New PSP Model coming to Europe

Who saw THIS coming?! Sony has announced a new model of PSP that strips out WiFi but also drops the price (not to mention a kinda nice redesign).

While most attendees to the SCEE press conference at gamescom will have anticipated some announcements around PlayStation Vita, our upcoming next generation portable, few would have predicted the unveil of the brand new PSP-E1000.

Value for money is the goal with this new model that will retail at just €99.99 (RRP), accompanied by an exciting range of PSP Essentials titles that will retail at only €9.99 (RRP) and will include Invizimals: The Lost Tribe, EyePet Adventures, FIFA 12 and many more.

Interesting, if not confusing. UMD is back in - WiFi is out. Come to think of it, I've only done multiplayer or online gaming on the PSP a hand full of times, so the lack of WiFi in that aspect doesn't bother me. What does bother me is the requirement to use another device to purchase and download non-UMD PSP Software.

Odd.

IT'S OFFICAL: Persona 2 coming to PSP this fall

As per Atlus' official web site, the only Persona game yet to have a North American release will hit US shores this fall on the PSP.

While I've never played a Persona title myself, I'm sure this is exciting news for many.

VIDEO: Final Fantasy: Type-0

Square-Enix gave fans a surprise look at the upcoming PSP title Final Fantasy: Type-0.
Let's have a look:



There's a whole lot of walking around until about 7 minutes in... but once it kicks in, it kind of reminds me of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7. Looks like it'll be out (in Japan) this summer, and may ship on two UMD disks.

Sony announces PlayStation Portable Remaster Series

In a rather odd move, Sony has announced the PlayStation Portable Remaster Series:

It's called the PlayStation Portable Remaster Series, and sees certain PSP games re-released on the PS3 with enhancements like exclusive new content, HD graphics, control pad support, 3D visuals and more.
There's even multiplayer compatibility, with the PS3 versions of the game able to be played over Sony's Ad Hoc multiplayer service for the PSP.

This series will kick off with a revamped Monster Hunter Portable 3rd in Japan. Here is the first video of it in action:



I find this move rather odd, unless of course this all ties into the NGP (which I am sure will have a heavy presence within Sony's E3 keynote and booth). Personally, I feel revamping PSP titles in this way is a waste of time and money. Developers should be looking forward, not back.
Then again, Monster Hunter sells like crazy in Japan, and there's yet to be a true PS3 version so I'm sure there will be plenty of fans who will happily pick this up. At least you will be able to move your save game between the PSP and PS3, as well as play multiplayer ad hoc games.

PSN Outage - The press conference

Overnight Sony held a press conference (here's the direct link to Sony) outlining the PSN outage and the plan to bring everything back online.

Hirai outlined details of Sony's recovery plan today at a news conference in Japan. Regarding the "Welcome Back" program, alluded to in "make-good" promises extended by Sony Computer Entertainment earlier this week, all PlayStation Network subscribers will get a month of PlayStation Plus premium service free; existing PlayStation Plus subscribers will get their terms extended a month, free. "Selected PlayStation entertainment content" will also be offered for free, on a region-by-region basis, as a welcome-back inducement. The content type was not specified, only that "it will be announced in each region soon."

Sony also did confirm there will be a new firmware update for the PS3, but surprisingly, not the PSP when PSN returns. Previously it had been speculated that this firmware update will force users to update their PSN password and other account information. Friends lists and trophies have been said to be fine, and will make the transition (I imagine there would be riots otherwise, but likely this data is kept on the PS3's hard disk and will simply sync to the "new" PSN).

Sony has not given an exact time frame for PSN's return, but they have said:

...SCE and SNEI plan to start a phased rollout by region of the services shortly.

...so it kind could happen any time now. Just depends on Sony's definition of "soon".

PSP Go not dead in North America?

Seems the PSP Go will not be phased out in North America (just Japan and the EU for now)

Today we were told: "We are continuing production of PSP Go for North America."

Er... great? I feel keeping the PSP Go on the market is only going to sap away sales from the NGP by people who simply aren't as "in the loop" as some of us. Speaking of which, as E3 inches closer, i can't get over this feeling that the NGP will retail for $350+. Ugh.

R.I.P. PSP Go

From the oh-that-thing-is-still-around dept...

Sony is halting further production of the PSP Go. I can't say I'm too broken up over this, it was simply too little too late in the PSP's life to do such a radical makeover. Well, that and the fact I've already got 3 older PSPs...

Anyway, I suspect this is just an effort to clear the way for the NGP - I'll be surprised if a release date and final name isn't discussed at E3. I've got a real rotten feeling in terms of the retail price of this beast though...

Handhelds and the future of gaming

I've had this theory that the current gen handheld game systems were a bit of a testing ground for the then next generation home systems.

I also feel some what vindicated with what we ended up with (Look at the ds and then the wii. Both radical departures from the traditional with the touch then motion controls. With the psp and the ps3 I saw that more as a proving ground for the xmb and various media functionality, not to mention local storage media in addition to the game media. Anyway...). Now it seems Nintendo has teased the Nintendo 3DS - and Nintendo has gone on record as feeling that a Wii HD isn't a big enough innovation to make next gen hardware.

A Wii 3D on the otherhand? Nintendo is flush with cash and crazy enough to try it.

I wonder what Sony has in store for the proper PSP sucsessor? (well, besides a ps3 style hypervisor hah!)