Sony: No PSP Price Drop Planned This Year, Software Will Drive Momentum

[x3sphere]

Looking at the latest batch of NPD charts, PSP hardware sales in North America have taken a dive compared to last year. Figures for February 2009 peg the drop-off at a decline of 18 percent. Not a huge drop by any stretch of the word, but still something to be concerned about. Is Sony planning to cut the price in an effort to increase momentum and combat Nintendo's forthcoming DSi? The answer is no, not this year at least. Says marketing exec John Koller:[blockquote2]As far as a price drop, there's nothing planned and we're not looking at that right now.[/blockquote2]Too bad. However, Koller also rightfully points out that there are a number of major software titles on the horizon for PSP, the likes of which include LittleBigPlanet and Assassin's Creed. Here's hoping these efforts will be enough to ignite stateside interest in the portable. Sony appears to be banking on the fact that they will.

Q&A: Sony's John Koller Talks PSP's Downloadable Future [Wired]

 

[jx233]

Are they going to cut prices for the last remaining PSP-2000 models in stock?

 

[x3sphere]

If anything, dropping the price on any old PSP-2000 stock would be up to the retailer, not Sony - since the 2000 is not manufactured anymore they don't control the price.

 

[jx233]

If anything, dropping the price on any old PSP-2000 stock would be up to the retailer, not Sony - since the 2000 is not manufactured anymore they don't control the price.

Thanks for the clarification. Where I live, there is an abundance of PSP-2000 models, but they are all mostly equipped with the TA-088 motherboard series (V1 to V3).

Also, in Pennsylvania, a PSP-2000 should cost about $120-$153 dollars.

 

[january39]

No surprise with this, SCE must be feeling confident the PSP-3000 or the tav3 not getting hacked anytime soon

 

[jx233]

No surprise with this, SCE must be feeling confident the PSP-3000 or the tav3 not getting hacked anytime soon

They know that the TA-088 V3 motherboard equipped PSPs will be hacked (no specification when though).

That is why s0nY got the TA-090 V2 motherboard in the PSP-3000. My theory is that the TA-088 V3 motherboard was only a temporary solution to the modding of PSPs; since it did not ship with the PSP-3000, and it wasn't that long in production either.

 

[solarnoise]

Hi all,

I just bought one of the last remaining PSP 2000 Daxter bundles in my area...new, in the box.

I got it from a local music/records/games/movies store. They were still charging 199 for it, I asked them to email their office and find out about lowering the price (the thing was worth the 199 but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask them to update the price since it is an outdated SKU)

They got an answer: they told me they cannot lower the price, it is up to SONY if they can lower the retail price on anything. They said they anticipated a price drop due to a "new PSP being released soon" but obviously there is nothing definitive out on that yet.

Long story short: the retailer had no control over the price, and you bet I bought the bundle for 199.

 

[Juliet]

<p>@solarnoise</p>
<p>That could be a trading trick. If they lowered the price, wouldn't they be out of pocket from the profit? x3sphere's comment is more reasonable.</p>
<p>In spite of lacking new games and -more important- the financial situation, 18 percent drop in the hardware sales isn't something to worry about.</p>

 

[january39]

They know that the TA-088 V3 motherboard equipped PSPs will be hacked (no specification when though).

That is why s0nY got the TA-090 V2 motherboard in the PSP-3000. My theory is that the TA-088 V3 motherboard was only a temporary solution to the modding of PSPs; since it did not ship with the PSP-3000, and it wasn't that long in production either.

Yeah, i would agree with that. Test run of a new mobo.

I would disagree though, 18% drop in sales is certainly something to worry about. I bet SCE would agree.

 

[hav0cJosh]

<p>the psp 3000 has been hacked. The psp Go has been released and theres no sign of hack so far. The psp in my area holds for about $250 psp 2000 still stays at 120-153. psp "phat/fat" is at $99.99 in most local retailers.</p>