OCT. 1, 2009 • A month ahead of its PSP Go launch in Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment reduced the price of the PSP-3000 from ¥19,800 ($218) to ¥16,800 ($185). The new price is the same as Nintendo’s DS Lite, and cheaper than the newer DSi at ¥18,900 ($210). The Go will launch at ¥26,800 ($295) on Nov. 1.

Impact: It is surprising to imagine the PSP gaining price parity with the DS.  Overall, the DS has outsold the PSP by more than two to one in Japan.  However, as sales started to slow for the DS in 2008, PSP sales started to match DS sales.  The launch of the DSi, helped spur Nintendo to a lead for the early part of 2009, but the race has become close.  The Nintendo DS is the best selling hardware system ever in Japan, but still the PSP has continued to do surprisingly well.