Sony looking at PSP retro options

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 March, 2009

Sounds a bit like Virtual Console.

Having set out his stall for a PSP resurgence elsewhere in MTV Multiplayer's multi-part interview, Sony's John Koller has also said that the company is looking at a Virtual Console-style retro download service.

"We look for some of those big hits from all of the past games in their history and look for ways we can bring them over," he said, referring to platforms other than PSone.

"There's obviously technical areas that need to be bridged. But when those are solved, consumers will see a wide variety of retro games and brand new games coming to PSN." Yes, some PSP games would probably be a sensible move.

Koller also acknowledged that the difference between the PSone line-ups on PSN in Japan and the US was an issue, telling MTV, "That'll change." Hopefully that applies to Europe as well. (Assuming the games came out here in the first place, they were presumably already localised.)

For more on Sony's thoughts for the PSP's future, you could also have a squizz at our interview with David Reeves from January.

On Monday we also reported on rumours that a PSP-4000 featuring a slide screen and doing away with the UMD drive will be released later this year.

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 (19) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    Retro options are usually low on file size. That'd certainly lend weight to the rumour of a UMD-less PSP being released.

  • Goffee #2 3 years ago

    hmm, what to do wth all those big black borders though? Just launch the Dreamcast emulator and get it over with!

    pshlurp - would be the sound of all true gamers rushing into stores to buy one!

  • Widge #3 3 years ago

    I use the stretch option, which fattifies everything... but hey ho.

  • Dan234 #4 3 years ago

    Is that the sound I hear of Nintendo already half-way through porting the Virtual Console to the DSi but not saying a word (as usual)?

  • Luckyjim #5 3 years ago

    If they brought out Frontier Elite 2 on the PSP I'd buy one (again) in a shot.

  • VicViper #6 3 years ago

    Handly enought there sony those 'technical bridges' have been pretty much solved if current hacked frimware is anything to go by.

    Thr problem mainly is that I can't quite see a stellar line up in the way given the titles that sony has managed with the PSone games given the libary there it could have been so much better

  • Toothball #7 3 years ago

    I really do hope the sort out the differences in content for Europe. I've been waiting for them to come up with Wild Arms for ages now.

  • Kazzahdrane #8 3 years ago

    UMD-less PSP with the improved battery life that that leads to, and a library of downloadable PSX games for a small price (£5 tops a piece) would have me pretty interested.

    Of course, Sony would need to make all the existing UMD games available for download at reasonable prices since I'd mostly be buying one to play God of War, Loco Roco etc.

  • superjag86 #9 3 years ago

    I don't really care about other platforms as the PSone has a good enough back catalogue to more than satisfy me. Just release the damn games over here already!!

  • Nemesis #10 3 years ago

    Get the PS1 games out and get the price down on PSP games via the Store to start with. If FF7-10 were on the Store at a decent price they'd make a killing.

  • Daikon #11 3 years ago

    Great! Can't wait to download Super Mario World from Sony's retro store!

    Wait a sec...

  • light&shadow #12 3 years ago

    Amiga games please.

  • steveb07 #13 3 years ago

    How difficult can it be to make all original PSone games available for download? Especially now that the PSP2 will have two analog sticks, allegedly.

    It would be like iTunes is now where people have impulse purchases of music and applications. I would probably spend a fortune....
    Edited by 1 at 04/03/09 @ 11:19

  • bmxbandit #14 3 years ago

    Come on Sony, get on the case. You guys are on a roll at the moment, more PS1 games to play would be brilliant ... and lets be honest here ... not that hard on your behalf. At least update the titles on the euro PSN ... we're you're biggest territory, dont fuck us around haha!

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #15 3 years ago

    PS1 games would require no conversion as they are just emulated but they would need testing to make sure there 100% compatile with the emulation.

    The biggest obstacle is just licensing, but they really have no excuse for all there first party stuff,

    Gran Turismo 2! NOW PLEASE

  • Eraysor #16 3 years ago

    A good move considering all I ever play on my PSP are Mega Drive games an the original Quake.

  • Ryze #17 3 years ago

    Such bollocks.

    What about the CURRENT PSX emulator and the CURRENT PSN? What are their excuses for not releasing the games between 2005-6 and now?

    /waits

    /doesn't hold breath

  • HermitArcader #18 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #19 3 years ago

    @Vertical Stand

    Im not saying there shouldnt be a more PS1 games on the euro store, as i think there should be a hell of alot more.

    I was just commenting on a previous posters beleifs that they should all be there, and that there was possibly some conversion time involved by another poster when there isnt.

  • HermitArcader #20 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:17:39 22-12-2011