E3: Sony's Koller: PSP Go out this autumn News

It doesn't really matter when it was announced anyway. I get the impression E3 isn't going to be like Christmas Day again like it used to be - there's just too many announcements.

A smaller screen?? Aww shucks. I hope the pixel resolution stays the same at least...?

Not going to update from my PSP 3000 but hey I'm just glad its part of a wider kickstart to encourage more development for the machine, and suggests they'll stick with the PSP for a couple more years yet. Don't think it'll do huge numbers, just needs to get more people playing and buying PSP games and content.

DUH - why would you use an HDD for 16Gb??

Too slow! Surely it's flash...? No?

PSP NO.

'Announcing' Gran Turismo? How can they announce something they announced five years ago?

Huh HDD? No flash? It sounds worse and worse any minute...

It's flash allright ...

" 'Announcing' Gran Turismo? How can they announce something they announced five years ago?"

To be fair, they said it was a PSP launch title, but they didn't say which PSP.

No dual analogue controls = fail

Dual analogue would make it an entirely new machine, pointless in a design update as it means the 50 million existing PSP users cannot play the games designed for dual analogue control.

4.3 inch screen was sexy - it feels bad to "upgrade" to a smaller screen. Game with much text will have near to unreadable fonts (FFT). UMD movies will look less spectacular... It's like passing from an Advance SP to a GBA Micro.

It dosen't have a UMD drive so how would you be able to watch the movies to see if their less spectacular.

I suppose UMD movies will be available for download just like games...

Smaller screen? As long as it's the same resolution and better it'll work I suppose, like the Game Boy Micro as Solvalou said. I loved the clarity of that tiny screen :) But text might suffer.

Still want one though.

Alway something to moan about....developers will love it which means more games for consumers

STILL having just one analogue stick on a console that's being sold separately to the PSP-3000 is a fail, adding Bluetooth is a plus, smaller screen is another fail, you know what would be another plus? if we could see this at the Eurogamer Expo 09..

it's only half an inch smaller than the current screen guys it's not that much really, presumably they're keeping the resolution the same to maintain compatibility with current psp games stop worry that you won't be able to read it.

Also why do people want a second analogue stick that would only make the problem of sub standard ps2-psp ports even worse. By getting rid of the 2 stick it stops games companies doing easy ports and actually make games tailored for the system.

its flash you idiots.

i never bought a psp before, this seems like a good incentive, i love the design

am i the only one that thinks it looks rubbish?

I don't think it looks that great either.

it DOES look somewhat iffy, especially the slide-out..

So how would I transfer all my games on UMD to this unit?

me not like. i have more than 40 games on UMD, how's that gonna work? will they keep selling the "old" psp? and a smaller screen, what idiot thought that one up? i'm perplexed. how can sony just say 'thanks early adopters and fans, your currrent stuff is now worthless, buy everything again. whoohahahaha'. i hope later details will make me feel better about this, but sofar it's very depressing.

"It dosen't have a UMD drive so how would you be able to watch the movies to see if their less spectacular. "

For the love of god please don't tell you buy UMD for your PSP movies.

Butt ugly revamp, made me hug my 2000!

For crying out loud!!!
An all new Metal Gear solid game??? I don't know whether I should be surprised by this (as the teaser Kojima site pretty much conformed it) or feel sad by it (this is NOT Kojima would have wanted a new Metal Gear solid game to be announced).

But all in all, 16 internal flash drive is good, but what about all the UMDs I have. Sony has really screwed me over with this.

Gran Turismo you say??

MMMMMM

Not being able to use my UMD games is putting me off this completely.

Indeed, the only way I'd buy one without feeling dumb is if the firmware is hacked and I can load all my games onto the flash drive (along with EMUs of course).

So again, Sony is making the legitimate experience worse than the illegal one. Good job there.

There's actually another much overlooked issue here.
From this design you could surmise that sony wants to get rid of the UMD format. That means that game distribution as we know it disappears and PSP games won't be available anymore through retailers. Not having to print UMD disks (or manuals) the distribution of games should become more cost effective, but you can count on the fact that prices won't come down. So same prices for less (i like having a printed manual). In fact, if games will be available through PSN only prices will go up. Currently just about all games on PSN are more expensive than their UMD counterparts, some (older) games going at twice the retail price on PSN. I think that if Sony handles all game sales, things won't look good for us paying customers. And that's without mentioning the horribly low amount of content and games on the euro PSN store. I for one am worried.
O, and goodbye import. Want to play that one particular japanese RPG that wasn't released in europe because they thought we wouldn't like it? Tough.

good for pirating shit though

It doesn't sound like a good start to rebooting the PSP, and why no touch screen?

Seems like a very, very lazy update.

I was interested in replacing my iPod with one of these but not anymore, it is just a PSP4000, but ultimately not as good as the PSP3000

50m PSP>30m 360 EPIC SONY FAIL...hold on...

El-Dev
What's the attach rate for games purchases on PSP?

Couple of thoughts:

1) If it is indeed all digital that's a VERY brave move by Sony as it means a massively reduced presence in high street retailers. It's one thing for the likes of, uh, us to see a single rack of PSP Go's and know the game library is delivered digitaly but what about parents buying these for their kids? Wouldn't it look a LOT like a dying platform?

2) 16gb isn't enough. Yes, I know it's got a memory stick slot (at least I assume that's what the hole is for) but for a device that has pretty large game files AND is pitched as a media player 16gb won't scratch the surface. Compare to what may actually be the closest match hardware wise - the iPod Touch. Currently at 32Gb and probably going up to 64 around the time when the Go is actually realised. Okay, you can expand that with memory sticks but it's another cost to pay and as far as I know Memory Sticks only go up to 16gb and they cost about £100...

"Dual analogue would make it an entirely new machine, pointless in a design update as it means the 50 million existing PSP users cannot play the games designed for dual analogue control."

How are these 50 million people going to play games designed for this, which none of them own yet? It's not as if PSP-Go games will be on UMDs, so they're hardly going to be able to play them on an existing PSP. Not having a UMD drive already makes it impossible for anyone to play games they already own. Conversely, adding another analogue thingy does not in any way preclude people from playing existing PSP games that they download on it, and simply not using the right analogue. This seems like trying to argue that the PS2 was a bad idea as it stopped PS1 owners from playing PS2 games.

This thing is like PSP1.5 - it's not actually a new machine on a fundamental level, but it still demands a new format for its games. I think most people (me included) were hoping for either a more radical departure from the PSP as it is, in the sense of giving it the whole range of PS pad controls (or a touch screen, since that's fashionable at present), or were hoping for a PSP but smaller, retaining the UMD drive. I suppose where I see the worst of both worlds some people might see the best, this is the kind of design move that is brave to some and foolhardy to others.

"Also why do people want a second analogue stick that would only make the problem of sub standard ps2-psp ports even worse. By getting rid of the 2 stick it stops games companies doing easy ports and actually make games tailored for the system."

Ports of PS2 games do not necessarily need to be substandard. One of the reasons I wanted a PSP in the first place was that I never had a PS or a PS2, since I don't have a TV, and there's plenty of games on the PS2 that are still great to this day. I was anticipating the availability of far more ports, sold cheap online via PSN, from much closer to launch, to be honest. I want to play PS2 games on the PSP, but thanks to the cruddy control limitations and Sony being all mouth and no trousers where it comes to their legendary long console lifespans, this isn't really possible.

Figure this. Why is the "playstation/home" button on the front while the rest of the buttons are hidden? What would be the purpose of that, clicking the menu, and having nothing to navigate it with.

I say, it's touch sensitive.

More compromised, uncomfortable controls.

More standing still and holding a button to move the camera. No chance I'd buy a full price game for this in 2009 while it's still crippled.

I'd like to see the announcement of an accelerometer and touchscreen, but I wont hold my breath.

PSP NO

There's something about it that looks a bit off. Not exactly sure what though.

Isn't the analogue stick a bit too close to the buttons?

They havent said anything about your catalogue of UMD games yet, so don't slag Sony off before they have.

Besides, if you already have a PSP, you realise it's not necessary to get another one? I still have my fat old PSP1, and I love its size, weight and the fact that it's pink.

No pink PSP Go, no sale.

Apparently the screen isn't that much smaller. For those that don't already know PSP now is 4.3" so 3.8" isn't that much of a reduction. I'm not a fan of the move but lets be honest, it's not pocket friendly is it?

Still can't get over that analogue nub though, maybe it should come with a handle, it's like the old N64 controller FFS with the stick right in the middle!

There's a lot of reasons not to buy one for me. Sorry Sony but ultimately even if you give me the GTA's free (with Tekken 6 coming to PSP the only games I still have on the stick I want to keep TBH), it's still official firmware Sony and I use my own PS1. At least it's not replacing the 2000/3000, that means UMD will still be in retail and I don't have to be fleeced on PSN pricing (RRP LOL) when a game I want actually comes along and I can buy it cheaply then sell it on after dumping on my 2000

One thing that may prick my interest though (if holding one in person can prove to me the analogue actually works and especially if it's hacked), how's the speakers? the biggest flaw for me (apart from official firmware) in the PSP is it's quiet sound.

Looks absolutely terrible. Looks really uncomfortable too, but I'll have to use the thing before I can really judge it on that.

This looks great, but I'm looking forward to the Monster Hunter Freedom Unite bundle more.

"El-Dev
What's the attach rate for games purchases on PSP? "

Daz, what's the hardware failure rate on 360s?

Smaller screen, smaller resolution, what are we going to do?

Along with the new PSP Go announced today Sony announces new, exciting technology to fit the same amount of pixels on a smaller, lower resolution screen. It's PanningToGo, the new revolutionary technology which saves kittens and neurons in your head. Whenever you want to play an older game designed for the previous, less efficient model, and, you wish to, e.g. see how much energy you have left when playing Resistance Retribution, you just press L, R, circle and right on the d-pad, and then you use the analogue nub to pan the screen to the lower right corner. It so easy, it works so well, there's even an option to pause the game while you're doing this, so you can quickly pan back to see how much health you have left before that Chimera gets you.

Of course the resolution is going to be the same.

How are these 50 million people going to play games designed for this, which none of them own yet? It's not as if PSP-Go games will be on UMDs, so they're hardly going to be able to play them on an existing PSP.

You're making no sense at all. Users of both new and old PSPs will download games from the PSStore. Just like they do right now.

Doesn't interest me. I like my cases and manuals so downloadable gaming isn't something I'm interested in tbh. As long as the new Tekken and Soul Calibur still get the UMD treatment (and not just download-only) then I'll be happy.

Wow is this the same Gran Turismo Mobile that Sony "announced" in 2004 and even showed the UMD artwork for (lols)?
The same GT:M that two of my friends brought their PSPs on release to play even though it was actually vapourware - suckered by the UMD and box art "shots".
At least its finally coming...over 5 years late but still at least we now know it wasnt just another Sony "future-lie" to hook in consumers.

So much moaning...personally dont mind digital downloads as no one realy complains about Iphone. Also people whining about UMD maybe wait until Sony say how they are going sort out the problem before slagging them off.

Will get one of these

In a full version of the prematurely-posted Qore segment that outed the PSP Go, which Eurogamer has obtained

Using the cyborg-ninja skills of searching YouTube like everyone else ;)

Oh those of you already moved to stick off UMD, I just read a post from Disc on the forums, apparently there is no pro duo support you need to re-invest in micro ones.

Sony sure can keep the customers happy!