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Sony: DSi is a Kids Product
Sony says that DS is still a product for kids, and DSi won't expand the product's demographic reach.
In an interview with Gizmodo, John Koller, Sony director of hardware marketing, said, "Will DSi do well with [the DS's] demographic? It probably will. Will it be a product that expands their user base beyond under 12? I'm not sure."
However, SCEA had some muted praise for the PSP's great rival. "Nintendo has kind of a history of these kinds of updates, and even with DS Lite, there was a lot of discussion, "Is that enough?" And they seemed to do pretty well there. I can see the DSi being successful. The DS lite was obviously very successful."
Globally, DS has sold over 80 million units, while PSP has sold fewer than 40 million. In interviews, Sony has consistently attempted to portray PSP as a more grown-up product than DS, pointing to an average higher age of consumer.
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The guy is just repeating what central marketing at Sony decided was right to say about DS.
I think they are well aware of the success of Nintendo...
In my opinion they should go all the way and actually back up their claim with facts:
Power up the hardware / graphic chip, sort out analog controls (second analog stick seems the most obvious solution) and start releasing FPS and other high production value / adult market oriented games... As it is the PSP is a half boiled piece of hardware, with slick looks, decent but dated graphic capabilities, terrible controls and too few good games.
Sour grapes, much?
Sony are just jealous that nintedo are selling twice as much as they are. Sony, just because Nintendo are making more money than you, doesn't mean you have to be mean to them.
That's the sort of comment I would expect from a teenage troll, not the director of hardware marketing. I could equally say that the PSP is for spoilt 10 year olds and shallow graphics whores, but that would be a cheap shot.
The DS has one of the broadest user bases I've seen since the days of Tetris. I'm not surprised to see a camera, Nintendo did it before every one else with the Gameboy camera. Now that cameras are common on Mobiles and the iPhone people seem to forget that Nintendo are just picking up something they already tested.
I'm amazed to see some one manage to buy 40 games before realising it wasn't for them? Were the games too easy? I've really enjoyed Phoenix wright on the DS personally.
"I could equally say that the PSP is for spoilt 10 year olds and shallow graphics whores, but that would be a cheap shot."
You could but that'd be mean. ;)
I think the PSP is a good product. I love my PSP. But I own . . . 3 titles for it (4 if you count SotN from the PSStore)? Most the games do not appeal to me.
And while I think the DS to be inferior technology-wise, it still has the best games, IMO. I have dozens of DS games.
And guess what? I'm 24, Sony. :P I see more people with DSes and few with PSPs. I don't think it has anything to do with technology. I think price point is the issue. The DS is way cheaper than the PSP, thus everyone owns one. The PSP itself is the same price as an XBOX 360 Arcade. That's probably why it doesn't do as well? Why spend the money when you can buy an XBOX 360 or spend $50 more on Wii?
I only got a PSP for Crisis Core. :P Would love to see more games for it, but this late in the season, aside from a few arcade compilations and remakes I desire, I highly doubt it.
If it's more then doubling the sales of your own handheld, Johnny Boy, maybe you should be thinking about, and working at, getting a piece of that demographic yourself, instead of giving interviews about how successful your competitor is.
How ironic, the ones claiming the product is for kids are the ones behaving like children.
that said, does it even really matter? There is absolutely no point in saying it's a kids product. Maybe he means that it will allow kids to have access to more iPhone like features without having to own an iphone. Can't imagine many kids own them.
I'm sure Steve Jobs & Co is laughing knowing that Sony's more concerned with the DSi over the iPhone.
Doesn't Sony know that attempting to pigeon-hole Nintendo as 'teh kiddie system' is so last gen and, well... juvenile?
Ken,
Possibly. But I think we can all agree he's stating the obvious. It may not be "teh kiddie system", but their marketing isn't really geared toward the hardcore now is it?
Maybe since 12 year olds are half the age of 24 year olds, then the systems sold only counts for half, thus the PSP and DS are neck and neck... ^^
Ugh. This tendency to trash talk the competition really disgusts me at times. Do they really think the majority of the games market can't tell the difference between a product that delivers and one that doesn't?
Everyone buys the DS. EVERYONE. Sony need to pull their heads out of their asses and take a good long look at reality.
Is he really that stupid or does he think we're that stupid? Everyone knows the Ds average age would be lower because more people own one. That includes kids and old people.
Where as the PSP only really appeals to one small age range so it's average age reflects that.
Have to agree with this Op piece. For me and my wife, we are both trading our DS Lites in. It just isn't for us, as adults. We have about 40 games for it, but have yet to complete one. I think the DS is a GREAT product. My niece loves it and she is 14. We have been saving the games we bought and re-gifting them to her over birthdays and holidays. I am sure there are plenty of adults who do love the DS lite, we just happen to be the adults who don't. The DSi is not a new piece of hardware that we will be buying, though I have a feeling once my niece figures out the new one has a camera she will want to trade up.