PSP US Launch Date and Price Revealed. $250!?

VNAF Ace · Post by **VNAF Ace** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:31 am

PSP US Launch Date and Price Revealed

Uh-oh. It's going to be more expensive than anticipated.

By Matt Casamassina

February 3, 2005 - Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced the North American launch date and pricing structure for its anticipated PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld. The device, which launched in Japan last year, is set to debut in the US and Canada on March 24 for suggested retail prices of $249 USD and $299.99 CND respectively.

Unlike the Japanese launch, which offered a base PSP package for approximately $185 USD, North American buyers will only be able to get one bundle, the pricier PSP Value Pack. The good news is that the Pack comes standard with a good number of extras that help make the purchase worthwhile, including a 32MB Memory Stick Duo, headphones with remote control, battery pack, AC adaptor, soft case, and cleaning cloth. In addition, the bundle boasts a movie/music/game sampler UMD disc with non-interactive demos. On top of everything else, the first one million people to purchase a PSP in the US will receive a bonus UMD featuring the full feature film Spider-Man 2.

"PSP will evolve and elevate portable entertainment, giving users the freedom to play full 3D games, watch movies, listen to music and connect wirelessly on their terms, their time and their place," said Kaz Hirai, president and chief executive officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "More than ever, today's consumer demands access to entertainment outside the home without compromising quality. With more than 100 PSP game titles currently in development worldwide, and the ability to download and listen to digital music and view feature films with breathtaking screen quality, PSP lets users control their entertainment options, all in one package."

Sony also announced the preliminary list of launch titles, to be released simultaneously with the handheld:

Ape Escape: On the Loose, Sony Computer Entertainment America
ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, Capcom
Dynasty Warriors, KOEI
FIFA 2005, Electronic Arts
Gretzky NHL, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Lumines, Ubisoft
Metal Gear Acid, Konami
MLB, Sony Computer Entertainment America
MVP Baseball, Electronic Arts
NBA, Sony Computer Entertainment America
NBA Street Showdown, Electronic Arts
Need for Speed Rivals, Electronic Arts
NFL Street 2 Unleashed, Electronic Arts
Rengoku: Tower of Purgatory, Konami
Ridge Racer, Namco
Smartbomb, Eidos Interactive
Spider-Man 2, Activision
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, Electronic Arts
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix, Activision
Twisted Metal: Head On, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade, Sony Online Entertainment
Wipeout Pure, Sony Computer Entertainment America
World Tour Soccer, Sony Computer Entertainment America

Sony said it would manufacture one million PSP units for sale in the North American market by the end of its fiscal year on March 31.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/584/584983p1.html

$250 is too damn expensive (since the PSP alone only costs $185 in Japan)!

It's a big rip-off for stuff I don't want and don't need: Headphones, remote, Spider-Man 2 UMD (I already have the DVD), 32 MB Memory Stick Duo.

What the **** am I going to do with a 32MB Memory Stick Duo!? That thing will only hold less than 10 MP3s!

ArrogantBastard · Post by **ArrogantBastard** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:53 am

Wow. Haha. $250? I'll just wait until the price drops.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:06 am

^ My exact same thoughts. Besides, I've got too much stuff I want to pick up for other systems and money is short.

I would consider 200. 150 would have been ideal. I heard the games are mostly 50 with the odd game at 40.

No_not_like_Quake · Post by **No_not_like_Quake** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:53 pm

That's damned expensive for a portable, no matter how powerful it is.

BIG · Post by **BIG** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 3:06 pm

At $250 for the Value Pack + Spider-man 2 UMD,,it's a better deal than what the Japanese are getting overseas. Not much better,but still.

Also,I'm quite sure that the standard package will be available shortly after launch as well.

BIG-

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 5:48 pm

I'll probably get one eventually, Lumines z0mg!

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:36 pm

Yikes, that's $100 more then an American PS2!! I have a sinking feeling that between the higher price, and the glitch with the square button, Nintendo's gonna win this console race.

Still, I would really like to try out the PSP Namco Museum after those screenshots of Galaga Arrangement.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:51 pm

Of the 24 or so launch titles, I count around 10-15 sports/racing titles in there...and that's only names I recognize off the top of my head.

I wasn't planning on getting this anyways (or the DS, I've just never been much of a portable gamer), but if the launch list is any indication, it's not promising for "niche" titles...then again, the PS2 has the most shmups and such on it, so it's too early to tell for sure...

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:12 pm

Meanwhile, we in europe are fucked again. Sony delayed the whole launch here.

Oh, well... I'm not too excited yet by the PSP, but with that screen, it has to deliver some quality shmups at some point...

Shapermc · Post by **Shapermc** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:32 pm

No body is upset by the fact that the games prices are 39.99 - 49.99 MSRP?!

Fuck the system price that will drop by the summer, the software is what is getting me... P.O.R.T.A.B.L.E. not home.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 8:35 pm

And probably by that time Nintendo could lower the price of the DS and the GBA even more. Sorry, Sony. Regardless of how powerful your portable system is, I rather spend that money on a PS2, or better yet, a new Xbox.

Pass!

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 10:32 pm

$250... that's enough dead presidents to buy two Gamecubes and a GBA. Or a Gamecube and a DS.

jp · Post by jp » Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:29 am

*sigh*

Why is everybody surprised? Its Sony... *shrugs*

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:50 am

So much for all the whooping and hollering from Sony fans from the Japanese launch announcement (the more rabid ones) that "Ohhhh, so it's only a $50 price diff between the PSP and DS now, huh??? Nintendo is in sooo much ttrouble." I'm sure the PSP can still give the DS a run for its money but a lot of games are gonna have to be traded in to get a decent price on a launch pack when Sony is forcing people to buy this bloated bundle. The only explanation I have is they must be losing more money per initial unit than folks thought and this is a lame way to try and recoup some of it?

In any case it looks like I will be using my tax refund on either a new PCB or a fancy cell phone instead. *yawn*

VNAF Ace · Post by **VNAF Ace** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:23 am

jp wrote:*sigh*

Why is everybody surprised? Its Sony... *shrugs*

Well, Sony in the past has always had competitive pricing.

The PS1's launch price was $300 compared to the Saturn's launch price of $400.

Nintendo releases analog controller and rumble pack for N64. Sony releases Dual Shock for PS1 (cheaper and better than the N64 controller + rumble pack).

The PS2's launch price was $300. Pretty damn good deal for something that could play CDs, DVDs, PS1 games (with faster loading and smoother graphics), and PS2 games!

Sony didn't become #1 by overcharging us consumers.

I just hope they aren't making the same mistakes every other company (besides Nintendo) has made in the handheld market.

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:31 am

Wow, $50 for a handheld game. Fuck that.

What is this Lumines I keep hearing about? The only game that's interested me since ever is Vampire Chronicles, and that's a nearly 5 year old port of a DC game.

stoneroses · Post by **stoneroses** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 1:19 pm

I think the price is too high for me. The only thing that I am the slightest bit interested in is Ridge Racer, Wipeout and perhaps GT4 whenever that may come out. I also think anything over $30 for a game is a bit much for a handheld system.

It does look cool, and I do think it will take down the DS in time, but for now, I'll stick with my PSone with LCD. It will never happen, but a PSP version of Darius on the widescreen would kick a$$.

jp · Post by jp » Sun Feb 06, 2005 12:31 am

stoneroses wrote:
It does look cool, and I do think it will take down the DS in time

Doesn't really matter, the DS is just Nintendo doing something no one else in the industry has the balls to do and trying something different. They've said it a million times, the DS isn't competing with the PSP, the new Game Boy is whats going to compete with that (though its still 2 years off).

The DS was just made for that small sect of us who are sick and tired of the same old shit over... and over... and over...

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:00 am

What is this Lumines I keep hearing about?

A very slick looking widescreen puzzle game. Looks nice but it's getting soooo much praise poured on it I'm managing my expectations. Some of the importers on the other boards act as if it's the savior of all puzzle games or something.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:14 am

jp wrote:The DS was just made for that small sect of us who are sick and tired of the same old shit over... and over... and over...

Get out of the Shmups board real fast. You'll die young by being exposed to such a giant heap of the same old shit.

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:20 am

Unscathed and jp and all who have a beef with one system over the other, please just let it rest OK? Plenty to be excited about on both the DS and PSP front.

jp · Post by jp » Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:46 am

UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:
jp wrote:The DS was just made for that small sect of us who are sick and tired of the same old shit over... and over... and over...
Get out of the Shmups board real fast. You'll die young by being exposed to such a giant heap of the same old shit.

Thats why I don't play Cave/Psikyo games.

@Dylan1CC

What? I didn't say anything against any console. I just said sales didn't matter.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Feb 06, 2005 1:59 am

jp wrote:
UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:
jp wrote:The DS was just made for that small sect of us who are sick and tired of the same old shit over... and over... and over...
Get out of the Shmups board real fast. You'll die young by being exposed to such a giant heap of the same old shit.

Thats why I don't play Cave/Psikyo games.

@Dylan1CC

What? I didn't say anything against any console. I just said sales didn't matter.

@jp: Dylan's Troll sense just went off the scale because of the delicate balance in the DS/PSP threads. The recent surge of flaming going on must have taken a lot of flame retardant to keep from spreading.

@Dylan: What I said earlier was an offhand comment triggered by the phrase "the same old shit". It was not intended to hate the DS, unless jp is the DS itself. I was poking fun at jp since this is the Shmups board afterall; probably the place with the most "same old shit" going around (nothing against the members).

jp · Post by jp » Sun Feb 06, 2005 2:04 am

I am the DS itself. How dare you attack me?

Now shut up and touch me.

Oh God save my soul.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Feb 06, 2005 2:09 am

^ Ewwwwwwwww

.

Edit: Consider making that your sig.

jp · Post by jp » Sun Feb 06, 2005 2:12 am

Na, then I'd be the resident pervert like that one guy that got banned back in the day. I'll just let that one fucked up comment rest here... forever... where it may grow old and eventually die in a server crash, only to be remembered by few.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:32 am

I imported as PSP last month simply fo Lumines and it has been worth it. My wife seems to love it even more than I do,

Super Mega C · Post by **Super Mega C** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:32 am

Just out of curiosity what the hell does a portable gaming system need with a remote? Sony needs fire all those artsy ass engineers of theirs and make something people can use.

It's like an argument a friend of mine get into at work about vehicle designs. I'm more of a truck/utility kind of guy and I stress that form should never come before function. He on the other hand likes cars that are more flash and pizzaz, five minute "cool" stuff (if you've ever seen pimp my ride on mtv you'll know what I'm talking about). This is exactly the kind of shit he would come up with.

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:36 am

I am almost sure it will be for the MP3 playback feature, so you can keep the unit inside of your pocket/pouch, plug the headphones into the remote, and control it from there, a la MD.

Super Mega C · Post by **Super Mega C** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:48 am

I just never understood the need to have a remote to something an arms length away. There advertising it with people wearing it around their necks for god's sake.