how are PSP owners able to afford it?

Mai Valentine

Mai Valentine

Moderator
Ok, just so we're clear on this, I'm not trying to start any flame wars or anything. I'm being straight honest on this.

$250 for the system
$40-$50 for games
$20-$30 for movies in the UMD format

And possibly the biggest problem IMO is...Memory Sticks.

1 gig = $150 (Of course there are smaller cards that are less expensive, but to take full advantage you're going to want a 1 gig stick).

If you buy the PSP, one $50 game, and one 1 gig memory stick, that's already $450.

Even if you take away the one gig stick (since it comes with a 32 mb) that's still $300, and more if you get more than one game (or buy any accessories).

I work two jobs but between rent and bills, I don't have enough anymore to get games half the time, much less systems. The only reason I was able to get a DS on launch was because I reserved it in June 2004 following E3 and paid a little bit on it each month after that, so by the time it came out in November, I had it paid off. All of my systems I've had to put on Layaway and took two months to pay them off.

It just blows my mind that people can just waltz into Wal-Mart and drop $300 like that.

I'm thinking...I should get a better paying job. :lol
 
I am not going to get a PSP. Like Mai said it costs way too much for a working person like me to afford. I mean PS3 is coming out so why waste money on a handheld Playstation that is really only a system to help fill in demands for a new Playstation. Maybe if it could play DVDs but it can't so I'm not going to bother.
 
I travel a lot, so I'm considering it. The problem is the battery. Last I heard it lasts about four hours if you play games, and two and a half if you watch a movie. This isn't nearly enough for me.
 
I put the $50 down to reserve one. It ended up being an early birthday present from my sister. So I got lucky. I just paid about $100 for 1 game and the one year $30 warranty. :D
 
I thought 1 gig memory sticks weren't available yet in that format?  I thought only 1/2 gig was...

maybe I am wrong.

actually... this thing isn't leaving the office.  I put a Hori Protective Filter on it to protect the screen..... and its in the case most of the time.
I play twisted Metal on it..... but really... thats about it.

The DS is actually more fun for travelling IMO.  Zoo Keeper still has me hooked :lol :D

Mai... to answer your question... its not a better paying job that they have. They just use the plastic. Your doing it the smart way though.... by the time most people get done paying it off, they have had $20+ more in finance charges just to get it the 1st day.

†B†V† :hat
 
Well, I am talking in Canadian $ here, but when the PS2 first launched up here it went for $450 (so were Xboxes), and it sold like mad. Memory cards were about $60, extra controllers $30. My friend bought a PS2 and it was three months before he was able to buy a memory card for it.

When Gamecubes first launched here they were $300. Memory cards (the itsy bitsy 51 block ones) were an extra $50. I paid the 300, then after a month bought a memory card, and managed to swing a deal with my mom to buy me an extra controller for Christmas.

Right now in Canada PSP's are going for $300 a pop. This isn't the first time we've seen expensive systems launching, and considering how many things in one the PSP is, its actually a pretty good deal. If the Revolution costs $300 I'm sure a lot of you guys would find a way to finance it, same goes for the PSP.
 
ok.. you have a point, but consoles are different.

You expect consoles to be more expensive.

Sure.. there are more things you can do with the PSP.... but its still too expensive.
I overheard some teens yesterday at Best Buy. "Hey, there's the new psp."
"Wow.. thats cool." "How much is it?" "$250..... holy @!#! Thats too expensive."
"Yeah... its cool, looks cool.. but $250 is too much."

I hear that a lot as well. People are popping it on their credit card.... and thats it.
But many others are not buying into it..... which is why you can find them available anywhere.

Not to mention... its rumored that 40% of the PSP's were returned with defects.


†B†V† :hat
 
And after some search, it's quite confirmed the PSP battery will last about 4,5 hours when playing normal games, and about 3 when playing on wi-fi. What's the point, really? You don't get to actually enjoy the game before the battery is dead. It's a shame, really. Gran Turismo 4, Wipeout, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Need for Speed Underground, we've got them all and in almost as great versions as their "real" versions. And yet we can't play them. Gran Turismo 4 for instance takes over 300 hours to get any good in, and 400 to really enjoy. But with a battery that lasts three hours? No thanks. (sure the "real" version are bad enough, but that was just a point.)
 
I think two hours is plenty of time to play a game. The PSP is a handheld, of course, so it's going to get stripped down versions of games so that players can just pick it up and play. I think sony knows that if people want to play a deep and immersive game they are going to want to play it on there home console not on a handheld.
 
Actually, Gran Turismo 4, Tony Hawk's Underground 2 and Need for Speed: Underground 2 will be more or less the same for both. In fact there are even -two- new levels for thug2 on the PSP. ;)
 
Nightwolf said:
And after some search, it's quite confirmed the PSP battery will last about 4,5 hours when playing normal games, and about 3 when playing on wi-fi. What's the point, really? You don't get to actually enjoy the game before the battery is dead. It's a shame, really. Gran Turismo 4, Wipeout, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Need for Speed Underground, we've got them all and in almost as great versions as their "real" versions. And yet we can't play them. Gran Turismo 4 for instance takes over 300 hours to get any good in, and 400 to really enjoy. But with a battery that lasts three hours? No thanks. (sure the "real" version are bad enough, but that was just a point.)
Click to expand...
lets just say... mine died while playing wifi in the middle of the game. No warning really...

IE the DS light glows read for awhile before it dies. There really was no warning on the psp.

†B†V† :hat
 
I stated this in another thread, but I couldn't find it.

The arguement over battery life is ridiculous. If the PSP didn't come with a rechargeable battery and it was actually costing you something to replace it, then maybe there would even be an arguement.

If you're looking for deep, immersive games then you should play a console game. If you're looking for a game that you can play for 15 min. to half an hour intervals, then play a handheld game. 4 hours is long enough for you to get to an outlet and recharge the battery, and if its not, buy another rechargable battery, and you'll have 8 hours available to you.

If, for some strange reason, you want a deep immersive game on your handheld system, then the PSP is the only place you're going to find it. The PSP actually has enough horsepower to produce sound and visuals capable of engrossing you in a story. Although, I don't remember anyone complaining about GBA games not being "immersive" enough, or even DS games for that matter.

If handhelds are systems that you actually sit down and play in your own house for extended periods of time, then I'm sure you can find an outlet easily enough. Use a little common sense, recharge it when its not in use, and don't play for more than 4 hours at a time (honestly, if you're playing any game for that long in one sitting, there should be an automatic shutdown). Otherwise I find it hard to envision a situation where 4 hours would not be enough.

Sure.. there are more things you can do with the PSP.... but its still too expensive.
I overheard some teens yesterday at Best Buy. "Hey, there's the new psp."
"Wow.. thats cool." "How much is it?" "$250..... holy @!#! Thats too expensive."
"Yeah... its cool, looks cool.. but $250 is too much."
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but this made me chuckle. I am a teenager and as such I have a lot of time to observe their behaviour. Although some may think its too expensive, the general consensus is that the PSP is freakin cool. People who normally don't play videogames are interested in it, and a lot of people who would never normally buy a handheld are buying the PSP. Some may not be able to afford it, as you adequately pointed out, but I guarantee they're not going to buy a DS, or GBA, or any other handheld in its place. If they can't have the PSP, then they won't accept anything else.
 
Twisted Metal isn't deep and immersive :-\

It just didn't last that long via wifi... and there was no warning before the system shutdown.
that means... if you are middle game and not saved.. then you lose the information. Regardless of the game.. that sucks.

Bv :hat
 
To me Twisted Metal isnt one of those deep and immersive games. Actually it is pretty immersive but I dont know about deep. The basis is to win twisted metal and find out the ending for your character. You just go and destroy other cars.

If you're looking for deep, immersive games then you should play a console game. If you're looking for a game that you can play for 15 min. to half an hour intervals, then play a handheld game. 4 hours is long enough for you to get to an outlet and recharge the battery, and if its not, buy another rechargable battery, and you'll have 8 hours available to you.
Click to expand...

Thats what Ive been saying. Even if you're traveling, I'm sure you'll be doing other things that will take up your time like sight seeing, shopping, etc.
 
It just didn't last that long via wifi... and there was no warning before the system shutdown.
that means... if you are middle game and not saved.. then you lose the information. Regardless of the game.. that sucks.
Click to expand...

Did you charge the battery before playing it? Did you stop at any time to check and see how much battery life was left? Did you check the clock at all while playing this game?

Honestly, I think if it just shuts down on you, its your own fault for not exerting a little common sense. If you know that playing online is gonna suck the battery a little more and you know that you haven't charged your battery in awhile and you know you've been playing for at least an hour, maybe you should stop yourself and see how much battery life you have left. Doesn't that make sense?
 
A norma cell phone have a small bar indicating how much battery life you have left. A digital camera has a small battery icon flashing when you are running low. That makes sense. No indicator at all does not.
 
A cell phone you leave on for hours at a time without using it in case someone calls you, so a low battery indicator is helpful because its on for extended periods of time. The PSP is something that's only turned on when you're using it. An indicator would be helpful, but unless you're playing it for 5 hours straight its not just going to "shut off" on you, especially when you can stop what you're doing to check how much battery life is left.
 
This is one of the things I expected to be on the PSP. Sometimes a person can get so into a game that they forget that they are wasting the battery. It's very inconvenient to stop the game that you are playing, especially if it's good, just so you can check the battery. When an indicator just does it automatically for you.
 
Point is do we really need so advanced gadgets? Most of us will spend an hour or so and get bored anyway. And quantity is not better than quality.
 
Nightwolf said:
Point is do we really need so advanced gadgets? Most of us will spend an hour or so and get bored anyway. And quantity is not better than quality.
Click to expand...

Nobody needs advanced gadgets, but there are plenty of people who want them.
 
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