Sony to Stop Selling PSP Go

Kris Erickson • Apr 21, 2011 • Comments ()

Sony's experiment with its miniaturized, digital download PSP Go platform appears to be coming to an end. A Japanese employee let slip earlier this week that the company was stopping production of the innovative but unpopular gaming device, and Sony has since officially confirmed to journalists that the PSP Go is indeed, done for.

Sony will cease production of new PSP Go units immediately, and once retail stocks have sold out, they will not be replenished. Amazon is currently selling the PSP Go for around $200 USD here. The company said that it will continue to support existing PSP Go customers with new digital game releases and repairs for their consoles.

What killed the PSP Go? It is likely that a variety of factors contributed to the demise of the platform, from slow uptake of digital-only titles to marketing of the machine as a 'premium' device. But if there is one factor that we think overwhelmingly contributed to the death of the PSP Go, it was the high price of downloadable games in the PSN shop. The fact that most download titles could be found much cheaper on UMD is used game shops meant that potential customers could not see the benefit in the pricey console. what is the point of paying MORE for a digital title when you can't re-sell it or trade it with friends?

Does this mark the end of Sony's enthusiasm for sliding controls? The similarity between the PSP Go and the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Play suggests that the shape of the PSP Go could live on. Hopefully it will have more success as a mobile gaming phone.

Meanwhile, none of the design features from the PSP Go are in sight as Sony prepares to release its Next-Generation Portable (NGP) this fall. The new device keeps the landscape-oriented controls and will use a memory card format for games.