With the introduction of the Nintendo DS and the PSP, the handheld market has really heated up. There is a strong sense of competition once again, which is a good thing: competition drives innovation up and pricing down.
Before I begin discussing Adam's article on the handheld market, let's just list the specs of the three handheld juggernauts, just for shits and giggles:
PSP
CPU: 333 Mhz
RAM: 8 MB
VRAM: 2 MB
Media: 1.8 GB optical disc
Screen: 4.3" widescreen, 480x272 resolution
Color depth: 16.77 million colors
DS
CPU: 67 Mhz
RAM: 4 MB
VRAM: 656 KB
Media: cartridge
Screen: 2 X 3", 256x192 resolution
Color depth: 260,000 colors
GBA
CPU: 16.78 Mhz
RAM: 256 KB
VRAM: 96 KB
Media: cartridge
Screen: 2.9", 240x160 resolution
Color depth: 32,768 colors
Let's also get sales numbers. According to gameshout, the PSP has sold 4.26 million units, as compared with the DS which has sold 4.73 million units and the GBA which has sold an astonishing 6.25 million units. These numbers seem to mirror the preliminary NPD numbers listed at ign for the month of November, which show the PSP selling 360,000 systems, the DS selling 380,000 systems, and the GBA selling 900,000 systems.
Now, down to business.
In his article, Adam claims
without any real high profile titles of it's own, the DS was left behind in Default Second place, since really the best titles for each came in the launch pack, with PSP easily trumping the DS' offerings.He goes on to say "the PSP still had better games, and was still leading, leaving the DS in it's wake" until the August release of Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Nintendogs.
The fact is, however, that the number simply do not, nor have they ever, borne this claim. The DS did not gain its 500,000 unit marketplace advantage since August. They only gained on the psp by 20,000 units in the month of November; it is highly dubious, if not downright unlikely, that the DS outsold the PSP by 480,000+ units in a 3 month period of time.
In spite of the numbers, Adam insists that even after August's heavy hitter releases, there was "still no clear winner" until the release of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (released in November). Apparantly he believes NPD's numbers are wrong; cleraly there was a gap of 500,000+ units in November! I'm sure Nintendo would like to hear that news!
Let's recap:
Adam: The PSP and the DS were tied for market share until November.
Fact: The DS's market superiority dated much farther back than even August, possibly stretching back to the release period of the systems.
The fact here is that in spite of the PSP's technological superiority, the DS has always beaten the PSP in the handheld market.
In response to my deleted post, Adam contended that the PSP "is by all measures 10+ times more powerful than the DS," concluding that "it's superior regardless of sales."
First, when we again consider the facts, we see that the PSP is hardly 10 times more powerful than the DS. It is a more powerful gaming machine, no doubt about it. But 10 times? It's CPU is about 5 times faster, and it has about doubled the RAM of the DS. Considering the difference in the size of their screens, the actual difference in output power is presumably even smaller.
Adam: The PSP is 10+ times more powerful than the DS.
Fact: The PSP, while clearly more powerful than the DS, hardly outpowers the Nintendo handheld by a factor of 10.
Finally, let's address Adam's contention that the PSP is "superior regardless of sales." This is perhaps the most telling comment of his entire diatribe.
"Superior" is defined by dictionary.com as "Of a higher nature or kind." Fair enough definition.
But what superiority are we talking about? In terms of hardware, the PSP is in fact superior to its competitors. Clearly. No contest. But is hardware the purpose of the PSP? Does the PSP exist simply to prove that the hardware can be put together? Clearly not; the purpose is fun.
It would seem, then, that the true test of "superiority" in this debate is not centered on hardware but rather on fun. How do you measure fun? The only tool we have are sales numbers; if more people buy the DS than the PSP, then clearly the consumer base, as a whole, finds the DS to be more fun than the PSP.
Going off these premises, however, we would have to conclude that the GBA is in fact "superior" to both the DS and the PSP. And you know something? I would have to agree!
This is where Adam has a disconnect with the average gamer. Graphics do not a great title make. Numbers and specs are meaningless when it comes to gaming systems. It's all about gameplay! And when it comes to gameplay, the GBA is the clear victor in the handheld war. It's library consists of thousands of titles stretching back to the original gameboy, its simple two button + d pad layout is both intuitive and functional, and its low price tag leaves me with more money to buy the things I love: games!
If I could roll back time and change one thing about the video game industry, it would be the advent of 3d gaming. Not that I don't enjoy 3d games; my favorite game is Xenogears, which is entirely in 3d. But in the wake of 3d gaming, we've seen such an emphasis placed on graphics--more polygons, higher res textures, more toys like anti-aliasing and shaders--that gameplay has taken a back seat. Sidescrollers are still fun! Overhead 'Zelda' type games are still fun! Turn based strategy and rpg games are still fun!
So that's where we have to leave it. In a previous article, Adam himself claimed that he likes "more of the same, so long as it's new and enjoyable." You don't need a $300 handheld to experience that. The end users have realized this. The numbers prove it.
6 comments:
First of all, I don't delete the posts of those who disagree with me. In the words of John Stuart Mill, "If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind." Discourse, even if heated, always lends itself toward the discovery of truth.
"Before I begin, let me just ask that anyone reading your little blog post, should read the actual article I wrote."
I couldn't agree more. That is why I linked it; what is the point of discussing an article without reading said article?
"Let's also recap: Not once did I mention marketshare in my take on the handheld war of 2005. In fact, marketshare is the last thing that comes into play when deciding who reall won 2005."
How do you decide who "really won?" Morally? Technically?
The only measure that passes the acid test in my opinion is that of the system's reception. If more people find system X to be worthy of purchase than system Y, then it follows that the winning system is generally held to be the more enjoyable overall.
This is not to say that people don't have fun with their PSPs. On the contrary, I'm sure they have a marvelous time with them, much as I greatly enjoy my XBox in spite of its lackluster market performance. But I would not suggest that the XBox was this generation's "winner."
"In terms of 2005 alone, the PSP had the lead with a lofty 300 thousand units."
First, Nintendogs was released in November. Are you suggesting that the DS outsold the PSP by 800,000 units in the month of November? Second, the difference between my "making this shit up" and your post is that I cited sources. Unfortunately, I'm not willing to subscribe to NPD's services in order to carry on a blog discussion. If you happen to have sources that show the market performance of these systems over time, not only would I love to see them, but I would willingly and happily concede the point.
RAM wise, my source (http://hardware.gamespot.com/CompareItems-4-6-C-11722-11726-11721-11720) was in fact incorrect. I concede the point, and will edit my blog in the interest of fairness. As far as polygons per second, we both know that those numbers are usually based on in-house benchmarking utilities designed for one thing: making your system look as good on paper as is possible.
Now there's no contest that the psp can push more polygons than the ds--when your CPU is a factor of 5X more powerful, that should be a given. But arguing that because one system can handle a large factor more polygons than another, it is therefore more powerful is fallacious. Considering each system as a whole, the PSP is much more powerful, but certainly not 10 times more powerful.
"And if you want to get touchy with marketshare and numbers (which as we all know dictate nothing in regards to the quality of software delivered or the quality of the mahinery), the Ps2 has reached a gargantuan 100 million units sold. The Gamecube trails pathetically at roughly 18 million."
I'd be the first to admit that the Gamecube's performance in this console cycle was abyssmal. Nintendo made major mistakes in its design (including the lunch-box toy look and the use of proprietary media which blocked many cross platform titles). Realize that I'm not one of the nintendo fanboys over at DSUpdate that you are used to fighting with; Nintendo as a whole lost me with the N64 fiasco.
Second, when you consider the total marketshare Nintendo has in the handheld market as compared with Sony, it is, as you say, "a f***ing slam dunk in terms of an ass whooping." Nintendo's sticker is on a whopping 72% (!) of the handhelds out there right now. 72%! The DS represents a very small portion of that edge, but I suspect so long as they continue to support backward compatibility, that edge will not diminish much as the GBA is phased out.
And while we're on the topic of consoles, let me poise a question for you: which of the current generation consoles is the "best?" Using your hardware spec rubric, would it be the XBox? Because in my mind, the relatively unpowerful PS2 is without a doubt the best system on the shelves (next gen systems not withstanding).
Finally, a request. Kindly leave your ad hominum insults on your own blog. They do nothing to bolster your case or the discussion in general. If you wish to be vitriolic on your own blog, that is your business. But it is downright discourteous to bring it onto mine.
"THE SOFTWARE YOU FUCKING IDIOT! Did you even read the god damned words or just look at the pretty pictures?! Holy fucking christ, you are a complete and utter moron."
If the software is that good, shouldn't the sales numbers bear that out? See, I can make a point without using the naughty f word that makes baby Jesus weep.
"Nintendogs was released on August 22nd dear child. You truly are a moron. STOP MAKING SHIT UP! NO ONE IS BUYING IT!"
Oh nos! I didn't memorize the release date of Nintendogs! I lose teh internet!
If it was August, then you are suggesting that the DS sold 800,000 more units in 3 months, not 1. Much better!
"Do I need a source to express my opinion of the DS' software?"
No, you need a source when you tell me that the PSP has ever outsold the DS. Because that's just plain bull.
"my article was not based on sales, but games."
And my article was based on results. If the games were so flippin awesome on the PSP, then there would be SALES NUMBERS to back it up.
You baffle me with your apparent oblivion when it comes to business. Sony doesn't make games so that 'Adam' on the internet can talk about how great they are. They do it so they can make MONEY. MONEY drives the market. If one system sells more than another, developers will flock to it because there are more users, hence, more MONEY to be made.
Stop thinking about specs and screenshots and games you liked and start thinking like an executive. It's all about MONEY. If I were to produce produce a game to rave reviews but lackluster sales, I would consider it a failure. The MMO Asheron's Call 2 was lauded as the greatest thing since sliced bread. Why do you suppose they're closing that game's servers in a few weeks?
"Including the GBA in a market share comparison is like adding both Ps1 and Ps2 sales together. Which would give Sony a 90% market share. It's fallacious, as it were. The only machines in this competitive market, that are competing in the same generation are PSP and DS. That's a fact you're going to have to live with at one point."
If they still sold PS1s, it would be exactly the same. The GBA sold more units in November than both the DS and the PSP combined! How is that not a factor in the current generation?
"Bottom line: you don't have a leg to stand on. I crowned Nintendo DS the handheld of the year because of it's software, not because of sales. It takes a very shallow individual to claim sales are indicative of the quality of a piece of technology."
No, it takes someone who realizes the value of the almighty dollar. Welcome to the harsh cold reality of business.
"Question for the 1 reader you may have: How old are you? Are normally this stupid, or is it because your brain is still in it's infancy?"
25. It's because I'm normally this stupid.
Greetings all, I am Mark Kwon Doe, seasoned interweb user and veteran of the Cola Wars. To preface my comments please be aware that I am indeed related to John Comma Doe, but I think he is a jerk (and no, my name is not Mark nor my surname Doe). Take my comments not to be a defense of JCD's opinions, but mine and mine alone.
Personally I own both systems, so whoever the "winner" is, I don't care. To that effect I have consistantly found more enjoyment from my DS than my PSP.
I find it rather disenguous to says that the DS barely edged out the PSP then come back later say that the games are more important when JCD used the NPD numbers to discredit your assertions about the DS coming through just at the end.
What I do not understand is why you, Adam, are so addament about something in which you have no vested interest. I assume you own both handhelds by your original post. What do you gain from the PSP be declared (by you) the winner of the year or not? Will the system disappear if it is not number one? Nintendo makes money. It makes it hand over fist. They sell systems at a profit. sell games at a profit, sell accessories at a profit. good for them. Sony sells systems at a loss, accessories at a HUGE profit (which is why I have not purchased a single first party PSP or ps2 accessory)and games at about break even (which is not appealling to developers).
My personal opinion on this is who cares? good games are good games regardless of on what system they are released.
me:What do you gain from the PSP be declared (by you) the winner of the year or not?
Adam I suppose your stupidity is contagious. Allow me to cough in the other direction.
Me again! oh thats right. You gain the ability to continue ad hominum attacks on someone else. Do you not realize that these attacks do not provide any backing for an agument of fact or opinion and in turn just makes you look petty and infantile? You get hounded because you are presenting opinion as fact and becoming beligerant when someone questions you about it. Good job, you think I am a homosexual because I disagree with you! there is clearly a definative cause and effect relationship drawn between the two!
"How many beautiful and wonderful games go down in history as financial and numerical flops, while the reviews rant and rave about how good it is?"
Who was right, the reviewer or the consumer? Since the product was made for the consumer, I would tend to argue for the later. You, being a so-called 'power gamer,' obviously believe the former is the one who determines what makes a good game.
Which group do you suspect the CEO of Konami is going to design his products for?
"I haven't made mention of sales numbers in any one of my arguments, because such information is invalid in a discussion such as this."
In your first post on this blog, you said "in terms of 2005 alone, the PSP had the lead with a lofty 300 thousand units." So yes, you have made mention of sales numbers--direction mention, no less.
"Do you have a source that proves otherwise? The fact of the matter is, Japanese sales numbers were in the PSPs favour for the first 18 weeks of 2005. If you're as industry saavy as you like to think you are, you would now this. It's practically common knowledge among real gamers."
First, in all debate the burden of proof is on the person making the contention--that's you. I don't have to 'disprove' your numbers, you have to 'prove' them. That's how it works. And I prefer not to associate with the kind of people who would have the first 18 weeks worth of sales of the PSP memorized. Not that it doesn't sound like a great crowd, mind you, but if I want a fact like that I'd just look it up (something you are apparantly unwilling to do).
"Quality does no translate to sales. Again, another invalid point from you."
Quality without sales is meaningless! If I design a game that is loved by reviewers but hated by gamers, then I have failed because I don't get paid at the end of the day! Many people believe Xenogears is one of the best games ever created. It was also a marketplace flop. You don't see Square-Enix working on a sequel, do you?
"In fact, I have a challenge for you: make your next post without using sales figures. Please, for the love of God, do you know how god damned fucking stupid you are? If you can point out to me where I made mention of the PSP outselling the DS in my article, or where I even breathed the words "unit sales" or "marketshare", I'll concede this whole argument."
You know, you're cute when you're flustered! *bats eyes*
Calm the hell down, go make yourself some tea or something, and then come back and talk with the big people. Perhaps it is I who should be asking your age?
As mentioned earlier, you discussed sales numbers in your first response to my article. You did not mention them in your original article, but I felt they were important enough to mention in my response since, as stated before, sales make the gaming industry work! Stop paying the Ico team and see if you ever get another Shadow of the Colossus out of them. Sales matter. Stop fooling yourself.
"If you cannot, then admit you barked up the wrong tree, that you're accusing me of saying things I never said or implied, and that you are a numbskull? (I should also ask you to look up the definition of "ad hominem", because what I'm doing isn't it. What I'm doing is exposing you to be the amateur nobody you really are.)"
1) I won about a dozen awards during my year on a debate team, so don't tell me what ad hominum means. Ad hominum attacks are arguments that target the speaker and not the argument. What you have done, repeatedly, is very much ad hominum.
2) I also learned in debate about the 'false dilemma' fallacy, wherein a person is presented with two possibilities as though there is no acceptable third. See, I can discuss the sales figures of systems in a conversation about said systems without 'admitting I barked up the wrong tree' or that I am a 'numbskull.'
3) Numbskull? Who the hell are you, Cobra Commander or something? "Fooooollllsss! Immmbbeeeccciiiileeesss! Nummmbbbbskullllssss!"
4) We're *ALL* amateur nobodys! You think Sony gives a shit what "Adam" at "vgpundit.blogspot" thinks about their system? Are you on someone's bankroll, such that you can consider yourself a professional? Please! We're all just gaming nerds who enjoy playing games and blabbing about what we think of games and systems. Our opinions don't mean squat. Accept your meaninglessness and you will become one with the Oversoul.
"The Ps1 is still alive and well in the land of the rising sun. Along with ol' beloved Dreamcast. Again, this is common knowledge to real gamers, and people with the intelligence of even a gnat."
The PS1 is a dead system. To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been a notable release on it since Final Fantasy: Origins (though I can't rule out the possibility that there was some obscure game that came out last week for PS1 that 'every serious gamer'!!) The GBA is far from dead. There are new titles still being released for it. New GBAs are being manufactured. You can still get a brand spankin' new, boxed and unmolested GBA at gamestop. You try asking for a brand new PS1 and watch as the clerk scratches his head like a chimpanzee.
And as for whatever's going on in Japan, I don't care. I don't live in Japan. I don't even live in a town with an import store. They could release 'midget genital bowling' over there and it wouldn't matter to me in the slightest. So I'd suggest you get over yourself and your 'I'm a serious gamer' thing--it borders on absurdity.
"Case closed then. If you'd like to continue this debacle, do so on a message board where everyone can watch you squirm under the false pretenses of sales being a conversion factor of quality."
This forum works just fine for me, thank you. I dislike censorship, and as much as I find your deletions distasteful, I know that a message board will border on the absurd. And I assure you, I am every bit as unlikeable on a message board as you could ever hope to be, heh.
"25 years? I'm shocked, really I am. Either you're lying, or your parents beat the snot out of you for being such a dillweed when you a kid, thus destroying the potential of your feeble mind ever forming a coherent thought."
Let's go back to that ad hominum thing right quick. You did say you understand what it means, didn't you?
But ya, thanks but no thanks. Though I find your blog to be one-sided, I vastly prefer reading one of your straight-forward opinion pieces to sorting through the general muck that is any given message board community.
Bye now.
Well played, old top.
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