Koller: digital will be an important part of the PSP's future

Posted Mar 24, 2009 at 2:59PM by QJ Staff Listed in: Interviews, News Tags: David Perry, iPhone, John Koller, PlayStation Network, PlayStation Store, Sony

Digital content is a hot issue right now in the world of handheld gaming, what with both the DS and the PSP being challenged by the fast-growing game library of the iPhone. Sony's head of PlayStation Marketing John Koller is once again in the spotlight as he explains what's in store for the PSP's future.

Sony's John Koller Talks PSP's Downloadable Future - Image 1

Are we finally looking at a non-UMD future, as David Perry shamelessly rumor-mongered? Koller suavely avoids answering that directly, only saying that "I can't really comment on that other than to reiterate the fact that the digital side of things for us on PSP is really important." He does say, however, that digital content will be a big part of the future:

Holistically, the idea of digital distribution fits into the world as we go forward. [...] So one of our big pushes this year is to be sure that the right kind of content and the right kind of games in particular are placed on the PlayStation Network for download on the PSP.

What Apple has done has really opened people's eyes, the entire industry, about how games can be created, they don't have to be created by 100-plus [member] development teams anymore. They can be created by one or two people and sell well.

So what kind of content are they going to push on the PlayStation Store? While they're vying to release larger-sized games on the service, it seems they're also interested in introducing more snack-type games, an idea Koller has introduced before.

You don't need to have an epic. Consumers aren't demanding epics from digitally distributed games, necessarily. They can be equally happy with games that are a few hours long that you can pick up for 10 minutes and put down for an hour.

Koller emphasizes that Sony is content-focused right now, and we're going to be seeing a lot of new games after June, which also means we might be seeing more PSOne titles come along. As for concerns that the PSP isn't selling very well lately, he merely remarks that we only have to wait until the new games come out, then people will start paying attention.

For the entire interview, you can follow the source link below.

Via Wired

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Comments

# ... — TheLastGuitarHero 2009-03-24 10:25

Yeah yeah more games that's great, anyway can I please have my PSP keyboard now? That doesn't have anything to do with this article but still. >:(

Oh and Sony, don't stroke Apple's ego anymore, their follower's heads might explode and we'll get more "iPhone is better then PSP" threads.

We all knew downloadable content was going to be big, evertything Sony does with the PSP this year is going to be big, it has to if they want to bring it out of this drought.

# — GLO13AL_T3RROR 2009-03-24 10:41

ahh.....WTF y don't just sony make a fking psp2 and blew iphone away.

# Hope so. — Grisaille 2009-03-24 11:23

D/L two games off of PSN, and it seems like a no-brainer.

...the hell is wrong with these guys? I'dve capitalized on digital distrubution a long time ago.

Add stronger locks so they can't be pirated as easily (just enough, not so where we can't create a backup) and throw them on the market. The current model where PSN titles for the PS3 can be downloaded to 3 different PS3s is fantastic. Just do the same with PSPs already, Sony.

# why digital!? — Hekynn 2009-03-24 11:50

Why digital Sony!? Some people like me like to have the actual copy in their hands!!! I know Gamestop is *****ing up the sales with their used stuff but hell they have no choice with the market mess that the idiotic frmr pres BUSH and his Admins put us in this HELL of a mess he did!

# . — DarkXCloud 2009-03-24 12:15

Sony needs to move on with a new handheld.

People keep hacking online and pirating good games. This problem will give developers less money and won't be able to make high quality games like GOW.

# psone!!! — deadlyangel91792 2009-03-24 13:38

for the love of god someone give me ff7 on psn!!!!!! also i agree with darkxcloud1 they should just make a new system preferably digital with the option of buying games str8 from psn with psn card pins and tie them to your account so they can only be used if the account is active BUT they should be allowed for download as much as you want if your account is active

# .. — Torch 2009-03-24 16:15

Because the current PSP already blows the iPhone away. The iPhone's games are a *****ing joke. Drag some stupid cars out the way to clear a path? No thanks, I'll rather ruthlessly massacre my opponents with Kratos instead.

# lol — Miclowgunman 2009-03-24 17:44

get use to it. I'm sure there were people who thought...WHY COMPUTERS! PEN AND PAPER IS SO MUCH BETTER! I ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATA ON MY PAPER, NOT IN SOME RANDOM CIRCUIT!Tech advances, the world moves on. Don't get trampled under progression. P.S.- this economy was as unavoidable as global warming. It doesn't matter who the pres. is or was.

# ... — foxdog 2009-03-25 05:40

yes yes yes... more ps1 games on psn!!! original ff7 and mgs would be awsome!!! as for a couple other comments... games off psp's psn you can download to up to 5 psp's with activation. me and my buddys share a account and all throw in on games and we all look forward to more ps1 games. and you can erace and redownload any time you want. keyboard camera and gps really need to come north americas way! i got the camera but was pissed cuz i had to pay more to have it shiped across sea's. not to sure about going all digtial. i like it cuz i dont hafta go anywhere to get the game but dont like wateing for the game to download. i skiped the 3000 but the next one i think im gettin cuz it will probly be quite different.

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