We all know that products get announced and subsequently canceled all the time, and even more often they are re-focused or have features trimmed due to time and/or cost constraints. In this multiplatform video game release world, chopping or delaying platform releases is a reality brought on by expanding budgets and shrinking profit margins.

So the announcement today that LucasArts is canceling development of Star Wars The Force Unleashed for the Sony PSP is not terribly surprising.

According to Yahoo! News:

LucasArts told IGN it’s quashed plans to bring Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II to Sony’s PSP video games handheld. The game was on track to ship for the PSP along with PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Nintendo DS, and iPhone versions on October 26th.

But while it is true in general that you shouldn’t read too much into these things, it is impossible to see a single platform chopped from a 9-platform release as anything but a bad sign. The PSP has been bleeding market share since the launch of the DS Lite in April 2006, and has been outsold by more than 5:1 by the Nintendo DS this year – and this is a year that Nintendo has seen diminished DS sales!

Personally I am disappointed by the cancellation. I originally played the first Force Unleashed on the PSP (it came much later on PC & Mac) and it was a blast, and my kids still enjoy it! The game fits much better on the PSP than it does on the DS (yes, I have the DS version as well … and PC … and Mac … and Wii …), and I know it sold fairly well. But I am realistic and know that I am in the minority as an ardent supporter of the PSP platform.

The game is still slated to hit shelves with versions for the PC (and Mac), DS, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360, and iPhone on October 26th.

So what do you think – yet another sign of Sony’s incompetence in managing their gaming platforms?

Source: Yahoo! News