NINTENDO Former Sony Head Recalls Nintendo’s ‘You Bastards’ Reaction to PSP Launch STEAM Gears of War: E-Day Steam player count hits 31,517, shattering previous franchise record XBOX SERIES X Battlefield 6 and Valor Mortis join Xbox Game Pass on October 13 NINTENDO SWITCH 2 The Crew Motorfest Season 11 update adds winch mechanic, Tomb Raider playlist, and 52 GB PC patch GAMES Google launches Playground, a no-code AI tool to build browser games from text prompts GAMES GTA 6 release date set for November 19 with dynamic NPC and criminal profile systems GAMES WWE 2K26 Update 1.19 Adds Street Fighter Crossover Characters and Classic WWE Personas GAMES ARC Raiders Frozen Trail update adds Bully enemy and Fragmenter counter-item SOFTWARE AND UPDATES Weizmann Institute AI reconstructs images from brain scans using just one hour of training GAMES Destiny 2 Hotfix 4.02 Targets Backend Cheater Exploits STEAM Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 Gets Steam Deck Verified One Week Before Launch INTEL Intel Surface Laptop 15 Gen 8 beats Snapdragon in battery life and gaming compatibility GAMES Core Keeper stability patch 1.3.0.5 fixes Hookshot crashes and network limits GAME PERFORMANCE MSI QD-OLED monitor loses 12 nits of brightness after 8000 hours of static content

Former Sony Head Recalls Nintendo’s ‘You Bastards’ Reaction to PSP Launch

Simon Ellis 0 comments 2 min read

Former PlayStation head Shawn Layden recalls Nintendo's shocked reaction to the PSP launch, as the handheld sold 76 million units despite piracy issues.

Former Sony Head Recalls Nintendo’s ‘You Bastards’ Reaction to PSP Launch
CONSOLES

The history of the handheld gaming wars reveals a fierce rivalry that began in the mid-2000s. Sony's entry into the portable market challenged 's long-standing dominance. This shift forced Nintendo to respond aggressively to protect its market share.

Shawn Layden recalls Nintendo's shock at Sony's handheld entry

The PlayStation Portable, or PSP, launched as a high-performance device from Sony. It competed directly against Nintendo's Game Boy Advance and the subsequent Nintendo DS. The device was designed to deliver high-end graphical performance within a handheld design.

Nintendo held a massive lead in the portable sector with the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. The Nintendo DS later sold over 154 million units globally. The PSP sold approximately 76 million units, establishing a strong but smaller footprint.

The PSP found significant success in Japan, driven largely by the Monster Hunter series. Cooperative multiplayer features in Monster Hunter attracted a dedicated player base. This title was a key factor in the PSP's popularity in the region.

Piracy became a major issue for the PSP after its operating system was cracked. Shawn Layden, former head of PlayStation, noted that hacking the device was quite easy. This security flaw significantly affected the longevity and integrity of the platform's software environment.

The competitive tension between the two companies was intense during this period. Shawn Layden recalled Nintendo's reaction to the PSP launch with the phrase 'You bastards.' This comment highlights the surprise and concern Nintendo felt upon Sony's entry.

Source: IXBT

Nintendo

Related stories

Discussion

0 comments

Leave a comment