Sony Ericsson to launch PSP Phone?

By Richard Leadbetter Published 12 August, 2010

Android-powered with joypad-style controls.

Engadget is reporting that Sony Ericsson is on the cusp of releasing a brand new Android-powered smartphone with PlayStation branding.

According to the report, the device is based on Android 3.0 (codenamed Gingerbread) and features a large 3.7" to 4.1" screen with at least WVGA resolution, meaning 800-854 pixels wide by 480 high. It's a slide phone with PSP controls emerging from beneath the screen. Here you'll find the traditional PlayStation buttons along with a digital d-pad along plus a curious multi-touch analogue bar, a kind of scaled-down laptop trackpad. Shoulder buttons are also included in the design.

Allegedly powering the device is a 1GHz Snapdragon SoC (system on chip), allowing for graphics designed to be of the same ballpark quality as the original PlayStation or the PSP and the original report says that titles including God of War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Little Big Planet might be coming to the platform.

Engadget says that "it's currently branded as a Xperia device, but it looks like it will carry PlayStation branding as well," and that Sony Ericsson is looking to build up an entire gaming platform and surrounding "ecosystem" around the phone. Additionally, Google might "possibly" be involved.

It's an interesting story, but whether or not the PlayStation branding will be utilised is the key question here: there's a strong argument that deploying this brand simply doesn't make sense for a product along these lines. Sony has been working on the PSP2 for some years now and the creation of a brand new handheld gaming machine based on off-the-shelf parts and completely divorced from the far more advanced PSP2 specs seems difficult to reconcile: Sony really needs complete convergence between a phone and its new handheld in order to make an impact.

More than that, the notion of Sony investing so much in a gaming platform that can only match the visuals of the handheld platform it already has simply doesn't compute. Similarly incongruous is the talk of a new gaming "ecosystem" with Google involvement, bearing in mind that Sony already has an established, successful platform in the form of the PlayStation Network.

On the flipside of the argument, Sony clearly has a major investment in the cellphone sector and Apple is extremely successful in offering a games platform that encompasses both handheld and mobile telephone devices. A similar convergence with Sony products is surely inevitable in the fullness of time, but the question remains on whether this purported Xperia/PSP Phone is the best possible vehicle to achieve it.

In terms of official comment on this story, as you might imagine, SCEE this morning refused "to comment on rumour and spectulation."

Picture of Richard.

About Richard Leadbetter

Rich has been a games journalist since the days of 16-bit and specialises in technical analysis. Commonly known around Eurogamer as the Blacksmith of the Future.

Read more articles from Richard by visiting the Richard Leadbetter archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #1 2 years ago

    Fantastic news.

    Android is the OS that keeps on giving ;)

    Edit: Actual buttons as well... none of this touchscreen nonsense. This thing may actually stand a chance at being good.
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/10 @ 09:50

  • himynameisnathan #2 2 years ago

    android + gaming = win

  • Markitron #3 2 years ago

    They should have done this 3 years ago, it was such an obvious move. I have been waiting a long time for this announcement but I thought that it would involve the psp2 in some form.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #4 2 years ago

    Haha! <a href="http://www.eurog amer.net/articles/wsj-sony-developing-ambitious-handheld/com ments#comment1751792">
    I totally called this.</a>

    Please make it good, SE, so I can ditch my iPhone with confidence, and hate myself a little less for being an Apple User.
    Edited by 2 at 12/08/10 @ 09:52

  • munki83 #5 2 years ago

    I hope the phone will have full PSP support so that I can hold off buying a psp just to play persona 3 and get myself this

  • beastmaster #6 2 years ago

    Sony want a big slice of Apple pie.

  • Goodfella #7 2 years ago

    @ Mentalist(air)

    So did I, sort of. :D

  • Widge #8 2 years ago

    FFS, I just bought an iPhone!

    Well, my official upgrade is next year, I can see if this PSP phone beds in (and is actually good).

  • JBlokeUK #9 2 years ago

    SCEE this morning refused "to comment on rumour and spectulation."

    I couldn't possibly comment on ''spectulation'' either :)

    Would be nice if this were true, but then wouldn't this make the PSP obsolete?

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #10 2 years ago

    More than that, the notion of Sony investing so much in a gaming platform that can only match the visuals of the handheld platform it already has simply doesn't compute.

    Maybe they've actually learned something from Nintendo and aren't aiming to sell a handheld platform on graphics performance.

    Stereoscopy notwithstanding, a top-spec Snapdragon equipped device is at worst even on graphics performance, and likely significantly faster in CPU performance than 3DS will be. Microsoft's new mobile gaming platform on Windows Phone 7, that MGS are forming new a studio to make games for right now, is going to be based on pretty much the same technology platform, and it's near-as-damnit the same as iPhone 4, iPad and September's forthcoming iPod Touch 4 for which Apple are going to push their new game Network (which might not work on pre-3GS hardware, it looks like).


    Alternatively, maybe PSP Go was such an embarrassing failure that Sony just tossed it to their ill-favoured Swedish step-child and told them they could do with it what they will.

  • vizzini #11 2 years ago

    If this is true, I think this now signals the imminent release of a PSP2 handheld that trumps the new Playstation mobile and provides an excuse for a psp/psp go price drop.

    As this will allow Sony to add value to the Sony Ericsson brand, but without cannibalising their core handheld gamer market and simultaneously providing more options for people to have a device compatible with PSP exclusives like Peace Walker, Valkyria Chronicles 2, if they missed out on PSP/PSP Go; like I did.

    Investing in a proper gaming handheld from each manufacturer might typically be a once in five year occurrence for an average gamer. But mobiles tend to get replaced in-line with the frequency of their contract; whether users wanted a upgrade or not. Even iPhone users might miss an iteration to acquire a PSP powered Playstation mobile out of curiosity.

    It would then be hard to see Apple keep some sections of their iPhone audience when comparing bitesize/throw away gaming directly with PSP exclusives, remote PlayTV and PS3 remote play games.
    Edited by 2 at 12/08/10 @ 10:37

  • schnide #12 2 years ago

    This to me sounds like a very confused strategy - and sadly, exactly like something that Sony would do. A device like this in principle would have so much potential, but I think Sony are a little desperate and somewhat playing catch-up instead of going in their own, clear direction. I hope an actual device is much more highly powered that this articles says so.

  • Toothball #13 2 years ago

    If this does PSP games than I'll probably find myself rather tempted by this. I've been on Windows phones for a few years and even though I've not been particularly unhappy with it, Android has been looking increasingly appealing. I'm not interested if it's just a platform for mobile phone games though.

  • sneetch #14 2 years ago

    I have a DS but I don't bother with it (just not a mobile gamer) and I already have a android phone but I'd be interested in this. Combining a mobile games device with a phone (with controls) seems like such a natural fit it's just never really worked.

    "More than that, the notion of Sony investing so much in a gaming platform that can only match the visuals of the handheld platform it already has simply doesn't compute."

    You mean like Nintendo's constant revisions of the DS (which cost less I'd admit) or Microsoft's and Sony's revisions of the PS3 and Xbox? I'd say it does compute: they see an opening and a way to push both handheld gaming and their own android phones both of which are playing catch up.

  • linksdad #15 2 years ago

    It worked well enough for Nokia with the Ngage.....

  • twoism #16 2 years ago

    Battery life will be very important if this does somehow surface in the future. I mean after an hour or so commute playing games on the go, I don't want to be unable to text or phone before I'm half way through the day. Keeping an eye out on this, the concept is intriguing, especially as the iPhone App Store still mainly comprises of casual games, and 'lite' clones of other more famous franchises don't quite cut it.
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/10 @ 11:11

  • Dolly #17 2 years ago

    @JBlokeUK"Would be nice if this were true, but then wouldn't this make the PSP obsolete?"

    Outside of Japan, where it still seems to be selling well, I think Sony know that the PSP (as the physical gaming device brought out originally in 2004) is on a rapid descent to the end of its lifespan now. UMD is dead, and multi-platform games are being cancelled (such as Force Unleashed II) due to the lack of a PS2 version to basically port over at a cost-effective level. I think sonys plan is to get people hooked on PSN at this stage, and then hope that those customers follow on to PS3/PSP2. They're following Apples path with 'apps' I reckon, making sure people know that they can take all their apps/games with them to any other branded device, so each purchase becomes a lifetime one (seeming like good value).

    I'm very interested to see where this is going.

  • MORZTAN #18 2 years ago

    This will kill Sony...

    EDIT: Come on... This is direct competition with Apple... You don't wanna do that...
    Edited by 1 at 12/08/10 @ 12:32

  • Mosphaiti #19 2 years ago

    Is it just me, or would anyone else rather not have a joystick in their ear/face when theyre trying to call someone?

  • Dolly #20 2 years ago

    "Is it just me, or would anyone else rather not have a joystick in their ear/face when theyre trying to call someone?"

    Try reading the article properly.

  • vizzini #21 2 years ago

    Battery life is certainly a conundrum for a phone/core game portable device.

    I would suggest they use an smart KVM switch setup, and two separate batteries, one for the phone and one for the console/PDA functions; assuming battery technology is small enough now.

    That way you could get a good isolated phone experience (@ SE P900 or better) and get a normal psp experience in a form factor size of the Xperia X1/X2.

    Well that's what I would want from a Playstation mobile anyway.

  • sifujames #22 2 years ago

    @ Toothball. I'm in a similar boat, have been thinking about getting an Android phone for a while, and as a fan of SE phones I'd be pretty interested in this.

    Just please let it have proper physical buttons and analogue controls for gaming, not touchscreen!

  • IronCladChicken #23 2 years ago

    @MORZTAN
    At least not until Jobs steps down.

  • MinerWilly #24 2 years ago

    Android is awesome , i got rid of my Iphone and got a HTC Desire and it blows the Iphone away .

  • fknetwork #25 2 years ago

    Android = complete joke of a OS, not fit for public use yet, and gaming on android, LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

    And wow, great move Sony, bring out a ps phone (powered by android lmao) that apple and the iphone will laugh and pi*s over from a great height, then with the psp your getting beaten by the ds week in week out, then there is the 3ds around the corner, psp is dead in the water now and even the iphone overtook the psp's gaming marketshare last year lol, then theres the ps3 sitting in 3rd place after 4 years, really not looking good sony is it!

    And people wonder why people say sony isn't the company it used to be.....


    @ MinerWilly
    LMAO, the desire is pants, already showing its age against the newer android phones out there, it can't even handle basic 3d graphics, look on google and youtube, the old iphone 2g is better than the desire let alone the iphone 3g and 3gs and the new iphone 4. the iphone 4 is in a totally different league to any android phone right now including the bug ridden samsung galaxy s (which i returned within my 7 days for an iphone 4), iphones sales, developer support and awards speak for itself.....
    Edited by 9 at 13/08/10 @ 09:13

  • photoboy #26 2 years ago

    I agree with Richard's analysis, it doesn't make any sense to release a device that isn't any more powerful than the current crop of smart phones or the PSP. Sony will want a proprietary device that they can sell their games, movies and music on exclusively. A device based around Android is in danger of being like the n-gage where the games could be easily hacked to run on any well spec'ed Nokia phone. Even worse for Sony would be developers porting their games to other Android devices leaving the PSPhone with very few exclusives. Sure current Android devices don't have the controls, but what's to stop HTC releasing a new phone with d-pads, buttons and a track pad and maybe a faster CPU?

    There were rumours of a Playstation Phone from Sony Ericsson a few years back, and Sony wouldn't let them anywhere near the Playstation brand back then, and I reckon it will be the same for this device too. There have been rumours that Sony is not at all happy with Nvidia who have completely missed the power and thermal targets on the Tegra variant for the PSP2. Maybe this rumour is just a friendly warning from Sony to get Tegra sorted or lose the business?

  • vizzini #27 2 years ago

    The ps3 Cell processor is roughly 30x more powerful than the PS2 emotion engine and yet it still can't emulate some developer techniques (with strict timings) used in PS2 games without them porting or rewriting some code.So the thought of a Playstation portable phone using a snap-dragon cpu to emulate the (augmented) PSP1 Emotion CPU sounds very unlikely imo.

    Releasing a new PSP2 using a snap-dragon as a mobile, would potentially rule out a large set of PSP2 customers; such as kids whose parents wouldn't pay +£30 for 24 months on contract, and a 1GHz CPU for PSP2 is probably below the specs Sony will want for a PSP2 device.

    So the more plausible solutions imo would either be a phone with 2 CPUs, a snap dragon for the phone and an emotion engine for the PSP1 gaming. Or a mobile phone using an overclocked emotion engine (at say 800Mhz) so that it matched the psp architecture, but would also have enough processing to run the Android O/S as normal on top of a hypervisor hardware mapper that emulated the snap dragon; so that they could also sell standard Android developers apps, in addition to the digital catalogue of PSP1 software.

  • Quixz #28 2 years ago

    After seeing Rage running on the Iphone.. Not even my Apple HATE could stop me from being very impressed!

  • alcides #29 2 years ago

    iPhone doesn't have Flash or Skype, like HTCs do.
    You may click a fucking button to snap pictures if you fucking choose to on an HTC, not with Apple's iPhone. They's afraid they can't let you do that.

    Regular phones are dumb, but iPhone is EVIL.

    Let see next year when I get to choose between the two, who's got the upper hand.

  • photoboy #30 2 years ago

    @alcides

    The iPhone has had Skype for ages now. IIRC the iPhone version came out before the Android version.

    Not wanting to start another iPhone/Android flame war but aside from Flash I'd rather have an iPhone for Plants vs Zombies, Espgaluda 2, Street Fighter IV, Phoenix Wright, GTA Chinatown Wars, Crayon Physics, Monkey Ball 2, Rock Band, etc.

    I'm sure next year there will be an Android phone with a better spec than the iPhone 4, but there will also be a new iPhone. They'll both keep leap frogging each other in specs.