sony pledges to reinvigorate PSP in 09

‘SIGNIFICANT’ NEW titles are heading to the PSP this year that will revitalise the format and attract new consumers, Sony has told MCV.

Now over four years-old, the PSP has steadily established itself throughout the current generation, selling over 40 million units globally – 3.2m of them in the UK.

But software sales have been less consistent. In GfK-ChartTrack’s monthly report for January, the format accounted for just 3.6 per cent of the UK software market in unit terms – a stark contrast to Japan, where 2008’s biggest title was PSP game Monster Hunter.

Speaking to MCV, UK product manager Claire Backhouse said that comparable titles are on the way over here – a number of them unannounced – that can help turn around the format’s current standing.

This year we are also launching a host of significant PlayStation IPs on the PSP platform, the first being Resistance Retribution, which will help drive sales,” Backhouse said.

It’s these core IPs that we believe will help broaden the appeal of PSP in the UK, and when coupled with the existing functionality such as Go!View and Go!Cam, will make PSP a very attractive proposition.

Granted, perhaps there hasn’t been the volume of high profile PSP titles we would have liked to have seen on the platform. But, that said, we continue to focus heavily on software development.

The fruits of this you’ll see later this year, with the release of a number of currently unannounced, yet significant franchises that will re-invigorate the current user base, as well as attracting a whole new audience.”