Today, Nov. 27th, Inside Games broke semi-tragic news that Sony Entertainment in Japan is looking to bring the PSP “sales and service” in the Playstation store to close by March 31st, 2016. While some took a hard pass initially when it came to the PSP as a handheld console, some felt that Sony’s attempt to deal a blow against the Nintendo DS was a worthy opponent. Content purchased for the PSP will continue to be made available and can be downloaded to the Vita, PS3, PC, and mobile, according to the official press release from Sony Entertainment.
The news is not a total shocker. The PSP has seen a steady decline in sales (in America at least–in Japan the sale remained fairly steady), and frankly couldn’t compete in popularity to Nintendo’s iron grip on the handheld market. At its birth, the PSP held a lot of potential for its Japanese market, appealing to gamers who played Monster Hunter, or anyone looking to play a potable MMO. However, over the last year, Sony in Japan halted all production and shipping of the PSP, unofficially announcing the conclusion of the PSP.
This does not appear to be the end of Sony’s handheld game, but instead herding gamers towards the PS Vita instead. Whether or not this will boost Vita sales in Japan and America is yet to be seen. Either way, the PSP will always be valued as a unique console and a symbol of Sony stepping out of their comfort zone.