Why PSP is failing us...

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Why PSP is failing us...

...and how Sony can save it

Words: GamesRadar US

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The words "gathering dust" seem to be synonymous with PSP and this recent ad from EB offering shoppers the chance to trade in the past (PSP) for the future (DS) pretty much sums up the dwindling enthusiasm for Sony's handheld.

But why is Sony's elegant, versatile and frighteningly powerful handheld failing to excite us? We look at some of the problems that have seemingly run any love for the device into the doldrums and offer some fixes to help PSP get back on the right track.

The problem: Underwhelming and poorly received marketing
From where we're sitting, it seems pretty obvious that Sony has failed to create much positive hubbub with any of its various PSP ad campaigns. Its pretend, viral marketing "All I Want For Xmas is a PSP" site was a gold medal cringe winner (check out a mirror of this PR blunder), while its dust ball TV spots fail miserably to proudly shout about the delights that PSP offers.

Above: Sony seems reluctant to use its ad campaigns to actually advertise the fact that PSP is an amazing gadget that can do all kinds of cool stuff

The fix: Make an ad that, like, shows off what PSP can do
We know Sony likes aloof and abstract advertising, but we'd suggest that it could benefit from splashing some moolah on a campaign that lets people know what PSP is actually capable of.

Would-be customers need to be reminded that PSP is an amazing bit of technology. It lets you play some staggeringly good games, watch movies on a delicious screen, listen to music, browse the internet, view photos. And it lets you do all this on the train, on the toilet and in bed. Then there's camera and GPS add-ons, wireless networking, gamesharing, RSS...

Bits of Mexican fluff talking about drinking milk isn't the way to sell PSP.