E3 2009: John Koller: “Mature games cratering on DS”
We saw Shigeru Miyamoto checking out the PSP Go back in E3, but apparently, he’s not the only bigwig checking out the competition. John Koller also went DS-watching at the expo, but instead of quietly doing so like Miyamoto did, the director of hardware marketing from Sony takes a little shot at the competing handheld, saying that “Mature games are cratering on the DS.”
We saw Shigeru Miyamoto checking out the PSP Go back in E3, but apparently, he’s not the only bigwig checking out the competition. John Koller also went DS-watching at the expo, but instead of quietly doing so like Miyamoto did, the director of hardware marketing from Sony takes a little shot at the competing handheld, saying that “Mature games are cratering on the DS.”
Citing the usual casual vs. core market difference between the Nintendo DS and the PSP, Koller went on to talk about their portable’s advantages over Nintendo’s. “The difference is striking,” he noted. The M-Rated Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars‘ lackluster performance on the DS may be perceived as a sign of this difference. The DS may have outsold the PSP in terms of install base, but the PSP is the handheld to buy when it comes to playing M-raters.
But for the DS’ younger market, Koller has an answer. “The way we see it,” Koller said, “you start with DS and grow up to PSP.” And as for the gamers who they perceive to be the young, casual gaming sort, Koller pointed out that Sony has aligned the PSP’s marketing to accommodate them. “Ever since the launch of PSP in 2005, we started with young men and started trending downward to teens and now pre-teens.”
Related articles:
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars flops badly
- Koller also wants new GTA for PSP; reacts to GTA4 360 DLC, Chinatown Wars on DS
Via Pocket Gamer
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