PSPgo has met expectations

We’ve never been given any firm sales numbers for the PSPgo, leaving the industry to draw its own conclusions about the device. But Sony has insisted that the portable has successfully met its own expectations.

The PSP Go is not the PSP2. It was just a different form-factor. It’s met our expectations, it’s part of a bigger ecosystem, and it also helps us evangelize a digital lifestyle that we think will continue to plant its roots. In that regard, it’s been a success,” SCEA’s senior VP Peter Dille told Joystiq.

People, I think, have a mistaken perception that the Go is its own platform. The Go is a form factor for the PSP platform, and it was always intended for a specific consumer: the high-end of the food chain that’s very comfortable with digital. That’s not everybody, and therefore, our expectations weren’t that this was going to replace PSP.

This is an industry that’s inundated with rumour – the rumours before the PSP Go was announced were ‘oh, the PSP2 is coming out’. Those were rumours, and they were incorrect.”

In June SCEE president and CEO Andrew House told MCV: One of the reasons we launched PSPgo was to understand where that consumer behaviour was going. We were getting signals from consumers that this was the kind of device that they wanted. But we need to recognise that consumers like their packaged media library.”

However, that hasn’t stopped Sony throwing plenty of freebies the way of those willing to buy the 225 machine. In June Sony launched its second major gifting extravaganza, offering new buyers of the machine an eye watering ten free full downloads.

Critics such as British developer-come-publisher Team 17 have blasted the PSPgo for the price of its digital-only titles, though most have been significantly discounted since launch.