PSP2 NGP

[VegaLA]

Looks like Sony have revealed the new PSP, Engadget have a few stories with details.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/the-sony-psp2/#

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/sonys-ngp-psp2-has-a-quad-core-arm-cortex-a9-processor/

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/sony-psp2-ngp-a-closer-look/

Your thoughts?

[Consignia]

Your thoughts?

My love of gadgets will not allow me to not get one. I think it's looking pretty good. Just a beefed up PSP really, but since the PSP is my most used gaming device, it's bad deal for me. As long there is some form of non-digital distribution, which the flash cards they are proposing are, I'll be pretty pleased with it.

[mobias]

Does look like quite an incredible little thing. Be interesting to see what Sony price it at. They claim it'll be 'affordable' whatever that means. Looks like its going to be getting some pretty good games like Resistance, Killzone and Uncharted, which aren't simply ports of the PS3 versions but new games in their own right.

[Still Not George]

The price is the big thing, I think. The machine is clearly a beast of a thing, and Sony's strategy of going for games that can be easily distinguished from the mobile phone market is probably a very good idea. I know I'll be looking at it with interest for at least one concept.

[Garfield And Friends]

I'd prefer if it was a smaller unit. Like a PSPgo with a second thumbstick.

Also, I'd like to see a degree of acceptance of 'homebrewing' by Sony. Being able to install things like Amiga emulators etc would be ace. Fat chance of that happening, though.

[Garfield And Friends]

A big negative is that the battery is sealed-in (not swappable; nor will Sony replace the unit should the battery longevity drop off significantly).

[Still Not George]

Erk. The only benefit is that sealed battery + big form factor should hopefully equal a decent battery life.

[Zero Gravitas]

What precisely is the benefit in them doing that?

[El Unicornio, mang]

It might be to prevent people doing something similar to the Pandora battery trick that allowed PSP owners to hack their systems (although my PSP is old enough to be hacked without the need for that)

[wheatgod]

What a load of shite.

[jutl]

What precisely is the benefit in them doing that?

The casing and mechanism for a user-accessible battery compartment eats up internal space and means that the battery has to be smaller.

[Ignatius_S]

Price will likely be a sticking problem for me, as will how much I would actually use it. I don't really 'need' a portable gaming device and so far from what I can see, portability is the main advantage over other systems.

...Be interesting to see what Sony price it at. They claim it'll be 'affordable' whatever that means...

Sony has said that it won't cost more than $599 – this has been clarified as meaning it won't cost $599.

Analysts are estimating from $250-349 with most thinking it's going to be upwards of $300.

[mobias]

More than £200 is just too much for me but I guess give it a year and it'll come down. There will be more games for it after a year anyway. I'll wait to see if I'm tempted. As far as portable gaming in concerned I prefer simpler games on hand held devices so my iphone does me well enough there already. The thought of condensing down a PS3 game like Uncharted 2, which is above all else a highly visual experience, onto a tiny screen doesn't really turn me on a great deal. I see its been leaked that Rockstar are developing a title for it. Wonder if it'll be a portable GTA or RDR or something entirely new. 

[MojoJojo]

My love of gadgets will not allow me to not get one. I think it's looking pretty good. Just a beefed up PSP really,

Not really - two analogue sticks (thank god), touchscreen, 8 gaming buttons and a a rear touchpad (I mean, what?).
Two cameras... errr. GPS.
The everything and the kitchen sink approach isn't exactly bad.... but comparing it to smartphones and tablets with similar features (but far slower processors), you end up looking at a price of about £500. Sony have been a bit vague on pricing - "affordable". And they said they want to make profit on hardware and that they're going to subsidize the price. And I can't see why they're being so quiet about the price if it's good.

My guess is $598.

[Slaaaaabs]

Same strategy as they had against the original DS, pricing is going to be a massive factor again. Personally I'll wait for the inevitable hardware revision and jailbreak to see what can be done with it.

[jutl]

Digital Foundry are estimating its power to be somewhere between the original Xbox and the 360.

[Mister Six]

Christ, that's impressive. It's not something I'd ever bother to buy - I find portable gaming just isn't of interest to me any more - but I'm blown away by the amount of processing power on display there.

[jutl]

Christ, that's impressive. It's not something I'd ever bother to buy - I find portable gaming just isn't of interest to me any more - but I'm blown away by the amount of processing power on display there.

I do play on mobile systems, but usually games which are fairly different from the standard home console type. That's my main problem with my PSP - it tries to be a mobile platform for cut-down versions of home console games, but without two analog sticks and with a fairly shitty screen (or to be fair two distinct varieties of shitty screen). It just feels second-rate. I've ended up using it mainly for emulated PS1 games, where the dense dpi of the small screen helps disguise the fugliness of the ancient graphics. I play on the DS far more, mainly because of the Nintendo first party titles.

[VegaLA]

More.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/engadget-interview-sceas-jack-tretton-talks-sony-ngp-announce/#

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/28/sony-says-ngp-will-be-affordable-wont-cost-599-wifi-only-v/

[Mister Six]

I do play on mobile systems, but usually games which are fairly different from the standard home console type. That's my main problem with my PSP - it tries to be a mobile platform for cut-down versions of home console games, but without two analog sticks and with a fairly shitty screen (or to be fair two distinct varieties of shitty screen). It just feels second-rate. I've ended up using it mainly for emulated PS1 games, where the dense dpi of the small screen helps disguise the fugliness of the ancient graphics. I play on the DS far more, mainly because of the Nintendo first party titles.

That's a good point. If I could be arsed I think I'd make time for the Professor Layton games. But nothing sounds less appealing than bending my neck to a 60 degree angle so I can play Metal Gear Solid on a bus. But clearly I'm not part of the target market for these things.

[ThickAndCreamy]

This is just an idea right...

But presumably this can easily play all PS2 games. That means they'll probably be downloadable in some way, and if there's a way to do that there's going to be a way to pirate.

Any PS2 game, on a handhold console, with the games being free is pretty much a dream to me. If this is possible, I'll buy one without thinking[nb]Once it's at a sensible price of course[/nb]!

Being able to play them on a CRT or any television would be even better, being able to multi-player would be the equivalent of perfection.

[vrailaine]

This is just an idea right...

But presumably this can easily play all PS2 games. That means they'll probably be downloadable in some way, and if there's a way to do that there's going to be a way to pirate.

Any PS2 game, on a handhold console, with the games being free is pretty much a dream to me. If this is possible, I'll buy one without thinking[nb]Once it's at a sensible price of course[/nb]!

Being able to play them on a CRT or any television would be even better, being able to multi-player would be the equivalent of perfection.

Replace all your references to playstation 2 with the original playstation, snes, gameboy advance and whatever else and you've got my attitude towards the original PSP.

Dunno if I'll get one of these ever though, I've been saying that I'd get a DS and one of those flash card things for years now, the interest just isn't there anymore.

[VegaLA]

NGP in action.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/02/sony-ngp-soaks-up-the-pre-e3-glitz-in-official-demo-videos/