Analyst: Playstation Phone Could Hurt Sony's Brand

[John Funk]

Analyst: Playstation Phone Could Hurt Sony's Brand

Will the rumored Playstation Phone stand on the shoulders of the popular Playstation brand, or will it drag it down?

Rumors about the existence of a Playstation Phone (possibly keep on coming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104803-Sony-PSP-Phone-Is-More-Real-Codenamed-Zeus], and by this point it looks like as sure a potential bet as you can make in this industry.

TechRadar spoke with several industry analysts [http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/games-industry-time-is-ripe-for-psp-phone-911530?artc_pg=1] about the hypothetical PSPhone to gauge interest. For the most part, the analysts were very positive about the device, saying that it could bridge the gap between the mobile gaming boom and hardcore gamers, who are dismissive of games played on platforms like Android and iOS.

The one dissenter was Games Ivestor Ltd analyst Nick Gibson, who suggested that Sony Ericsson and Sony Computer Entertainment might not be on the same wavelength in this regard, and that any confusion here might potentially damage the PSP and Playstation brand.

"With PSP2 SDKs currently being deployed to developers and PSP still selling at surprisingly robust levels (given the miniscule size of ongoing PSP software sales), the PlayStation Phone concept is something of an enigma," said Gibson. "Where and how will it fit into the PlayStation family of products? While a PlayStation-branded game phone might make commercial sense to Sony Ericsson, Sony Computer Entertainment's approach to hardware is radically different, and there are numerous scenarios where such a product could do more harm than good."

I'm not sure if there are "numerous scenarios" where a PSPhone could damage the Sony brand. There's pretty much just the one, where the Playstation Phone sucks, and people are turned off of products bearing the Playstation name from then on. Sure, it's easy to imagine that it might be a pain to properly coordinate efforts between two branches of the mammoth Sony umbrella, but a little awkwardness there would hardly do irreparable damage to the Playstation brand.

It's certainly an interesting possibility to think about, but come on: If the PSP Go couldn't kill the Playstation brand, what chance does a PSP phone have of doing the same thing?

(Tech Radar [http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/games-industry-time-is-ripe-for-psp-phone-911530?artc_pg=2])

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[FinalHeart95]

Maybe the portable Playstation brand, but I'd say that Sony is pretty comfortable in the console market.
Also, I can't help but think of the N-Gage here.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

My N-Gage senses are tingling...

 

[Bobzer77]

Pictures fake unless they decided to put an android os on it.

 

[TheAmazingHobo]

Yeah, not feeling this one.

Apart from technical problems (gaming tends to deplete batteries rather fast, especially "real" gaming), I just don´t see the market. Just look at the failure that is the PSPGo, does anyone actually believe that sticking phone capabilities into that thing would have made it a smash hit ?

 

[teqrevisited]

This just isn't necessary.

 

[Jkudo]

Pictures fake unless they decided to put an android os on it.

It always had android. That was the plan.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

My N-Gage senses are tingling...

Why do I suddenly crave tacos? Might be related...

Anyway, how could one stupid gizmo hurt an entire company's image? If that were true, Apple wouldn't be around anymore...

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I just want a HTC touch...

Achievements on the go and some useful apps? Sounds good to me.

 

[Bobzer77]

Pictures fake unless they decided to put an android os on it.

It always had android. That was the plan.

I had a feeling it did but I didn't think the article would contradict itself saying:

who are dismissive of games played on platforms like Android

When it actually is an android platform with Playstation buttons...

 

[Daemascus]

My N-Gage senses are tingling...

Damn. Ninja'd.
The problem here is there just isnt a demand for a PSPGO that works as a phone. If people want a phone that can play games they will just get an Iphone.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

I am glad I still use phones that don't have anything newer than camera functionality.

 

[JaymesFogarty]

I really can't believe it! Analyst is a horrible name for a phone!

 

[arealperson]

I may not have enough judgement on the product yet, but so far I want this. The idea of PSP Go killing Sony's brand is of course totally ridiculous, but damaging it was certainly not out of the question. The higher price-point allowed gamers to condescend upon it (and thus Sony) for months afterwards. You still haven't forgiven it, John. I think outside of just "suck"ing, the problems for the PSPhone for observers and with its end result may be that it's a great overall product, but it doesn't quite reach the PSP-3000's level of gaming, or it doesn't quite match Ericsson's Cell quality, or it doesn't quite match more powerful Android phones. I don't yet have a PSP, and despite the PSP2 eventually coming out, this release (provided it has good --even if not the best-- PSP support) might just be the tipping point for consumers like me.

P.S. I also don't have a cell.

 

[mjc0961]

I'm not sure if there are "numerous scenarios" where a PSPhone could damage the Sony brand. There's pretty much just the one, where the Playstation Phone sucks, and people are turned off of products bearing the Playstation name from then on. Sure, it's easy to imagine that it might be a pain to properly coordinate efforts between two branches of the mammoth Sony umbrella, but a little awkwardness there would hardly do irreparable damage to the Playstation brand.

I can think of more. Say for example, the only option for a PSP2 is to buy the phone. That would be pretty big failure.

Now I know Sony is probably not stupid enough to do something that awful... Probably. These are the guys who released the creepy baby PS3 ads, started removing features left and right from the PS3 while at the same time starting a "It only does everything" ad campaign, and released the PSP Go... But Sony still can't be dumb enough to only release a phone version of the device... right?

 

[carpathic]

My personal favourite thing about the PSP Go were the number of reviewers who suspiciously rated it as being awesome - while the games were free to download.

Yeah. Take that.

 

[Therumancer]

The key to selling a device like this is going to be to undercut the various cell phone service providers. I think one thing holding portables back is that in order to keep them interconnected, you need to more or less pay by the minute to use cell phone networks and
the like. If someone was to say develop a network and then charge say $10 a month for unlimited usage, then whatever product they were selling for that network would explode
in terms of sales. Right now people pay and get so many minutes per month, and then so many unused minutes can "rollover" to the next month and so on.

To me the point of a phone that is that powerful of a gaming platform would be to say use it to play various online games like World Of Warcraft, Monster Hunter Freedom, etc... from anywhere without needing to be linked into the WI-FI of your home/hotel/coffee shop, or in close proximity to another user.

-

While it turned out to be a rumor, and as a result helped "kill" the PSP, one of the things said about it to begin with was that it was going to be able to link to your full sized consoles. The idea being that you could for example buy a game for the console and the portable and share game data. Allowing some games to be played on the big or small screen, and you to take a game in progress via save data with you as you travelled, and then load the save game into the console when you came back home to keep on playing.

I think a lot of people were intially interested in the PSP for that reason, but since it never came to pass, interest wound up fading.

That and the simple fact that people keep making games for the PSP that really need double thumbsticks to play comfortably and yet they have been pigheadedly insistant about not adding a second one to the system.

 

[Something Amyss]

*Scans for Patcher's name*

Oh, good, we can take it seriously.

Maybe the portable Playstation brand, but I'd say that Sony is pretty comfortable in the console market.
Also, I can't help but think of the N-Gage here.

The difference being Playstation is a brand name people care about. If it was Sony coming out of nowhere to make the "Sony S-Gage," there would be more problems.

I don't thin kthis will be anywhere near as bad as the N-Gage even if it fails.

 

[Shale_Dirk]

1 of 4 analysts think Playstation Phone could backfire if it doesn't cement a place for itself in cellphones and Sony hardware.

You wrote an article on that one.

K.

"This just in: Palin Likes Kicking Puppies"
-In a recent poll, all US senators were asked if they liked kicking puppies. While 99% said, "of course not", Sarah Palin let out, "Well, if a puppy's eating the food on the table, a kick might be in order".

Instead of focusing on the information from both sides evenly, you're focusing on the negative minority, and publishing it as news. You know what might have been a more fair article title? "Playstation Phone analyst review", or "Analysts: Playstation phone round-up".

 

[FinalHeart95]

*Scans for Patcher's name*

Oh, good, we can take it seriously.

Maybe the portable Playstation brand, but I'd say that Sony is pretty comfortable in the console market.
Also, I can't help but think of the N-Gage here.

The difference being Playstation is a brand name people care about. If it was Sony coming out of nowhere to make the "Sony S-Gage," there would be more problems.

I don't thin kthis will be anywhere near as bad as the N-Gage even if it fails.

Oh, no doubt. It's just the whole "phone + games" thing.