Written on Nov 14th, 2008 by Dave

Posted In: Sony PSP

PSP Gaming Stats - Do You Play Games With Yours?

Games, iPod, Movies, Music, PSP, Sony, Statistics

Edge Online have published a short report on the usage of portable gaming devices.

Apparently the top place to use a portable device is in the home, where 79% of those polled said they used their handheld gaming console. Without seeing the way the question was phrased, this is pretty obviously goping to be high anyway - I can’t imagine anyone buying any device (PSP,DS,iPod etc) and not using it in the home as well as out on the road.

While I agree that the handheld devices are competing with other entertainment services in the home - TV, consoles, PC’s etc, I tend to find that my PSP compliments my lifestyle at home, allowing me to play games next to my wife who can watch the TV. IF I’m playing on the Wii or the PS2, the television becomes tied up with my activity. If I’m on the PC, I’m in a different room completely.
As regards to specific activities that the PSP is used for, 84% stated gameplay was the key feature they used the most. Again, that doesn’t surprise me, its a handheld gaming device that happens to do other things. I very occasionally watch films on my PSP, but I can also do that on the iPod Touch, which works just as well. In fact if I’m watching something on the BBC iPlayer I do it via the iPod not the PSP.

I never use the PSP to listen to music anymore, again I use the iPod Touch for that, as it does it far better than the PSP. However, I don’t use the iPod Touch to play games, as the PSP does this much better.

I’ve talke about the PSP trying to be all things to all men in the past, so I won’t rehash that conversation here, but I will say that the PSP as a games machine is great, and for everything else its just ok.