The Koalition | The Video Game & Hip Hop Authority » Sony PSP

PSP Go Already Gone?

Carl Daniel — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:05:09 +0000

Many things have been said about last month’s NPD Figures. The PS3 is still out-pacing the 360, Uncharted 2 had a strong debut and Brutal Legend under-performed while DJ Hero down-right flopped. One thing that’s gone completely under the radar is the declining sales of Sony’s PlayStation Portable despite the release of the PSP Go which went on sale at the very beginning of the the month.

In September 2009 (before the Go’s launch) the PSP sold 190,400 units in the US which isn’t bad if consider a new, “improved” version of the handheld was just around the corner. Jump forward to October where Sony went balls-out with marketing and promoting the brand new PSP Go and even it’s older brother the PSP 3000. There were billboards, TV spots, ads, press releases, a host of games (including the long awaited Gran Turismo Portable) and a new initiative towards the digital revolution. PSP-mania was in full effect and the platform was seeming to be in the best shape of its life. So how, despite all these factors, has the PSP sales actually declined?

As reported by the NPD Group , in October the PSP only managed to push 174,600 units, which is a decline of almost 16,000 from the previous month. While NPD have yet to break down the PSP numbers to reflect individual SKU’s it’s likely that the PSP Go figure is in the realm of 100k, which for a new system is abysmal. The PSP Go had similarly low sales when it launched in Japan a few weeks ago and in Europe many retailers felt the neeed to reduce the price pre-launch, while others simply refused to stock it.

As expected Sony has yet to comment on the PSP Go sales which in itself is a confirmation of failure. I guess ShopTo were right when they called the system “Dead On Arrival”. Maybe the PSP Go will be a slow burner and I’m going way ahead of myself but as of now I see no hope for the Go’s future.

Rest In Peace PSP Go
October 2009 – October 2009

Dante’s Inferno Demo Coming Next Month

James — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:24:59 +0000

Visceral Games just revealed that a demo for it’s God of War inspired game Dante’s Inferno will be hitting Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network sometime next month. The demo will contain the entire first level from the game and allow players to get a taste of what life is like in the nine circles of hell. Full Press release below.

Redwood City, Calif. – November 10, 2009 – Spend the holidays in hell! Visceral Games™, the award-winning developers behind the critically-acclaimed Dead Space™ franchise and a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced a demo for Dante’s Inferno™. Coming this December, the ‘Gates of Hell’ demo includes the entire opening level and gives gamers a taste of Visceral Games’ blockbuster adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy.

The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.

“Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell,” said executive producer Jonathan Knight. “The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface.”

EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.

Gamers will get to go to hell in North America beginning February 9, 2010 and in Europe on February 12, 2010 for the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360, and the PSP. The “Gates of Hell” demo will only be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, sorry PSP owners.

Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker English Demo Coming

Gary A Swaby — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:07:27 +0000

Previously people have been able to enjoy the Peace Walker, but in Japanese. Well the Kojima Productions Podcast has revealed that the demo will will shortly be available in full English. As the resident Metal Gear Solid fan, I can tell you that this is exactly what I have been waiting for.

There is no set date yet, but expect it very soon.

New Audio Crack: DJ Khalil GTA Chinatown Wars Beat Tape

A.B. Frasier — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:09:10 +0000

An Exclusive beat tape put together by us for the fans of Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars and fans of the highly talented DJ Khalil. Pretty sure you enjoyed bumping these Khalil tracks in the PSP version of the game. Now its time to supply your ipods with it. For those who don’t have the game yet, make sure you go buy it ASAP. Big props to Rockstar Games for knowing how to do music right when it comes to video games. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD HERE (Right-click, save as)

Tinchy Strider and Chipmunk Make a Little Big Planet level

Gary A Swaby — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:51:26 +0000

UPDATE: The full 4 minute video has been added:

Check out two of the UK’s biggest grime acts playing Little Big Planet and describing their very own levels. Seems like the PSP version is just as customizable as the Playstation 3 version. Heck if two of the biggest UK grime acts are co signing the game I may have to buy the PSP version myself, looks like they’re trying to market this game to all audiences.

DJ Khalil China Town Wars PSP Audio Preview

A.B. Frasier — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:58:21 +0000

Rockstar released a small sneak preview of the exclusive station DJ Khalil will have on the PSP version of China Town Wars. The station will feature a lot of his recent instrumentals. And also some fresh out the bag cuts made especially for the game itself. Kind of excited about this, DJ Khalil is very underrated in the production realm. Glad Rockstar recognized the big homie.

Guess Who’s A Rockstar Beaterator Finalist?

A.B. Frasier — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:44:47 +0000

Yea, me. AB aka Killakap aka AGoNy. I know you guys are wondering AgOnY? Well, Agony is my rap/producer name. I entered a Beaterator and Myspace music challenge and got selected as a semi finalist. Rockstar sent me a brand spankin’ new PSP along with a free copy of Beaterator and and memory stick. Now my goal is to create something hot using the Beaterator by November 2nd. For those of you wondering when you can hear new music. 2010 will be my first EP released through The Koalition. So sit tight. If I win this I may be able to open the door to more things.

http://myspace.com/agony973

GTA:Chinatown Wars Gameplay Footage

Richard Bailey — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:30:11 +0000

Rockstar games announced today as the release date for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the PSP. To celebrate the successful launch of the title they released the latest gameplay video footage to give gamers an idea of what to expect. They also first made mention of mini-games that will be available to provide added value and replayability to the title. Overall the game is shaping up to be both fun and entertaining. If your the owner of a PSP or PSP Go and a fan of GTA then you can’t go wrong with picking up Chinatown Wars.

SOURCE

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 TV Spot

Gary A Swaby — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:00:56 +0000

Every year I vow never to buy Smackdown Vs Raw again until they massively upgrade the gameplay, yet every year I still fall into the hype and end up buying it anyway. Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 is making me want it more every time I hear about the customization aspects, and this new TV commercial is just another thing making me want the game.

Timbaland Using ‘Beaterator’ For New Album Shock Value 2

A.B. Frasier — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:29:57 +0000

Looks like this game, is exactly no game. Beaterator is something real, and took lots of patience and hard work. Timbaland phoned into Green Latern’s show on Monday and spoke on Beaterator and just how serious he takes it. Every drum sound is his, so producers stop “googling” for Timbaland drum kits and cop this game instead. He also revealed that he made a beat on Jay-Z’s recent album ‘Blueprint 3′ using the game, “Venus vs. mars”. And Timbo’ will also be using Beaterator on his new upcoming album ‘Shock Value 2‘. This is a must buy for my producer heads out there. Full audio below

Props to B.Dot

Amazon has a Buy 2 Games Get 1 Free Sale too.

Fergus Mills — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:25:31 +0000

Not to be outdone by Toys R Us completely, Amazon.com has a buy 2 games and get a 3rd game free sale going on this week as well. Toys R Us has the superior sale because it includes all currently released games and accessories, but Amazon has a decent selection of games with free shipping and no tax in most states. Now is the perfect time to pick up some games to go in your backlog. And who knows, maybe you could not open the games and figure out something else to do with them…

amazon.com

Nintendo Doesn’t “Get” The PSP Go

A.B. Frasier — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:23:48 +0000

Speaking with the Washington Post Reggie Fils-Aime President of Nintendo Of America didn’t hesitate to throw a few shots at Sony’s new gadget. You know how before you ‘diss’ someone you try to throw something in there before you ether them. Like saying “no disrespect” , then you go on to do the opposite and disrespect anyway. Well, Reggie started his statement like this:

“I have the utmost respect for all our competitors”

go on..

“But it’s interesting to try and answer the consumer question of ‘what’s in it for me?’ in that product.”

He feels as if the consumer wont see any value in the PSP Go. You agree Or Disagree? He also threw a few shots at Sony’s marketing of the machine.

He added the device may have a “fundamental concept problem in terms of ‘who it’s for’ and ‘what’s the benefit?’”

Props to GI.biz

PSP Numbers Double and Triple Up in Sales

Fergus Mills — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:06:10 +0000

Don’t call it a come back… With Sony’s release of the PSPGo last week and the PSP 3000 model at an irresistible price, PSP numbers all around have taken off like a rocket. It is being said that there is a 300% increase in PSP sales in the United States during the first three days of the PSPGo’s launch. Releasing Gran Turismo on the same day was a sure contribution to those numbers. In the UK sales are said to be up 120%. As for content the PlayStation Store, sales are up to 200% due to the mass flooding of PSP games now on the network. With the holiday season creeping up and games like Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines, GTA Chinatown Wars, Socom, Jak and Daxter, Little Big Planet, and whatever else I could name, I don’t expect the PSP to fall off for the rest of the year.

source: gamesindustry.biz

UK Retailers Unofficially drop the price of the PSPGo

Gary A Swaby — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:01:17 +0000

Retailers in the UK have already begun chopping the price of Sony’s PSP Go, not even a week after the hand held was released. Some retailers reported a slow start for the PSPGo, while others reported that it was hitting targets.

The PSPGo was introduced at £224.99, but many retailers are offering the device for £199.99 instead, giving a £25 discount. Retailers have likely introduced the price cut as an incentive for consumers to purchase the device, as lack of software has meant they haven’t been able to offer bundles as incentives.

The overall release of the PSPGo has been very controversial in Europe, with a few retailers even refusing to stock the hand held due to not being able to sell any software with it.

[Video] A Few Rappers & Producers Show Off “Beaterator”

A.B. Frasier — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:12:15 +0000

Want a reason to go pickup Timbaland’s new game for PSP today? Then let Twista, Jay Electronica, Pete Rock, Buck Shot, Sean Price, Ski Beatz and more explain it to you. Looks like I have something to play around with on the PSP for a while. Anybody who makes something dope with the game contact us so we can showcase your creations. Peep the video below.

Woooha got you all in check

(Japan) Media Create Sales September 14th – September 20th

Gary A Swaby — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:10:38 +0000

This is the listing of the hardware sales in the Japanese territory for the week of September 14th – September 20th of 2009

1. Nintendo DSi / 66,073
2. Sony PlayStation 3 / 51,055
3. Sony PlayStation Portable / 21,073
4. Nintendo Wii / 16,698
5. Nintendo DS Lite / 13,555
6. Microsoft Xbox 360 / 4,965
7. Sony PlayStation 2 / 2,723

This is the listing of the software sales in the Japanese territory for the week of September 14th – September 20th of 2009.

1. (DS) Pokemon Soul Silver / Nintendo / 222,579
2. (DS) Pokemon Heart Gold / Nintendo/ 220,554
3. (PS3) Tales of Vesperia / Namco Bandai Games / 216,593
4. (PSP) Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu Portable 4 / Konami / 104,377
5. (DS) SaGa 2: Hihou Densetsu – Goddess of Destiny / Square Enix / 91,574
6. (DS) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / 72,629
7. (DS) Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Tag Force 4 / Konami / 50,697
8. (PSP) Ys Seven / Falcom / 33,349
9. (DS) Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito / Square Enix / 32,603
10. (DS) The Idolm@ster: Dearly Stars / Namco Bandai Games / 30,786

Get Ready For The Next Battle

Gary A Swaby — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:26:48 +0000

Details on the highly anticipated sequel to Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection (PlayStation Network exclusive) have been clarified. Tekken 6 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 will be released in North America on October 27th while the European/PAL territories will get it in on October 30th. The North American bundles will retail for $149.99. The European/PAL Arcade Stick Bundle will retail for £149.99 while the Limited Edition will be £69.99 Below is the screens for aforementioned bundles. Don’t forget that Tekken 6 is also due for the PSP on November 24th in NA and and December 4th in Europe/PAL.

North American PlayStation 3 Limited Edition

North American Xbox 360 Limited Edition

European/PAL PlayStation 3 Limited Edition

European/PAL PlayStation 3 Arcade Stick Bundle

European/PAL Xbox 360 Limited Edition

European/PAL Xbox 360 Arcade Stick Bundle

Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker Cast Revealed

Gary A Swaby — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:31:10 +0000

Not much is know where the plot of Peacewalker will take Big Boss, but the latest issue of Famitsu has revealed some of the characters which will appear in the game.

The issue lists the following characters, as well as showing off some artwork on each.

* Snake
* Amanda
* Huey
* Chico
* Strangelove
* Coldman
* Cecile
* Miller
* Paz
* Galvez

The Famitsu feature also shows off some screens from cutscenes in the game, plus more.

(Japan) Media Create Sales September 7th – September 13th

Gary A Swaby — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:57:30 +0000

This is the listing of the hardware sales in the Japanese territory for the week of September 7th – September 13th of 2009.

1. Nintendo DSi / 66,498
2. Sony PlayStation 3 / 55,344
3. Sony PlayStation Portable / 18,375
4. Nintendo Wii / 17,568
5. Nintendo DS Lite / 11,179
6. Microsoft Xbox 360 / 7,568
7. Sony PlayStation 2 / 2,612

This is the listing of the software sales in the Japanese territory for the week of September 7th – September 13th of 2009.

1. (DS) Pokemon Soul Silver / Nintendo / 722,904
2. (DS) Pokemon Heart Gold / Nintendo/ 720,086
3. (DS) Tomodachi Collection / Nintendo / 73,789
4. (DS) Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito / Square Enix / 36,877
5. (PS3) Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Record U.C. 0081/ Namco Bandai Games / 32,679
6. (Wii) Wii Sports Resort / Nintendo / 32,217
7. (DS) Love Plus / Konami / 21,620
8. (Wii) Monster Hunter 3 / Capcom / 15,531
9. (PSP) Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (PSP the Best) / 13,018
10. (PSP) Maplus: Portable Navi 3 / Edia Co. / 12,510

http://www.m-create.com/ranking/

Well what do you expect? This Pokemon IP is over 186 million sold worldwide, therefore making it the best selling RPG of all time. The DSi complements this nicely. Now about that region locking…

Netherlands Retailer “Nedgame” refuses to stock PSPGo – Will other retailers follow suit?

Gary A Swaby — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:52:21 +0000

Looks like The Koalitions first lady Solice Hart will have less options, assuming she would be interested in getting herself a PSPgo. Dutch retailer Nedgame has refused to stock the PSPgo due to the high price and lack of software for the hand held upon it’s launch. They actually do have a pretty valid point when it comes to their reasoning for not stocking the PSPgo; the fact that the PSPgo does not include a UMD drive will mean retailers will not be able to sell any software for the system.

This means, should there be a boycott of the hand held due to the high price, then retailers will not be directly profiting off the hardware at all.
Although the PSP 3000 will still be available and still includes the UMD, this just makes the stocking of the PSPgo even more void.

The PSPgo will give users the feature of downloading their games, meaning retailers will not be able to profit directly from this kind of purchase. So will we see any other retailers follow suit, perhaps in the UK? Nedgame certainly has made their issue known, and it does make sense.