Report: Day-One PSP Go Japan Sales Reach 28,000

Sony Computer Entertainment's disc drive-less PSP Go launched in Japan on Sunday, and managed to sell 28,275 units in its first day of availability in the region, according to Enterbrain sales data, translated by Japanese gaming-centric blog Andriasang.com -- lower opening sales than other recent portable redesigns garnered. Total Japanese PSP sales prior to the launch of PSP Go have reached nearly 12.8 million units. Worldwide, the handheld has sold 55.9 million units to date. Sony launched the PSP Go in the U.S. and Europe in early October, selling it alongside the older PSP-3000 model. Nintendo's DSi handheld sold 170,000 units in its first two days when it launched in Japan in November last year. The updated PSP-3000 sold over 140,000 in its first four days when it launched in October 2008. Sony Computer Entertainment America told Gamasutra shortly after the launch of the PSP Go that the revamped handheld boosted PSP sales 300 percent in its first three days on the market. Sony also said the new handheld boosted UK PSP sales 120 percent week-over-week in the region. The Andriasang report said that PSP Go's initial sales are difficult to compare to other Japanese hardware launches because the handheld released on a Sunday, rather than the typical Saturday launch. PSP Go ran into apparent difficulties shortly after its launch in the UK and Australia. UK retailers cut the price of the relatively expensive piece of hardware after less than one week on shelves. It saw meager performance in Australia, posting just slightly over 1000 units since it launched in the region on October 1. SCE is refocusing its efforts on the PSP, SCE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently told Gamasutra. "A couple of years ago we clearly put too much focus on PS3 titles and that caused a lack of support for the PSP last year. So we need to be focused and gear a lot of our resources back to the PSP, and we have many titles this year," he said.