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PSP Slim ships 1M in Japan

Sony's redesigned portable hits milestone in first two months, outpacing original iteration's sell-in rate by two weeks.

The PlayStation Portable Slim has been enjoying strong sales since its debut on September 20 in Japan. Positioned to capitalize on the release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII--the heavily anticipated prequel to Square Enix's acclaimed role-playing game for the original PlayStation--Sony's redesigned portable shifted 580,000 units in its first two weeks at market.

With the PSP Slim now two months into its life cycle, Sony Japan has announced that 1 million units have been shipped to retailers. Sony claims the milestone has been reached two weeks faster than the original PlayStation Portable, which went on sale in the Land of the Rising Sun in December 2004. Sony also noted that the 1 million sell-in mark excludes 77,777 units that were part of the gobbled-up limited-edition Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary bundle, which went on sale in Japan on September 13.

An upgrade from its original iteration, the PSP Slim is 33 percent lighter and 19 percent slimmer, and includes a more efficient battery, faster loading times for games, and video-out capabilities. In Japan, the device also features a 1seg digital TV tuner, and is available in a variety of colors, including the recently announced Deep Red version, which goes on sale in Japan December 13. Last week, Sony also launched internationally the PlayStation Store for the PC, which allows for game downloads previously only available to those who owned a PlayStation 3.

56 Comments

  • jpfondeur

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 3:24 pm GMT

    w00t! Great news! PSP is my favorite console/handheld currently in production, not sure why, it just is :-P

  • SolidSnake2020

    Posted Nov 28, 2007 1:50 pm GMT

    I see Sony are back on the right track lets hope they keep it this way.

  • alcheng

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 5:46 pm GMT

    When I watched the Sony press conference on the web and when they unveiled the newly redesigned PSP and my first words out of my mouth was: "It's the same system and I don't see any dramatic changes." The load time was only improved by a very small margin. And when they hold it up just like a holy grail, there were numerous fingerprints all over the system including the screen. Horrible! It's not gonna beat the DS.

  • markd751

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 4:10 pm GMT

    well, i guess sony had to learn the hard way. I was waiting for the download service for PSP for soooo long.

  • hovanPS3

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 4:02 pm GMT

    PSP is sooooo much better than DS in every aspect...

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 1:58 pm GMT

    thats impressive console sales, but the game sales are really really bad.

  • zorn99

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 1:24 pm GMT

    Can't wait for Crisis Core!

  • jimbo102671

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 12:05 pm GMT

    Some good news for Sony here (which has been relatively rare this year-to-date). Here's hoping the PSP keeps it up.

    GrimBee:
    "Sony should offer FREE video converting software, and FREE psp converting software. This way you just put your old ps1 game onto your PC, the software then converts the game.
    To secure it, the pc must be online, so then it obtains the info from the sony website (the beginning menu icons, manual etc) and imprints a code for use only on your PSP.
    I would rather do that, than wait for my fave games to be released and then have to buy them again."

    I agree wholehartedly with this, especially since there will be many PS1 games which may never see a future re-release; either because the original developer or publisher folded, or the license (for the licensed property games) has expired or transferred. Please, Sony, find a way that can allow us to do this.

  • Pastehunter

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 10:14 am GMT

    Great to see that everyones favorite ( read : me ) is doing so well

  • HamsterOfFury

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 8:53 am GMT

    The only thing that would currently make me want to think about upgrading my PSP to a Slim is the cable to plug it into the TV to play the games and watch the UMDs on your TV - which is cool. However, I don't like the feel of the Slim so I'll happily stick with my PSP original.

    Also, my DS is now long gone. For a while I had both but I found myself playing the DS less and less and less as I don't care about raising dogs, or numerous Mario games, or raising cats, or creating an animal world, or training my brain on a handheld console, or the numerous other girlie-focussed games the DS enjoys (and has used VERY VERY well, with the numebr of people coming into our videogames store asking for a PINK DS for their daughter ridiculously high). I played Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! and Lost In Blue 2....And that was it. Sim City was a huge disappointment.

    On my PSP I play Football Manager, Cycling Manager, Cricket Captain, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Everybody's Golf, Locoroco, Pro Evo, Silent Hill, Pirates! and plenty of other games. I play it every day on my way to and from work on the bus. So it's good to see that each console DEFINITELY has its' market (and now with the ability to download PS1 games like Crash Bandicoot, G-Police, Wipeout, Syphon Filter from the PS3 and copy over to the PSP to play it's even better!)
    Not to mention an episode of Mighty Boosh or Monty Python on a longer journey.

    PSP wa totemo omoshiroi desu! Good one Japanese.

  • PS360Fanboy

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 5:31 am GMT

    Nice to see the PSP doing so well across the pond, i might have to invest in one of those later on....

  • IC3_MAST3R

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 5:31 am GMT

    That's great news for Sony.

  • dorohala

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 3:58 am GMT

    I feel like getting a PSP for myself too LOL!!!

  • MSG-Deathscythe

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 2:29 am GMT

    the new psp seem better but the old version is not bad at all. i don't see a reason to upgrade. i still prefer my ds because of the games but eagerly awaiting FF: Crisis Core.

  • mashom

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 2:20 am GMT

    This is nice NEWS, but when will Crisis Core coming in US version?

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 12:11 am GMT

    ho hum

  • v8nnwilder

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 11:58 pm GMT

    I have my (Original) PSP for about 2 years now and to be honest I haven't played it that much. Mainly because I bought it for the long road trip we were on when I did live engineering for bands and so on so it kept me busy on the road... But the battery only lasting so long it got pretty pointless... Since then I've just been to busy and when I do play games it will be on my PS3 at home.

    But now I would like the Slim PSP especially with Silent Hill Origins And Crisis Core.... that should get me back into the handheld mode... Just have to wait till my country actually gets it! F**&!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 10:16 pm GMT

    The power of a diet!

  • rx7neon

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 10:00 pm GMT

    Looks like they didn't make it more durable.

  • decoy1978

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 9:54 pm GMT

    hahaha good gone alberto... THAT face is quite the pwn for all PSP users.

  • alberto2045

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 9:18 pm GMT

    thats is excellent news, now how about getting a ceramic white PSP without that FACE in the batery cover huh? I think that would definetely be a good idea since not everyone is a fan of that thing.

  • osxgp

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:12 pm GMT

    The re-design seems to have paid off. I think it was a great idea.

  • rockstar_88

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 7:03 pm GMT

    I used to hate everything the PSP was...but now, I got Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow. I'm a believer.

  • protoroll

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 6:38 pm GMT

    Lord_Artix the psp slim has been out in the US for a while now. I got mine two weeks ago.

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 6:32 pm GMT

    Maybe once the Slim reaches the US, I'll invest in a PSP, but until then my DS will serve all my portable gaming needs.

  • tarmadadj

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 6:12 pm GMT

    Yeah Viva Sony and the PSP
    I already have mine ^^

  • EPaul

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 5:24 pm GMT

    Good to see the PSP is doing well

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 5:11 pm GMT

    sweet....i want a psp slim!

  • MatthewNintendo

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 4:48 pm GMT

    tbh I think the psp has improved a lot since it's launch. I would have out right said it was an utter waste of time back then. But now it's worth it if you like all the different features. But for me I still prefer ds because I only really want a portable for games and the ds is still miles ahead of the psp in that category in my opinion, as well as actual gameplay.

  • ocdog45

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 4:31 pm GMT

    strait cash homie

  • Loucetios

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 4:12 pm GMT

    like the site gizmodo said "being second to the Flash in a footrace doesn't mean you're slow." so don't try to bash the psp saying the DS is better, both are great for 2 different reasons

  • Mcgnnis1

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:46 pm GMT

    Good Job Sony..now only if you could release the Crisis Core version of PSP over here...until then i am happy with my older PSP.

  • AngelCage

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:38 pm GMT

    chibi-acer

    Question is how many of these were new purchases and how many were upgrades of existing PSP owners.
    -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

    I don't know exactly, but if the DS do tat to reach that big sale numbers, why the PSP can't do that???

    I know some friends who have two or THREE DS only for a new color of cause the smaller one is released... and of course, they have more than one DS but they can use only one, and buy only games for one. .. how sad

  • matt_dangelo

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:35 pm GMT

    i like the psp....i mean..its great..more supporte dformats for videos would be nice sony..but htat playstation store is great..music downloads? movies maybe? something other then games?

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:20 pm GMT

    yeah, I have been thinkin of pickin this one up, but I like my DS so much...I always thought the PSP had better games, but the controls were not that good...I dont know, but it has way more features than the DS...hmm...gotta love New Super Mario bros though, lol

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:09 pm GMT

    WOW alot of people seem to like the PSP and the DS. I dont think anyone has to worry about either one failing (DONUTTROOPER) but dosent anyone think its great that there are two outstanding portables that make it possable to choose the one thats right for you.

    I would buy a PSP but Im waiting for a bundle with a game Id like.

  • TKandPBC

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:09 pm GMT

    It's a dam shame that it's not doing nearly as well as the DS. The only real problem that I can find is that there's not a second joystick. Other than that, the PSP is a pretty decent piece of hardware...

  • matt_dangelo

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:09 pm GMT

    psps i great...i only wish that they had larger chepaer memory sticks....

  • jnvwv

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 3:05 pm GMT

    sascha23:

    Yes. My first post pointed out a spelling error. It was a direct cut and paste of the original text. I made a joke and someone must have corrected it. As for the PSP, its great news. I love my PSP, but I do wish there were better games for it. As for the UMD format, I think it suits its purpose well. High storage on a handheld system, however, I believe that porting movies to UMD was a disasterous mistake.

  • Raeldor

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:59 pm GMT

    It's a nice piece of hardware (if you ignore the UMD drive). I'll probably pull mine out again when Crisis Core reaches the US.

  • Mark_HD

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:55 pm GMT

    Yeah! The PSP is awesome! The DS too but I like PSP a bit more!

  • sascha23

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:55 pm GMT

    Way to go PSP!

    @ jnvwv : Did I miss something? The spelling must have been corrected.

  • GrimBee

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:55 pm GMT

    The PSP slim now has a really good chance to show how different it is to the DS.
    At the moment, people think of the DS as the "better" system, and their answer to this is because "the games are better and there are more games".

    I used to agree, but recently, with the Slim version of the PSP (much nicer by the way) it really is an improvement. Especially with the video-out and the ps1 playback update. Most of the ps1 games look 10x better than the DS's best 3D games.

    However, the PSP fails only in its software and media choices. I would of liked to have an SD slot on the PSP aswell as the memorystick slot, it would just be nice to have cheaper memory, and SD's are used in far more devices.

    Sony should offer FREE video converting software, and FREE psp converting software. This way you just put your old ps1 game onto your PC, the software then converts the game.
    To secure it, the pc must be online, so then it obtains the info from the sony website (the beginning menu icons, manual etc) and imprints a code for use only on your PSP.
    I would rather do that, than wait for my fave games to be released and then have to buy them again.

    But anyways - the PSP is looking up, its taken about two years... but the only way its moving up is because it is showing how different it is from the DS.
    And the only way the DS moved past the psp before was because it showed how different it was to the PSP (especially with those touch games!).

    Its a shame that there are alot of people with the old PSP's collecting dust, the light PSP's, especially with component video out, is a real good feature to make it fresh.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:53 pm GMT

    I want one. I just wish it had more than just 2 games that I wanted (MGS and Castlevania)

  • jnvwv

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:53 pm GMT

    "its says battery,i recommend you read correctly before you jump to conclusions"

    Then it was corrected after the fact. It originally said Batter... and I suggest you get a sense of humor.

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:51 pm GMT

    It's good to see people enjoying it. I for one just don't like it's identity crisis.

    It has the design of a PS3
    It has the games of a PS2
    It has the graphics of a PS1 1/2

    Maybe that's why it hasn't been a stellar as the DS? Eh...I just don't want to see it do badly. I would hate to see any system do badly, because that leads to complacency with the producers of 1st party competition games.

  • NWA_31

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:49 pm GMT

    Go, PSP !

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:47 pm GMT

    Question is how many of these were new purchases and how many were upgrades of existing PSP owners.

  • IKKF

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:43 pm GMT

    Now if only Sony focused on the PSP as a major asset... The PSP has so much potential to produce not just good or great games, but "superb" games. I think that Sony should grow some and start working on the PSP harder, and the Slim is a great start... so keep cracking Sony. The PSP deserves more than just ports.

  • RomisSandthief

    Posted Nov 26, 2007 2:38 pm GMT

    Not bad now I need someone to give me a good deal on my old PSP

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