Sony Describes DS As Gimmick

1up.com has news, via MCVUK, that PSP VP of Studios Phil Harrison has classified Nintendo's entry into the handheld market as 'irrelevant'. From the article: "The idea of a handheld rivalry with Nintendo is an irrelevance...Those formats don't appear in our planning. It's not a fair comparison; not fair on them, I should stress. That sounds arrogant, maybe, but it's the truth." 1up.com's commentary is well seen. From their piece: "Whether or not you fully agree, Nintendo DS can come off as gimmicky, but Sony's commentary is fairly strange." Read on for my own short commentary.

I know that, for the most part, comments like Harrisons are just the marketing version of "my processor is faster than yours" but I'm honestly surprised at the level of arrogance displayed there. Since the PSP's launch, Slashdot Games has posted article after article with titles like PSP Reception Lukewarm in U.S., PSP Not A Sellout Hit, What's Up With The PSP?, and most recently PSP Usage Lower Than Expected. This last article is especially disheartening for Sony execs because those numbers come from Japan, a nation that has traditionally been Sony's bread basket. If it's not doing well here, and it's not doing well there...do they really think that many Europeans are going to buy it when it launches there next week?

Sorny doesn't like the DS?

[Anonymous Coward]

Go figure.

Yeah, it's a gimmick!

[Zangief]

That is why the PSP, the superior product, is outselling the DS worldwide...

Wait a minute...

Re:Yeah, it's a gimmick!

[Anonymous Coward]

But... the PS2 will be able to do Final Fantasy movie level graphics! The PS3 is equal to 8 supercomputers! Killzone is a Halo killer! The E3 graphics aren't pre-rendered, they'll look just like that in the game! ATRAC sounds better than CDs! Memory Stick is the best memory format! Betamax is superior to VHS! Sony wouldn't lie to me!

Re:Yeah, it's a gimmick!

[Anonymous Coward]

What's the superior but less sucessful product in the doll-house space?

I will now talk out of my ass.

[hotgirlgamer]

I was going to type a lengthy retort to all you sony burning nintendo fanboys with my psp's built in browser but..i'm....running ..out ~!#()@$ batteryyy.y........

Re:'entry'

[brandanglendenning]

they're totally going to ride the gravitron together!!

Re:As a DS owner

[Anonymous Coward]

As a DS owner I have to agree ... I held off on buying a DS until yesterday

WTF mate?

Ahhhh - the ostrich marketing ploy strikes again

[dotoole]

Sony must have hired the former Iraqi Minister for Information for their PR.

"The DS is no threat to our superior PSP! Our valiant PSP will outsell it at every turn!"

Re:PSP is great

[EastCoaster]

I love my PSP. I play it more than I do regular consoles. I am always away from the house so the PSP is perfect. I am loading a ton of Atari 2600 games right as I type this.

Re:Totally misleading...

[yammosk]

Or post on Slashdot.

Re:ROFL! Is this a joke?

[arose]

Sony: I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

Re:Yeah, it's a gimmick!

[mog007]

You don't need a video game to do that...

Hang on, I have to assure the authorities that I have no idea where Cindy is.

Re:DS is too far behind.

[Anonymous Coward]

You left out the most gimmicky of all Nintendo gimmicks: the analog stick. Boy, did that idea crash and burn.