| 19 January 2010
Is there a possibility for the widely unrecognised Playstation 3 to make a comeback in Asian countries such as Singapore in the year 2010? Possible yet highly unlikely. Well why is this so. Given the fast paced lifestyles led by Asians especially Singaporeans, thePS3 which needs other complements such as a television, handheld devices and a power plug which is so inaccessible to be fully functional, might not be able to see a revival as touted by most publishers as done by a survey by gameindustry.biz.
Although it may be possible in non Asian countries such as the United States to see the PS3 gaining full support of game addicts especially those who like game consoles in particular. However, in my opinion, for the Playstation to survive in Asian countries it is more likely for a Portable to be a hot seller. The PSP, with a built in widescreen, sony sound system and also acts as a fully functional hand held device running on a chargeable battery is on-the-go and easily carried around without worrying about it not being able to work without a power plug. Just what a busy Asian needs.
The time that an average Asian compared to an average US gamer stays at home is approximately 68% lesser. This shows that the PS3 sales in Asian countries will definitely not be as well received as US or even European countries due to the fact that we just cannot afford to not leave the house. This is also because most of the Asians like those in Singapore work and study up till the wee hours and sometimes do not even go home if time does not allow so. How then will a PS3 which requires so many complements that are only available at home allow a tired Asian gamer who is in need of some leisure to travel all the way home just to relax and play their favourite game for a couple of hours. Thus, compared to a PS3, the Playstation Portable is a much favoured alternative for most Asians.
The way that we go about our everyday lives, always fast paced and moving, makes it impossible for us to sit down and spend about 4-5 hours at home playing a game console. Whereas comparing to a Playstaion Portable, we are able to enjoy just an hour or 2 playing our favourite games while waiting for the bus, sitting the train to the next destination or even during lunch breaks from work or school. The PSP, given its launch 4years ago, has proven to be a device that is highly raved about by Asians and almost 97% of all previous Asian Playstation 2 gamers own a Playstation Portable as compared to a mere 36% who own the Playstation 3.
While one may argue that the functions and game experience of both devices might differ, Asian gamers normally do not take the experience into account as long as they are able to enjoy their favourite game during times which they are actually able to fork out time to distress or enjoy some leisure time.
However, like the article done by gameindustry.biz, I will not totally rule out the possibility of a revival in the PS3. Sales of the PS3 in Asian countries may not be as soaring and amplifying as compared to our non Asian counterparts, yet with the boost of confidence seen by major console publishers, the increase in most PS3 games that may not be available in Portable version may see Playstaion console gamers to actually purchase the PS3 to enjoy the games when possible. Also, the newer version and upgraded PS3 as compared to the PSP slim which has been in the market for quite some time may entice gamers to actually switch over to using the PS3 for the graphics and effects which most gamers are into.
Yet, my stand is still that publishers in Asia should focus on developing more consoles for the Playstation Portable as compared to PS3 as given the routine, way of life and daily lifestyle of Asians, PS3 is not a very superior form of gaming device. Moreover, Sony could actually look into coming up with a version 3 of Playstation Portable just for the Asian countries. I believe and know for a fact that if such a thing would to happen we would see the title “PSP 3: Launch that rocked entire Asian gaming industry” as a header in this portal!