PSP are GO!

[Ngangbius]

So this was supposed to be one of Sony's big E3 announcements!







Meet the PSP Go! It's an PSP upgrade that is in the same vein as the DSi and resembles an unholy union between the current PSP and Sony's Mylo. It lacks an UMD slot, but it does have a 16gb internal memory since Sony is going for the DD route for this system and bluetooth support. Most of the info on this portable was 'leaked' on PSN's trailer show QORE. Also leaked was confirmation on GT portable(FOR REAL THIS TIME) and a new MGS portable title. There is also LBP and a new Jak PSP games in action. You can view it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJfZ6TjU1WQ&fmt=18

[Zeta]

Is it cheaper or more expensive?

[Ngangbius]

Judging by the features, it might be more expensive. We'll hopefully find out next week.

[Green Gibbon!]

There's no UMD slot? So it's... it's a PSP that doesn't play PSP games?

It seems like the sort of games you can download would be considerably less substantial than a game you can buy on a disc. Which would basically make this a cell phone that doesn't make calls.

This strikes me as a piss poor idea, or I don't think they should market it as a PSP even if it's got identical hardware. Especially not if they plan to sell it alongside the 3000, which is just going to confuse everybody including developers. If they want to push digital content, they should wait a couple of years for a genuine PSP successor or integrate it into a PSP 4000 model or something - one that doesn't sacrifice any of the features of the original units.

I also don't like the design. Where are the L and R buttons?

[Kogen]

You are missing the point. Sony has huge issues with software pirating, so they are doing this to avoid it.

You can also put UMD games on the memory sticks and have been able to since the start.

[Zeta]

You can also put UMD games on the memory sticks and have been able to since the start.

So to use this PSP, you have to put in a PSP game AND a memory stick into a REGULAR PSP, transfer the UMD to the memory stick, and THEN put it in the PSP Go?

You are missing the point. Sony has huge issues with software pirating, so they are doing this to avoid it.

Fucking over paying customers is the best way to fight piracy.

[gr4yJ4Y]

This is bad news for collectors and people like me who buy most of their games used. You know Sony isn't going to discount those games over time.

Just like with the DSi, I'll pass.

[Kogen]

You can also put UMD games on the memory sticks and have been able to since the start.

So to use this PSP, you have to put in a PSP game AND a memory stick into a REGULAR PSP, transfer the UMD to the memory stick, and THEN put it in the PSP Go?

You are missing the point. Sony has huge issues with software pirating, so they are doing this to avoid it.

Fucking over paying customers is the best way to fight piracy.

If you already have PSP games, you already have a PSP.

For new games, you use the download service.

[Zeta]

If you already have PSP games, you already have a PSP.

A) But any new user will have all access cut off from old games.

B) You'll need two systems to have the functionality of ONE system.

Sony can go fuck themselves.

[Shadow Hog]

Y'know, I've been pretty tempted to get a PSP for homebrew's sake, but I've been rather confused on what I'm supposed to be looking for. I know the PSP-3000 is apparently something to avoid, since it hasn't been cracked yet, but beyond that, I'm clueless.

Plus it's still kind of expensive, hovering around $100 there. Eh.

[big_smile]

A) But any new user will have all access cut off from old games.
B) You'll need two systems to have the functionality of ONE system.
Sony can go fuck themselves.

You can already download a small selection of older PSP and PSONE games directly to PSP. I'd imagine that Sony would simply increase the titles available. I also expect companies like Sega to bring their 16-bit & 8-bit titles to the console, as it's easy money - the emulators have already been written by the home brew community.

Omitting discs is positive development. It will make more financially viable for specialist and niche games to be developed, as studios wont have to worry about the pressures of competing at retail or even finding a publisher.

The only draw back is that traditionally epic games (for example RPGs in the vein of Zelda and Shenmue) would probably be released in an episodic format. But even this has its advantages, as studios can use the feedback from the earlier instalments to improve later levels. A further benefit is that deadlines and time constraints will be less likely to comprise their visions.

There will probably be a massive number of low-price gimmicky games, but there will always be demand for proper titles (as the iphone store demonstrates for software utilities).

[Ngangbius]

Guys, they are not discontinuing the PSP-3000 if you want to play the current larger library of games. Sony is even planning on releasing two new PSP-Slim packs--one with a Hannah Montana game and movie and other with Resistance and some other game. I think Sonic is just going to market this as a premium version just like Nintendo is doing with the DSi.

It seems like the sort of games you can download would be considerably less substantial than a game you can buy on a disc.

Not true. Patapon 2 has just been released as a digital download-only game in North America even though it was a retail UMD game in the EU/JP markets. You can get Patapon 2 here by downloading it for $20 on PSN or buying the voucher at your local game store. The voucher comes in a PSP case and manual and instead of a UMD, there is a card with a code you can enter to download the game through PSN network. I'm assuming Sony is doing this(as well as introducing the PSP Go!) as a test to see where to go on their next true PSP successor.

I also don't like the design. Where are the L and R buttons?

[Crowbar]

People with fat index fingers (read: not Japanese people) are going to find that pretty uncomfortable, it looks like.

[Baba O'Riley]

So... Sony's fighting pirated software by making an entirely software based system?

Um... Can someone explain that to me? I really don't get it.

[The Doc]

So... Sony's fighting pirated software by making an entirely software based system?

Um... Can someone explain that to me? I really don't get it.

Another company did something similar to this in the past few years--instead of selling their portable games in stores, they just made it a downloadable service that is just as unpopular as their hardware route.

That company? Nokia with the NGage.

[gr4yJ4Y]

I think Sonic is just going to market this as a premium version just like Nintendo is doing with the DSi.

I'm assuming Sony is doing this(as well as introducing the PSP Go!) as a test to see where to go on their next true PSP successor.

They're probably also considering doing the same thing with PS4 (much farther down the road).

Another company did something similar to this in the past few years--instead of selling their portable games in stores, they just made it a downloadable service that is just as unpopular as their hardware route.

That company? Nokia with the NGage.

Wasn't that more due to them being kicked out of most retailers?


And what I understood from the Qore video was that Sony plans on uploading the entire PSP library onto PSN for PSP Go!. I might be completely wrong and just hearing what I want to hear.

[Kogen]

Why are people confused? You can still play all the PSP games on this. Each game has a 'code' with it, if I remember correctly.

And if it seems like a stupid idea, well... since when was PSP not a stupid idea?

[FlashTHD]

http://www.edge-online.com/news/psn-exp ... n%E2%80%9D

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai has spoken of the company’s plans “to quickly bring our PlayStation business on a break-even level and later to profitability.”

Echoing comments made recently by Sony CEO Howard Stringer, Hirai said that the firm would look to expand the PlayStation Network beyond PS3 and PSP to products like televisions and digital cameras.

“We need a strategy where buying a hardware is not the endpoint but instead a starting point that can offer new experiences to our customers,” the executive told Japan Today.

Hirai expects PlayStation Network revenues to more than double to around 50 billion yen ($525.6m/£325.6m) this fiscal year, helping to address an 18 percent sales decline suffered by the PlayStation division during the business year ended in March.

While the PlayStation unit's operating losses were more than halved during the last financial year, due in part to PS3 hardware cost reductions, Hirai said that further cost-cutting measures would be required to ensure the division doesn’t suffer a loss for a fourth year running.

In addition, he opted not to comment on rumors that a PS3 price cut will occur this autumn, saying only that the company’s pricing strategy will be determined by “market developments.”

So it would seem Sony is reaching for a cane here...given the poor reception this thing is already getting, they best have something pretty convincing going for the official debut or the paying customers may not give them that cane.

[Zeta]

Echoing comments made recently by Sony CEO Howard Stringer, Hirai said that the firm would look to expand the PlayStation Network beyond PS3 and PSP to products like televisions and digital cameras.

It sounds like the PlayStation isn't doing so well as a video game console so they're trying to slap the PlayStation brand on anything to be able to say their console division is making a profit.

[Zeta]

$249 for a handheld console.

Good luck with that, seriously.

[Malchik]

Seriously? Why label Sony products already in existence and slap the Paystation tag on it. Granted it will have some gimmick connecting it to the system but still...

[Zeta]

Like I said - "Our console division is finally making a hardware profit." "Aren't those mostly from Sony products you simply put the label on?" "Go away, you're fired."

[Ngangbius]

$249 for a handheld console.

Good to see Sony is learning from their mistakes!

[Dasher]

so...u cant play your old umds on this beast? will every single psp game have a downloadable version? how does this work? sorry i know im lazy and didn't read the E3 report.

[Shadow Hog]

I think that's the idea. I've heard talk of a "trade-in" program, where you supply Sony with the UMDs you own and you get downloadable versions either for free or for cheap.