Rumor: PSP2 Out Before Christmas

Sony may release its ballyhooed PSP2 later this year, say the prophets at Pocket Gamer who claim their anonymous source is not Dave Perry.

PSP 2 coming this year according to new report

Sony Won't Confirm Rumors of "PSP 2"

Rumor: PSP2 Out Before Christmas

This is not the PSP2, but a fan-made creation. Still, we hope Sony is taking notes...

That's because Dave Perry -- possibly to his chagrin -- is in fact the guy who only a few weeks ago said he knows another guy who's working on a prototype of a PSP without a UMD drive (for non-PSP-wonks, that's the mini-disc games and movies play from). No UMD drive equals radical architectural shift equals something a bit more distinguished than an iterative model number bump. Ergo 'PSP2'. So Pocket Gamer's source (anonymous of course) is raising Perry's UMD-less PSP2 by a touchscreen that slides open and a pair of dual analogue thumb nubs. They go one further by suggesting the specs and pricing will make waves at E3 this June.

Word is, this device is being bumped up to compete with Apple's iPhone and Nintendo's DSi. Right or wrong about the device specs or exact release timeframe, sitting on your hands while your competitors drink your milkshake is just sloppy, and while Sony may on occasion be egoistically blinkered, it's not stupid.

The device described above would dovetail with Sony's recent PS3 interoperability push. The PSP game Resistance: Retribution already employs a cross-link featured dubbed 'PSP Plus' that allows you to play the game using your PS3's DualShock 3 controller. Anyone looks for a current-future dual-analog development link, there it is. And who knows...it's not beyond the pale to speculate about Sony offering updates to existing games that might benefit considerably from use of a second analogue nub. The Syphon Filter and Metal Gear Solid third-person shooters both come to mind just for starters.

How would you feel about a UMD-less PSP? I'd be thrilled, frankly. Even the quieter UMD drive in the newer iterations drives my wife crazy if I opt to play in bed at night. I'm also weary of hunting for slipcases to tuck my UMD discs into. Whoever thought leaving the accessible gap without some sort of protective slider (like you used to see on 3.5" floppy disks) apparently wears a bunny suit and lives in a cleanroom.

I'm also stoked about rumors of direct-download gaming. UMD discs can store up to 1.8GB dual-layered. I can pick up a 32GB SD memory card for just north of $100. If we're allowed to back them up to our PS3s or PCs, the possibilities for stamp-sized-library gaming are tantalizing.

As for the touchscreen, I don't care about playing simple games with the touchscreen closed, but I'd be all over an SD (or micro-SD) EVDO wireless modem. If Sony wants to back into the telephony market the same way Apple's currently backing into gaming, they'll need more than just Wi-Fi and Skype to ante up.

Anything else you're hoping to see in Sony's inevitable PSP-next?

Read more on Game On, PC World's game blog authored by Matt Peckham.

Comments [14]

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shotgunzzzz

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The_Iceman

I'm interested just because Sony makes games other than 1 million different spins of super mario & pokemon.

Kubrick

jellebeans wrote:

Sony really has to put some effort into this one,
witch is good for us

I agree. The PSP was a success but the DS was an enormous success. The PSP was jack of all trades master of none. The PSP2 should focus on games more than multimedia.

Dyfi

I would like the ability to play the same games as the PS3, and maybe PS2. How awesome would it be to play Burnout Paradise, GTA IV, and others in your hand. I also say to redesign or altogether ditch the XMB. It's kind of boring. Motion sensing would be nice, but don't go overboard, I wouldn't like to get beat by a player online every time someone gets in my way when I am walking, and it would also be rude on my part to bump into others. Definetly create a departure from the original design. I also would like it to be exciting-not just a modification. A new system with basic PSP architecture would be nice. Power close to the PSP sounds nice too, but as Nintendo proved (and the original PS did), power isn't everything; and Sony might not be able to afford a large loss on each console. Also include downloads-HIGH CAPACITY, detailed games. A virtual hard drive would be awesome, games can be integrated onto a main system, somewhere in Sony HQ, where games are stored and only 1 copy is needed, and all the info SCE would have to store is purchases, and make a huge profit. Also get an easier development kit set up, anything to lure devs as the PSP games out now are aweful.

Donny007

They need to fix the psp's problems like battery life, and the screen issues with the 3000. Also the new psp should have a cover for the screen to protect it, so it doesn't get scratched.

nintendoes

Let's hope it cost $5000. . . WOULD THAT BE AWESOME?!?!? Also, I agree with The Iceman (above) we don't want the 5 DIFFERENT Mario games. . . we want more Halo clones, more duplicate Resistance titles and we NEED 9 Ratchet & Clank renditions every gen. Also, I we would appreciate if you never change anything about these games. We have WAY too much innovation in the industry lately. . . it must stop.

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