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PSPgo Struggling Down Under With Roughly 1,000 Sold



Australia has been seeing some very strong PlayStation 3 sales since the console’s price was slashed last month, moving 10,000 units. The PSPgo, on the other hand, has allegedly only sold around 1,000 systems. An Australian Sony Rep explains the console's lukewarm inception.

The source trusted by Aussie paper, The Age, also said the PSPgo has “a nice design and I think it's quieter [compared to the original PSP] and uses a little less power but those things are not worth the extra cost, they're pretty cosmetic."

Managing director of Sony Australia, Michael Ephraim, replies that those alleged sales are off the mark. In contrast, he said the units sold are sitting “not under 1,000 but it's slightly over 1000.” He also cites retailers such as EBgames as the reason the company is referring to the PSPgo’s release as a “soft launch.”

Ephraim also claims that despite lacking “massive numbers,” Sony isn’t worried about the handheld’s future. He also admits to some PSPgo “issues” that need to be rectified. He mentions that the ability to read e-books and download videos.

"I suppose the applications are going to catch up with the device ... the connectability to the PS3 and those other applications will start making this device even more viable," Ephraim adds.

It appears thrifty Australians are being smart in not purchasing a system that still has “issues,” according to a Sony representative. With the PSPgo’s lack of features negatively affecting sales, is anyone starting to think the system didn’t spend enough time on the drawing board?

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Comments
  • Yeah, they rushed this system too much for a launch. I love the concept and the idea of the PSPgo, all downloadable. I would of bought one, had it not been more expensive than a wii, $50 less than a PS3, and have almost no new features and games. They should of just saved it, and released a whole new handheld all together, forget the PSP, make a new one. They should of gotten more third party support and made more games for it, then release it. They did the same thing to PS3, when it cam out it had about 3 games for you to play, and not a single one appealed to me.

  • i did't think it was going to sell anyway just look at gi's PSPgo poll not evan 1 percent said they got one.i know the 1000 sales was in australia but how many sold in the us?i might consider buying one if it was priced at like $199 or even beter $169 so its just a choice of witch one you want all digital with a smaller screen or umd with a bigger screen i think the psp 3000 screen is pretty small already now they have one even smaller so witch one do you pick

  • I gotta admit I was hoping this was do much better.

  • Sad, I wish sony had taken the time and money to invest in a better update for the online component. That's where the inovation needs to be stop rushing and focus!

  • I think it's just one of those poor decisions that even the best companies make.  PSPgo is Sony's Virtual Boy.

  • they should have got cod modern warfare 2 for it

  • I thought it would sell because of the design but I guess the price speaks for itself

  • why not just make a portable ps3 with the grafics

  • they either need to lower the price or add more fetures the idea is nice but it would be cheeper to go out and buy an old psp

  • Wow that is shocking....

    1000 people bought this? They must be impulse shoppers or Sony employees.

  • It was an epic fail anyways. just get a 3000 model and a big memory stick.

  • we all knew that it would fail. this only confirmed it. lol

  • Microsoft is going to release there Handheld platform soon after launch of Natal, According to Shane Kim and other Team Xbox workers.

    They Don't want to follow another Company as Sony clearly is with the Ps3.-IGN

    All download 1080P Multi-touchscreen Transfer Avatars to Xbox P.

  • It is just a Failure, There is no UMD's which made a lot of people upset.

    you don't see any new Hardware.

    Xbox is Getting ATI chips in 2012.

    Team Xbox is expected to make a Handheld soon after Natal.

  • I remember when everyone was hoping this was going to be the PSP 2, but obviously we got the GO. I, as a non PSP owner, considered the digital handheld until the price was announced, what a rip off, its only $50 different from a PS3 these days. Some PSP games are really awesome but there just isn't enough to justify it let alone the GO if one already has a DS anyway.

  • "We only sold 1000 units in australia? pfff were not worried, we'll outsell the Dsi in the long run, they've only sold like what? 1000 million units in that country alone?

  • Im not sure what sony was thinking but everone makes mistakes i guess, why change the psp when it worked fine, sure u dont have to carry umd's but what happens when the system crashes on you in the middle of a download and knowing sony i wouldn't be suprised if they began charging more and more for thier downloads they kinda have a history of that kind of thing, further more the download time for games is crazy sometimes 45mins to 1 hour, im sure sony will work the bugs out @ some point they always do.  

  • wow. that is bad news for sony, good news for me.  if it has low sales they might lower prices!

  • yall i think that they need to go lower in the price cause the way i c it its not that worth it. i mean i would be impressed if they would side with a company like verizon or sprint to where the psp go can get wireless internet anywhere in the world. but the way its going i'd be surprised if they even double there sales so far

  • Great story, are the U.S. numbers anywhere?

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