The Playstation Vita Catch-All

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The PSP2 is currently called the NGP (Next Generation Portable), and it is set for a Holiday 2011 release in Japan.

The demo clip from the press conference.

Hardware Specs

CPU: ARM Corte-A9 core (4 core)

GPU: SGX543MP4+

External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)

Screen: (Touch screen) 5 inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED Multi touch screen (capacitive type)

Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)

Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera

Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, built-in microphone

Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer); Three-axis electronic compass; Built-in GPS; Wi-Fi location service support

Wireless Communications:

Mobile network connectivity (3G)

IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1x1)

(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode)

Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (A2DP/AVRCP/HSP)

OLED looks so damn good but doesn't it cost like a bagillion dollars? I like the prospect of Nintendo bringing down the cost of glassesless 3D with 3DS and Sony bringing down the cost of OLED with the PSP2. It will be interesting if Sony pulls a Kindle with 3G and it just comes with the system.

I think it's safe to say they will have a Monster Hunter game as a launch title now.

BNice wrote:

OLED looks so damn good but doesn't it cost like a bagillion dollars? I like the prospect of Nintendo bringing down the cost of glassesless 3D with 3DS and Sony bringing down the cost of OLED with the PSP2. It will be interesting if Sony pulls a Kindle with 3G and it just comes with the system.

I think it's safe to say they will have a Monster Hunter game as a launch title now.

I would not bet on that 3G being Kindle-esque. I don't know the specifics but I know that downloading a book once is significantly less data transfer than, say, streaming one half minute video. If they were to include it the price would probably go over the $500 mark.

I'm betting on an optional subscription to 3G (I'd decline if I were to buy one assuming it has wifi) for $15-20/mo. and a $350 launch price. Monster Hunter games are only popular in Japan (which is a real shame), and one just came out in December. I wouldn't expect another until mid-2012, and this system is supposedly going to be out in 2011.

We've certainly discussed the PSP2 around here (and I mean recently, not the rumors for the past 5 years). Info keeps being leaked about it (a touch screen, the back being some touch pad thing, two thumbsticks, etc.) but this is certainly the first I've heard about 3G support.

I'm definitely interested in this. My PSP is still going strong though.

The press conference is scheduled for 1 am Thursday (US ET), which is 3 pm Thursday in Japan.

So this is what we know:

Graphics comparable to PS3/360 (rumored from developers)
It's been redesigned a lot because it keeps overheating (crazy GPU?)
OLED (looks sickkkkkkk but is expensive)
3G (not sure if want)
Dual Analog sticks
Possible back touch screen (huh?)

When looking at all of this it makes me think that the PSP2 will cost $500 which would probably lead to failure. But then I'm thinking, maybe it will be around that price but instead of competing with the 3DS and the iPod touch, maybe Sony is going after the iPad market. So my last minute prediction is that this thing is going to be about the size of the iPad, perhaps run some form of android software and there will be 2 SKU's. One for $450 and one for $350, which seems expensive but in the tablet market that's not bad.

There are also some rumblings that there will be a Call of Duty with fully featured online as sort of their Monster Hunter for the west. I can't wait to see this announcement.

BNice wrote:

Possible back touch screen (huh?)

It's not a screen, it's some sort of sensor pad: http://playstationlifestyle.net/2010...

Do people think CoD on PSP2 would be that kind of draw? The MH series in Japan works so well because it was for the most part established as the success it is on that platform. The portability is a large part of the appeal, as is their cultural tendency toward commuting.

I'm an on-off fan of CoD (MW series) and I don't see myself getting excited about the same experience on a handheld. I do the vast majority of my handheld gaming in the house, and if I want the ideal FPS experience it is not done on a 4" or smaller screen. It's a nice novelty, but I think Sony should have learned from the PSP's early years that delivering the console experience isn't exactly what people want in a handheld, unless they're the sort that only plays on handhelds.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Do people think CoD on PSP2 would be that kind of draw?

If Activision did a proper port of CoD (whatever their next game is) and your profile is in the cloud so you could play on your PS3/360/PC at home and then level up on the go I could see it being pretty successful. On a side note, I really need to try Monster Hunter one of these days to see what all the hubub is about.

I'm not at all sure that I want CoD MP Handheld. But, I will say that yesterday while I was watching the NFL playoffs, I was wishing that there were a way for me to, say, grind my character in Borderlands while watching the games. If Sony could deliver something like that, it would help sell me on the PS3 edition of Borderlands 2 as well as a PSP2. Who knows what the announcement will give us (and I have a shiny nickel that says it won't be a price), but I'm properly excited for it.

I had not really understood the 'back screen' thing before looking at garion's link, but that's very interesting.

BNice wrote:
Blind_Evil wrote:

Do people think CoD on PSP2 would be that kind of draw?

If Activision did a proper port of CoD (whatever their next game is) and your profile is in the cloud so you could play on your PS3/360/PC at home and then level up on the go I could see it being pretty successful. On a side note, I really need to try Monster Hunter one of these days to see what all the hubub is about.

I don't see Microsoft letting its console talk with any other platform holder's stuff. If they did, I might be more interested, but still it doesn't fit my needs personally. I could see that working out for others, though. Commuters and such.

Monster Hunter Tri on Wii was my GOTY last year, my first time with the series. It is not the kind of thing to play if you can't see yourself dedicating 50+ hours (I ended up with 335 or so) but if you can get yourself into it, it is the most rewarding type of game around. I tried playing an older version on my roommate's PSP but could not get comfortable with "the claw." (controlling the analog nub with your thumb to move and the d-pad with the forefinger for camera movement)

Possible leaked shot!

IMAGE(http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu231/BNoice/Screenshot2011-01-25at122426AM.png)


http://kotaku.com/5742423/the-first-official-shot-of-the-psp2

While the PSP2 is not yet official, there have been fan Photoshop creations. Apparently, this is not a fan-made creation. Apparently, this is a Sony-made one.

This week Sony is expected to unveil the new PlayStation Portable, which is currently being called the PSP2. As the reveal approaches, this art work surfaced online today.

The photo features a handheld believed to be the PSP2, which has a PSPgo style sliding shell. There is a 32 GB SD memory card as well, plus a "PSP2" memory stick. There is a long, thin stylus as well.

Unlike the current PSP, there are two analog nubs, giving this handheld a controller layout similar to the PS3.

Whether or not it is real, won't be known for sure if and when the rumored PSP2 is finally made public. However, Kotaku is reaching out to Sony and will update this post should the company comment.

Flash carts! And is that a stylus?

Edit: Bah, I think I was duped by loltaku. PROBABLY FAKE.

Any bets on whether PSP2 will be digital download ONLY like the PSPGo or will use some sort of cartridge like the 3DS? Although I'd prefer the flexibility of the latter, I'm betting the former with in-store game boxes holding nothing but a code and possibly a single sheet manual.

Also, put me in the Blind_Evil camp. I enjoy occassionally playing the CoD games, but have no interest in playing them on a handheld. Like Blind_Evil I only play my handhelds at home. To be honest, I wouldn't buy or play them at all, but some of the types of games that I enjoy have become exclusive to handhelds. At this point, the jury is still out on whether I will actually buy either the 3DS or the PSP2 as the initial software reveals on the 3DS seem to indicate it is going down the PSP path and transitioning to "last-gen console experiences now in your hand" instead of the game genres that I've actually been purchasing handhelds in order to play.

I'm sure that PSP2 shot is fake, but I hope to hell the real thing doesn't have the sticks oriented in that fashion. It looks incredibly hand-cramping.

Offset them like the 360 pad so you can comfortably hold the handheld, please!

IMAGE(http://www.scanmalta.com/eshop/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/x/b/xbox-l19628.jpg)

Including some kind of physical media is pretty much a non bet. They still have to support physical media in Japan, their biggest market, and I doubt they'll remove it for other regions.

The fact that after three Playstation iterations Sony has stuck with the sticks scrunched together at the bottom and then Nintendo kept that format when designing the Classic Controller Pro makes me think that Japanese focus groups must like that configuration.

Mr GT Chris wrote:

Including some kind of physical media is pretty much a non bet. They still have to support physical media in Japan, their biggest market, and I doubt they'll remove it for other regions.

Good to know. I was under the impression that digital downloads were bigger there than in North America. I'm glad to be wrong.

I had a Go for about 3 days. If that picture is real then no PSP2 for me. The Go was actually pretty comfortable. It was just problematic that there was no give to the buttons. They were too close to the back of the console. Same with the nub.

I'm keeping an eye on it out of curiosity. No intention of buying one or anything...

Well, here it is:

IMAGE(http://cdnmo.coveritlive.com/media/image/201101/phpgqVje6_thumb_photo4.JPG)

From Twitter:

pkollar The Uncharted game for this new handheld looks so beautiful. Wow.

Expecting plenty of news over the next hour or so. It's nice to live in the future.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Well, here it is:

IMAGE(http://cdnmo.coveritlive.com/media/image/201101/phpgqVje6_thumb_photo4.JPG)

I hope those analog sticks are detachable.

There is no way, with the announced hardware that this will be affordable or have a valid battery life.

Also, could someone tell Sony that service names need to be less Sesame Street-ish? We've got Near, I'm just waiting for Grover to yell Far for their next one.

I would imagine that they click in, but who knows... either way, it would definitely be something you would have to carry around in a bag.

If the OLED screen is confirmed, I don't see this monster going for less than $350.
And that "Near" thing is kinda creepy.

Well hello there, PSP2!

Engadget LiveBlog Summary wrote:

- Dual analog sticks
- Front and back touchpads
- High-res screen (5-inch OLED, 960 x 544 resolution; 4x a PSP.)
- 3G and WiFi
- Motion sensors (Same gyro sensor and accelerometer as the PlayStation Move)
- Front and rear cameras
- Flash cards for games (it looks like an SD card, but there's a curve to it that might suggest it's proprietary)

Wow. I can't imagine how much this will cost. That's a lot of stuff!

Sony was attempting selling a 11" OLED TV with the same resolution for over $2000 in 2007. LG just came out last year with a 31" 3D OLED TV... for $9000.

Given that this is about a quarter the size of Sony's previous effort, I can't see them selling it for much under $500.

And it uses UMDs. I keed, I keed.

They're also pushing ps3-ish graphics from how MGS4 ported over was said to run. Used actual assets from the PS3 version, from what I've read.

I really think Sony is trying too hard to be the best technologically and I think it shows how much they've planned for a market that didn't initially have as many real competitors and that also had more disposable income.

For Sony's sake, I hope they do make it through what I think will be a large miss-step for this generation, as I think the price is just going to be way too steep to even jump into owning one.

I don't think they know any other way to build hardware. Pile in the specs and bulletpoints and try to make the biggest hammer.

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