Back in the 2000’s the PlayStation Portable (PSP) was everywhere. Trains, planes, automobiles, it was becoming a blue chip before our very eyes. Then out of nowhere – BAM! It goes the way of the dodo.
The going theory says the system had outdated processors for upcoming games that wouldn’t work well and it just wasn’t worth retooling the product. Others say it was because Sony pulled its marketing for it to make a big ad campaign push for the new PS4. Whatever it was, the PSP just didn’t get enough love from HQ and despite pleas from its fans, it was sent to the video game graveyard.
But was its fall just because it was ahead of its time?
The PSP was revolutionary for its time. In an era that was dominated by the Nintendo DS, PlayStation was looking to carve out some room for itself in the handheld field.
The creators wanted to make something that stood out from the usual square handhelds, so what they did was make something that was unlike anything the world had seen before. They made the handheld look and feel like a console controller. Then, they topped it off by putting a pretty decent-sized monitor in the center of it for viewing pleasure.
For those keeping track at home, you could basically play any Sony game, wherever and whenever you wanted, on something the size of a modern-day PS4 controller. Oh, and don’t forget you could watch movies, listen to music, and scroll on the web too. To quote the meme, it walked so the Nintendo Switch could run.
Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a knock on the Switch (if anything it’s a compliment), but all I’m saying is you’re telling me if Sony released the PSP tomorrow and said you could play Spider-Man on it, you’re not buying it ASAP?
Maybe I’m biased. After all, it was my first-ever game system and my first taste into the incredible world of video games. It helped me form new friend groups with people who also had one and we’d just have a great time playing together. It was fun and when I think of some of my favorite memories in my life, it’s in a fair share of them.
So thank you, PSP, you may be gone but you’re certainly not forgotten.
So what do you think? Was the PSP ahead of its time or was it not what I remember it to be? Share your reactions in the comments below or join in the conversation on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
Featured Image: Chris Cragg
The Boss Rush Podcast: The Flagship Podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network
The Boss Rush Podcast – The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, Stephanie, LeRon, and their friends from around the internet come together with other creators, developers, and industry veterans to talk about games they’ve been playing, discuss video game and entertainment based topics, and answer questions solicited on social media and the community Discord.
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