Smack Down Productions CEO Laurent Benadiba believes that Sony is not placing enough focus on the PSP, noting that a significant marketing push could go a long way towards bolstering sales.

I think that’s what’s happened with the PSP – Sony released the product, but they never put enough of a push behind it. Games, ads, better shelf placement – trying to make an effort. I think it was also released at a time when they were still very focused on the PlayStation 3, trying to get it out of the door, that they slightly forgot about it.

It’s hard not to agree with this statement. When the PS3 was initially launched there was a decline in feature-packing firmware updates on the PSP side, with many of us left wondering what Sony would do with the platform next. I’d like to think things are turning around though, seeing as the PlayStation Store for PSP was finally introduced late last year, something many owners of the handheld had been waiting for. We’d just like to see more games on the service, though. Often times there are weeks where the PSP receives little to no content updates on the store, which is completely unacceptable and again is a strong indicator of neglect. Without a continual content flow, people lose interest.

Elsewhere, Benadiba lamented on the lack of a viable business model, revealing that plans to develop a “top five” IP racing title for PSP were scrapped because there was apparently no way to break even funding-wise.

PSP lacks a ‘viable’ business model [GI.biz]

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