Given the current issues facing the PSP, Sony execs say don’t hold your breath for a successor – at least not yet.
Though the PSP continues to enjoy healthy hardware sales, SCEE president David Reeves recently acknowledged the system’s biggest weakness is its dearth of new software – something gamers have been painfully aware of for quite some time now. Reeves told MCV there are “currently no plans for a PSP 2,” since Sony already has its hands full.
Sony has explored different ways to jumpstart the PSP, including launching the slightly redesigned PSP-3000 and offering downloadable games for the PSP through the PlayStation Store. Reeves said the company is still focused on the current generation PSP and has chosen to tweak and improve the device instead of working on its follow-up.
“The PSP is as successful in numbers as PS2 – it tracks its numbers in a cumulative basis. Its weakness, however, is its software,” acknowledged Reeves. “And that’s because developers, when it comes to placing their bets, have to choose PS3 and 360, then Wii, then DS, maybe even PS2 before PSP. It’s the same at our internal studios, where the focus has been on PS3. They’ve also focused a lot on PS2 as well because we have to get the SingStars out for that format. So PSP games will come – they just take a while longer.”
It certainly makes sense to deal with the problem on-hand before making new ones, but Sony seems to be sending some mixed signals. Seeking to regain third-party support on the platform is going to be a tad difficult, when Sony’s own internal development studios aren’t even focusing on making new games for the device.
