On the PSP page you can find thoughts from Gamespot editors on the PSP and this is pretty much my version of that.

1. When sony releases new hardware they need to give it more memory hopefully in the form of like a simple 40 gb hardrive. Or some new form of external memory because memory stick duo too small (physically, and as far as storage) and too expensive.

2. I want UMDs obliterated. Too many games look bad because they're console predecesors' great graphics have to be dumbed down to fit on a 1.6 gb UMD. This causes a lot of games such as every PSP sports game I've played look really bad.

3. Why the hell culdn't Sony have added a second analog stick and an R2 and L2 button to the PSP. Repositioning the analog stick (or sticks if they put a second one in) would help my aching thumbs. Those along with the tilt control coming to PS3 would be nice. Also somebody make a keyboard to make internet browsing a lot easier.

4. Games! I like my PSP but until more good games come out for it I'll be stuck paying $50 for a year old game. The Greatest Hits system should help this as well.
Stop porting dumbed down console games to the PSP and actually make use of the PSPs uniqueness.


Right now this is all I can think of but I'll either add to this list or post a follow-up soon.

Okay first of all Sony's E3 showing was not great but I don't think it was nearly as bad as everyone thinks. They did seem arrogant but as far as I'm concerned until ANY one stops the PS2's console domination they have the right to be arrogant. One of the reasons Sony's conference is interprited as bad is because of the price tag announcement. I think Sony showed a lot of courage making this announcement on such a huge stage. They made the announcement and made sure everyone talked about the PS3.

I also like the new pivot controller functions. THEY DID NOT STEAL NINTENDO'S IDEA. Both company's had to have been working on they're new tech for a long time. Sony couldn't have seen the new Wii (then the Revolution) controller and said, "Oh we should do that. Johnson! Get in here! I want you to make a new controller and have it ready by E3. Get to it!" Sometimes several company's have the same kind of idea at the same time. Think about MP3 players all of a sudden they seemed to flood the market because several companies had been trying to do it for a couple years. Yes a lot of successes and good ideas breed copycats. However this is not an example of that. The idea seems good but the demo was bad. It looked much to difficult to use these new functions. Mostly that was probably because of a rushed implimentation of the new controls but that demo left a sour taste in my mouth. (Watch Sony's E3 press conference to see the demo.)

The fact that so far the 360 has been doing so badly really helps Sony's chances. They have full backwards compatibility so those who own tons of PS2 and PS games won't have to start a completely new collection of software.

I also like Sony's online strategy that will have its own server (like xbox) to support online play but also will support 3rd party servers which will make MMOs easy to make work. The whole 3rd party servers thing makes me believe that if Microsoft would allow them as well there may be a way to play a game on PS3 against your friend who owns an XBOX.

Throughout this entire post I have seemingly ignored the Wii but that is not true the Wii is just to different to do many comparisons. I don't think the Wii will be a great console on its own. I think it will be an icredible complimentary console to either the PS3 or 360. It's radical new concept will make it difficult for multiplatform games to make it to the Wii. And older franchises will have to completely rewrite their book for the Wii so it could take a while for the formula to be succesful.

I believe that Sony has great chance to succeed in the next gen. But they will need to have a smooth release without nearly as much of a shortage as microsoft. And they will NEED good games early. The 360 still doesn't have a single amazing game. And there launch titles sucked no great games at all. And the final thing they need is constant game support. They need to have at least one good release over all major genres in the first 4-5 months something I still don't believe microsoft has accomplished. And a great every couple of weeks through June. If they accomplish those thing they will dominate Next Gen. Wii will be second because even sony and microsoft fanboys will want the new magic wand controller. And Microsoft will be a distant 3rd due to lack of exclusive game support and aging hardware by middle of the generation.

From May early September the game industry dies. We get a bunch of movie tie ins and crap that should never have been made. Why? Well part of the reason is beacause in many places the weather is nice and a lot of people are outside in the nice weather. And the other part of the reason is because Publishers want to tap into the Holiday season market. Thats all fine and good ACCEPT that from October to Early December the market becomes completely flooded with games that are a lot like 2 or 3 other brand new games all of which are over priced. In some cases one publisher releases two games that are at the top of the same genre like EA releasing Burnout and Need for Speed last year. And alot of games are held until winter if these games were released in the summer as soon as it was ready the publisher would get two things.
1. Improved sales due to very little competition.
2. Improved sales due to extra media coverage because so few games are being released.
A prime example of this is last years hit Destroy All Humans!
Again this year a ton of games will be released this fall that are good but will get less than grand sales because the ubelievable competition. Its time for publishers to wise up and spred there releases out.