Editor's note: Julian makes the case for the PSP Go as an Apple App Store-like open platform, but he isn't just writing from the perspective of a gamer -- he also developed the indie Xbox Live game Groov. Makes sense, but is Sony forward-thinking enough to actually do it? -Demian
After listening to the Bitmob crew discuss the PSP Go on Mobcast 13, I couldn't help but notice that the guys sounded decidedly less than enthused. Sony is committed to re-launching the PSP brand this fall, but their plan doesn't fix many of the issues that have previously dogged the platform. My idea wouldn't address the device's exorbitant price or lack of a second analog stick, but it could very possibly invigorate its software sales and maybe even address its long-standing piracy woes.
The most exciting feature of the PSP Go is its emphasis on digital distribution. UMD has been a relatively useless format or a while, and since Sony has already announced the ability for users to transfer digital copies of the UMD games they already own to their PSP Go, those little disks really have no business hanging around anymore. The PSP Go's digital-only distribution model is a first for conventional game platforms, and could potentially signal even further innovations in the way that Sony delivers content to customers.
On the Mobcast, Shoe criticized Sony's attempts at mimicking the iPhone's distribution model without having the guts to take it all the way. This is right on the money: not only should Sony take Apple's notion of an open platform and run with it, they should take it further than Apple itself has. The iPhone is an awesome device and the App Store allows independent developers to deliver metric tons of original content directly to users. However, the device itself is limited in what kinds of experiences it can offer. If Sony opens its platform to huge publishers and small independents alike, it would take full advantage of its digital-only distribution model and give gamers a whole bunch of reasons to get excited about the PSP Go.