13th August 2003, 1:55 PM
Yes. No.
Sony decided to make a console once Nintendo killed the SNES PSX add-on. This timeframe was luckily for Sony the PERFECT one. If it'd been a few years earlier it would've been another 3DO. Remember, at its release the $700 3DO was top of the line... and if it'd been a few years later other consoles would have had time to grow up a lot of strength. So they had luck on their side... and some good planning, for releasing it right at the weakest point in time for all the other console manufacturers... some strategy, with a big helping of luck.
Then of course they had the great luck to have Nintendo make a cart-based console, and the big Japanese manufacturers fell onto their lap. More luck.
And from there... the hardware quality didn't matter, it was POPULAR so that was irrelevant. The PS2 isn't exactly the best hardware design either, but it won because of name recognition.
If the PSP wins, it'll be based on name recognition of the PS name and average hardware, not good hardware that takes over the handheld industry, that's for sure.
But as I said before, Nintendo has a great chance of lasting for a while just based on how well people know the Game Boy brand and how many great games are and will be still coming out for it, and how most parents won't exactly want to buy their kids a new $200 handheld when they already have a Game Boy... so they go for a older market -- one that just buys fewer handheld games. Not great for Sony to "take over the industry".
Sony decided to make a console once Nintendo killed the SNES PSX add-on. This timeframe was luckily for Sony the PERFECT one. If it'd been a few years earlier it would've been another 3DO. Remember, at its release the $700 3DO was top of the line... and if it'd been a few years later other consoles would have had time to grow up a lot of strength. So they had luck on their side... and some good planning, for releasing it right at the weakest point in time for all the other console manufacturers... some strategy, with a big helping of luck.
Then of course they had the great luck to have Nintendo make a cart-based console, and the big Japanese manufacturers fell onto their lap. More luck.
And from there... the hardware quality didn't matter, it was POPULAR so that was irrelevant. The PS2 isn't exactly the best hardware design either, but it won because of name recognition.
If the PSP wins, it'll be based on name recognition of the PS name and average hardware, not good hardware that takes over the handheld industry, that's for sure.
But as I said before, Nintendo has a great chance of lasting for a while just based on how well people know the Game Boy brand and how many great games are and will be still coming out for it, and how most parents won't exactly want to buy their kids a new $200 handheld when they already have a Game Boy... so they go for a older market -- one that just buys fewer handheld games. Not great for Sony to "take over the industry".
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