Euro PSP 'at least a few months away' - Sony

By Tom Bramwell Published 11 March, 2005

Sony has told its internal PSP dev teams that the European PSP launch is some way off, while UK retail sources claim it'll be June at the earliest.

Sony this week told its internal PlayStation Portable development teams that the handheld system is still "at least a few months away" from release in Europe.

According to a source close to the platform holder, teams were ushered into a meeting and given the news despite the fact that a number of the European launch games are now finished.

UK retail sources we spoke to have apparently been given no indication when the system will launch or how much it will cost, with many now privately predicting that it will be "June at the earliest" before European gamers can get their hands on it.

Sony's major competitor in the next-generation handheld stakes, the Nintendo DS, launches across Europe today priced £99 with a roster of 16 launch titles, having launched in the US and Japan last year.

PlayStation Portable, meanwhile, is only available in Japan at the moment, with a US launch scheduled for 24th March with a price tag of $249.99.

Sony said it had no comment to make this morning.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 7 years ago

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

  • PhatCat #1 7 years ago

    Very clever, Sony. Very clever indeed.

  • #2 7 years ago

    Ok. I was 10 hours out.

  • Cyhwuhx #3 7 years ago

    .::: I'm silently placing bets on September....

  • unwashed #4 7 years ago

    Sony really are the chav of the gaming sector, determined to shit on every one else just so they keep the attention.

  • IronGiant #5 7 years ago

    I don't care, mine's coming from the good old USofA. The later it comes out the more chance it'll be cheaper i'd hope.. also puts it closer to the XBox2 launch, maybe to steal some hype away or more probably they can't make enough for a decent launch yet!!

  • Darkedge #6 7 years ago

    I'll just pay on my flatmates Jap PSP then :)

  • tonynibbles #7 7 years ago

    *Puts PSP safely in bag next to me on my desk*

  • zeroK #8 7 years ago

    This got to be a bad joke :-( Now it's not ever a hardware-production shortage anymore?

  • statix101 #9 7 years ago

    When it comes to PAL gamers, these days Sony are the new Nintendo.

    Dont matter, i'm gonna get get a US one in May anyway, cus i'm convinced that US developers will region lock there games.

  • Wobbler #10 7 years ago

    When is the Sony keynote at GDC? Microsoft & Nintendo have both done their bits.

  • Salvia #11 7 years ago

    Piss-takery to the extreme.

  • Salvia #12 7 years ago

    Piss-takery to the extreme.
    Remember a few months ago when UK devs were complaining that they 'didn't have dev kits', 'how are we supposed to hit the launch date?' and so on...

  • IronGiant #13 7 years ago

    Foul play? LOL!! as if all companies play fair, it's business and there's billions riding on these machines.

  • teabagger #14 7 years ago

    "does anyone else smell foul play?"

    Seeing as it was an announcement by Sony themselves, no.

    Bah! to hardware shortages :(
    Edited by 1 at 11/03/05 @ 11:29

  • IronGiant #15 7 years ago

    "It would have been great to see who would win if the DS & PSP were lanched at the same time"

    No contest. At all. Whatsoever. Not even close.
    All pointless anyway, real winners are gamers who will have more choice.

  • teabagger #16 7 years ago

    Better to have a delayed release with enough machines available than forcing a release only to be hampered by shortages not just here but in the states as well. It's not a case of Sony taking the piss, common sense says this isn't ideal for Sony.

  • Teeth #17 7 years ago

    Shortagees worldwide - they ran out in Japan too. That's why we haven't got any. They made three million, and they've all been sold. So I guess they have to go back and make a few more million. Which I guess takes time.

  • bunglebonce #18 7 years ago

    Pants.

    Oh well, I won't be able to afford one until after the summer anyway.

  • dhtmlgod #19 7 years ago

    Makes me even happier that I bought one from Japan :oD Now to go wind up everyone in the office thats waiting for the UK launch, hehehe

  • El_MUERkO #20 7 years ago

    Yay for Europe the bitches of the computing world :(

  • #21 7 years ago

    I'm starting to get REALLY pissed off with Sony...

    Nintendo... Release Nintendogs in Europe and I'm buiying one...

  • Razz #22 7 years ago

    /kicks k.o.t.i in the nads

  • Heds #23 7 years ago

    Yet again Sony dump on the European gamer.

    I wish I wish I wish I had a spine. And wasn't addicted to the WipeOut series. Right, well, it's a preorder of the US WipeOut to play on my Jap PSP then. Along with two other boys in the office now importing a US PSP, one of which just shouted something rhyming with "jiglucker" on reading this article.

  • kewny #24 7 years ago

    Getting a bit peeved with Sony's attitude to Europe. Thinking of maybe importing a psp but have no real idea how to go about it (how reliable the seller, what about warranty, etc). Whats the best place to go to get a psp presently ?? Play-asia, liksang, or other ??

  • Heds #25 7 years ago

    " Whats the best place to go to get a psp presently ?? Play-asia, liksang, or other ??"

    Mates here are using http://www.importmadn ess.co.uk
    Have to pay duty on import, but then again, you almost always do...

  • kewny #26 7 years ago

    Cheers heds. Just had a quick look - £149 for the USA value pack. Not bad at all. Tempted now !! What about shipping costs though ? And is the duty an addition of vat plus handling charges ?

  • Heds #27 7 years ago

    " What about shipping costs though ? And is the duty an addition of vat plus handling charges ?"

    I'm not sure about the duty, I think it's a set percentage on top of the total cost, but I can't find anything in specific. I think the shipping charges are paid for as long as you pre-order at the moment, though (seems to suggest it).

    We're just putting a bulk order of two PSPs and about 5 games in, so I'm not sure if the duty will just get stuck on just the HW or the SW too...

  • kewny #28 7 years ago

    Thanks again heds. I will run it past the boss....................I mean girlfriend !!

  • tiddles #29 7 years ago

    Japanese launch >>> 3 months >>> US launch >>> 3 months >>> Euro?

  • IronGiant #30 7 years ago

    Are Sony not doing any presentation? So far MS and Nintendo have revealed info but not Sony.. maybe nothing that MS or Nintendo have announced has bothered them at all. Hmmmm.

  • Tiiti #31 7 years ago

    Bah! Harsh!

    Nearly as bad as the big N

  • kewny #32 7 years ago

    Irongiant - maybe sony are hiding from the rampaging europeans armed with pitchforks and torches ?!?

  • Beano #33 7 years ago

    (Beano hugs his JAP PSP)

  • Feanor #34 7 years ago

    "Irongiant - maybe sony are hiding from the rampaging europeans armed with pitchforks and torches ?!?"

    Hehe, you mean Sony are Leon from RE 4?

  • terminalterror #35 7 years ago

    "I think Game and other stores are anticipating a large take up of the DS, followed by a massive trade in of DS's when the PSP is released. I wouldn't be surprised if its the most traded in console evah!"

    Who would want to buy a second hand DS that someone might not have taken loving care with?

  • Pina Verified Producer, Seed Studios, Lda. #36 7 years ago

    April 9

  • Sid-Nice #37 7 years ago

    10th of June, how many times do I have to tell you?

    Stop picking on k.o.t.i, I know from experience, when an ex-friend had a game store, all the rumours from the reps that came into his shop was ridiculous. Funny enough many of the predictions or rumours ended up coming true. " Well about 50% did anyway. " You see k.o.t.i hears some valuable news, then is told expect to hear an announcement within the next few days. This might be gospel or it might be bullshit, but what do you do? Especially if the same person has been spot-on over other important release dates etc. k.o.t.i's problem is... When he is wrong he won't hold his hands up and admit it, even I can make mistakes. :)

  • BartonFink #38 7 years ago

    Cool just enough time for them to get a few decent games out \o/

  • #39 7 years ago

    > How can you say I don't hold my hands up!!!!

    Fuck me!

    What about the kick the shit out of koti thread

    Me thinks you had a brain fart!

  • ProfessorLesser #40 7 years ago

    They just lost.

  • RobTheBuilder #41 7 years ago

    This translates to one of two things, either:

    "We are losing too much money, we have to wait til it costs us less to sell it"

    or

    "We fucked up royally on our factory plans"

  • #42 7 years ago

    actually agree with the losing too much money thing.

    They are beautifully built and incredible value if you want a machine that will play awesome games, play music, read books and watch movies. A lot of people argue that the majority won't use these functions, but I suspect over time many will learn how to use these functions.

    personally i reckon there's plenty of space for both sony and nintendo in the portable space... afterall yoou can hide one in the closet when not using it with no issues unlike a full size console.

  • Genji #43 7 years ago

    "They are beautifully built and incredible value if you want a machine that will play awesome games, play music, read books and watch movies."

    No way in hell am I going to use it to read books. Technology still hasn't found me a better alternative to the printed novel.

  • RobTheBuilder #44 7 years ago

    I find it ironic that for once its not Nintendo thats screwing Europe.

    :)

  • firefly #45 7 years ago

    All things considered Nintendo did screw Europe it's just they did it back in November so it's old news now. If Sony do end up launching the PSP in June it will have taken it slightly less time to come out in Europe than the DS did. Anyway I for one will find it deeply funny if there's a hardware shortage come the European launch.

  • Scoops #46 7 years ago

    I don't know why people get worked up about it. Europe is always last on the release schedule and we just have to wait until there is enough stock. Sony seem to think the DS isn't competition since they are aiming at a different demographic. If you are really really really desperate to own one, go the import route!!!

  • IronGiant #47 7 years ago

    Who's being screwed and how? European launches are always last. Now if the PSP is released at above £180 then yes we're being royally shafted.

  • BartonFink #48 7 years ago

    any truth in the rumours that these are being brought back to the shops wholesale because of faulty buttons etc?

  • RobTheBuilder #49 7 years ago

    Actually, www.dvdboxoffice.com is the cheapest anywhere that ive seen.

  • Heds #50 7 years ago

    "any truth in the rumours that these are being brought back to the shops wholesale because of faulty buttons etc?"

    The faulty button thing occured to about 5000 units apparently. Three of us acquired
    Japanese units at the same time and all are fine. There are no dead pixels and the buttons are fine. The square button *is* a little more spongy, but apparently it's not a real analogue button anyway, and the problem occurred with it sticking down due to resin that hadn't been trimmed properly from the case. They've apparently now fixed the process.

    Apart from that, the digital pad squeaks a little whilst it's wearing in, but it's fine now. It's a wonderful little piece of kit. Don't wait. Import. :-)

  • drumbaby #51 7 years ago

    Have Nintendo infiltrated Sony's Euro marketing division?