The umd-less, sliding PSP2/4000.... o rly?

[sikkinixx]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/developer-backs-up-psp-4000-chatter


it ain't goin away.... Personally, I would love to see UMD die a terrible terrible death but I wonder how they would go about letting people play their current PSP libraries? Unless the hardware is really different from the PSP and the games are incompatible...?

 

[JackAxe]

Knowing Sony, they'll sell an adapter for $60 that will let you play your old UMD games on the new PSP.

 

[zap2]

With MotorStorm and LBP coming on UMD, I'll keep my PSP 1000


I want a PSP2, not a PSP 4000.....two joysticks, better graphics, built in memory, a whole new system! Not a small upgrade to what could have been a great system(but has been lacking in great games recently...although I've also not been buying so good games that were released, Loco Roco 2..so I'm in part to blame)

 

[MRU]

^ Yeah I haven't bought anything for my PSP is a hell of a long time either....
But when there's nothing but a general abundance of diatribe in comparison to quality released in any given space of time, it just puts you in a frame of mind which says 'I can't be bothered'.... (to play, or buy)

Much like the wii....

 

[0098386]

Err, yea. With all these new killer titles on the horizon and they want to release a UMD-less version? I really doubt this.
Also seems daft that they would rather protect the keys than the screen.

Really hoping the PSP2 does have a UMD drive. I'm an advocate of digital downloads but we're nowhere near at the right time to ditch physical media completely from a serious games console (opposed to the 'casual' iPod Touch and always-connected iPhone). It's a great format for games, just needs faster speeds.

 

[MRU]

Really hoping the PSP2 does have a UMD drive. I'm an advocate of digital downloads but we're nowhere near at the right time to ditch physical media completely from a serious games console

Games industry veteran David Perry has said he's sure the next iteration of the PSP won't feature a UMD drive, whatever Sony might say.

Sony has shown support for the proprietary format in recent weeks, announcing big name titles for PSP like LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm and Assassin's Creed.

However, rumours have been spreading like the clap in a submarine that the UMD format will be dropped for the PSP 4000. That's certainly what our sources have been saying, amongst others.

Perry has been stoking the fire via his Twitter account, and provoking Sony's John Koller into denying any such console is in development. Funnily enough, Koller also declined to deny that UMD will be dropped.

Now Perry has called on him to do just that, stating, "John Koller is publicly questioning my post about PSP 2... So I confirmed with top PSP 2 developers. John, state that PSP 2 will have UMD."

Rumours are also flying that the new PSP will be unveiled at this year's E3, so either John or Dave could end up eating a big fat slice of humble pie come June.

Perry has been pushing for a digital download only model for the new system, something which could certainly fit with the reissuing of Sony's PlayStation back catalogue. He's also keen to put a fatal dent in the used game market, something which he sees as inherently damaging for the industry. Let's hope that there are some suitably dingy bike sheds behind the LA Convention centre for the boys to kiss and make up behind.

With a lot of PSP games available to buy on PSN directly - it's possible that Sony will just make the format download only. Direct Download of all your games from the PSP's new interface = more than likely.

I suspect you solve the UMD current PSP owners by.
Simply enable users with UMD's to register their games with Sony (serial number / barcode - and in return they receive an unlock code to download the game from PSN.


I suspect that this is the future, and I also suspect that it will be a financial model and delivery system that will follow ALL NEW consoles from 2010 onwards.

 

[0098386]

Simply enable users with UMD's to register their games with Sony (serial number / barcode - and in return they receive an unlock code to download the game from PSN.

That could work. I just wouldn't be happy with Sony making some hella awesome machine and then not letting us play the same gen games on it.
Given the history of the PSP with all the really brilliant games coming out later in the systems life, I wouldn't buy a PSP2 if they didn't let us play our PSP1 games on it, until it had a large and decent library.

Oh. And Trophy support please! It's inevitable. But hurry it along!

 

[2nyRiggz]

The Digital downloading through PSN idea sounds good as long as they have a good size HDD in the PSP2.

I don't know if I'm in for another handheld system but if Sony do decide to let us play our PSN games on the handheld then I'm all in.

Trophy, friendslist communication and PSP2 to PS3 connectivity is a must.



Bless

 

[MRU]

The Digital downloading through PSN idea sounds good as long as they have a good size HDD in the PSP2.

Not a chance of a HDD - I reckon it will be MSHC only as Sony make a nice bit of kerching on those.

Maybe give away a 4 - 8GB card with the machine and then milk us dry forever after with expensive 16 & 32GB cards

 

[sikkinixx]

I was thinking... to buy games in-store on a UMD-less PSP, couldn't they set up some sort of kiosk where you plug your PSP/Memory stick into it, touch screen pick your games on a PSN store like interface, use your credit/debit card and it just transfers the games over? Each week or whatever the store can update itself with new games etc.? That way they have previews, write-ups on the game , maybe link it with a metacritic score or whatever.

 

[dscuber9000]

I'm really curious with what the next generation of handhelds will be like. You keep hearing rumors about big touch screens, media playback, downloading entire games onto built-in flash memory... I'm wondering how similar the new handhelds will be to the iPhone.

As for PSP, it is time to really start fixing some of Sony's mistakes with the platform. UMDs did not end up being what Sony wanted them to be, but to change the main format that the PSP understands, we would need a PSP 2, not just another redesign.

 

[sikkinixx]

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/03/03/sony-wants-non-sony-classics-on-psp/


seems like Sorny may finally be starting to maybe actually conceivably try to attempt to revive the PSP.

 

[0098386]

'tis a good idea. I'd much rather buy games for a handheld app store than console. A handheld version of Steam almost!

This could be good and potentially sway me from custom firmwares (currently hooked on Doom PSP, ironically with the wad files I bought from Steam ).

 

[student_trap]

I just bought a 2000 with strinctly downloading, rather than buying umd's in mind. Can't wait to get more classic PSX titles.

 

[txa1265]

The problem with the whole PSN thing is the lack of sales deals and competitive pricing - unless the retail presence consisted of 'cards' like XBLA points or whatever. As it is the PSN charges a massive amount for ancient games ... $15 for Tokobot? Call back when it is $5.

I think they definitely have to chart out a BC path for all of these games or the system is dead in the water. I mean, they are last place in consoles, 2nd place in handhelds - and it took a long time for them to surpass monthly GBA sales ... they might be doing OK, but now is not the time for more typical 'Sony Arrogance'.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

I hope they give the psp2 ps2 compatibility. At this point in time they can probably cram the guts of a ps2 inside a psp case. My theory is that they should make a dual-core emotion engine chip at 600mhz. When you switch into the ps2 mode they can scale one cpu down to 300 for the EE and use the other for emulating whatever else they need to. For psp native games the devs would be able to use the ps2 devkit assuming it is scalable to work with a 600mhz dual-core chip. Development would be easy, so games would come out quickly, plus sony could sell ps2 games via the store like they do with psx games now.