It’s had a good run – far better than most in fact. But come the end of this month Sony’s PlayStation Portable handheld gaming console will roll off of the assembly line and out of the factory gates for the last time. This June’s shipment of devices will be the last.
The PSP first went on sale in Japan nearly ten years ago on December 12th 2004 and has remained staggeringly popular ever since, particularly in its home country. Despite being succeeded by the PS Vita in December of 2012, the PSP continued to sell surprisingly well. To date 80.79 million units have been sold worldwide, making it the ninth most popular games console of all time.
The Vita’s existence, and relative struggles, probably plays a large part in the discontinuation of the PSP. The Vita hasn’t been selling as well as Sony would have hoped, particularly in comparison to its predecessor, so it now wishes to give it its full (portable) attention.
Japanese PSP owners can receive money off a Vita if they elect to trade in their old device, to the tune of ¥4,000 (~ £23).
American production of the PSP allegedly ceased back in January of this year, and a European arrest is expected to take place in the coming months.
RIP PSP, you will be gone but not forgotten.