PSP Official Discussion thread.

[bandit29]

TOKYO--After months of analyst speculation that the Sony PlayStation Portable might not make it out this year, Sony Computer Entertainment today dispelled these notions when it announced that it will, in fact, release the PSP in Japan on December 12. The next-generation handheld gaming device will be priced at 19,800 yen ($185), which is fairly close to the already-announced price point of the Nintendo DS, which is slated to hit Japan on December 2 for 15,000 yen ($140).

Of further note, the PSP will be available in a number of different packages. The normal edition PSP package will include the handheld itself, an AC adapter, and a battery pack. The PSP will also be offered in a value pack that's 5,000 yen more at 24,800 yen ($232), which, in addition to the accessories included in the normal package, will come with a 32MB Memory Stick Duo, a set of headphones with a remote control, and a carrying case.

The accessories, of course, will also be available for purchase separately. The 32MB Memory Stick Duo and headphones with remote will be offered at 2,800 yen each ($26), and the carrying case will be offered at 2,000 yen ($19). Additional rechargeable batteries will cost 4,800 yen ($45), and a spare AC adapter can be purchased at 3,500 yen ($33).

In addition, today Sony Computer Entertainment finally made an official statement concerning the battery life of the PSP: The handheld's rechargeable Lithium Ion battery will allegedly last for four to six hours for gameplay, on average, and four to five hours for movies, on average.

Also, the PSP's wireless connection, which follows the IEEE802.11b standard, can allegedly reach up to 30 meters indoors at 11Mbps, and 91 meters at 1Mbps. Outdoors, it can reach up to 120 meters at 11Mbps and 460 meters at 1Mbps. The range will decrease if there are obstacles in the vicinity or strong electronic frequencies nearby, such as from microwave ovens or power lines.

Twenty-one PSP titles will be released during December, although SCE hasn't clearly stated as to how many of those games will be available precisely at launch of the PSP. The titles scheduled for release by the end of the year are as follows:

Electronic Arts K.K.: Tiger Woods PGA Tour R, sports

Electronic Arts K.K.: Need for Speed Underground Rivals, racing

Capcom: Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, fighting

Koei: Shin Sangoku Muso, action

Koei: Mahjong Taikai, table

Konami: Mahjong Fight Club, table

Konami Computer Entertainment Japan: Metal Gear Acid, strategy

Cyberfront: Kollon, puzzle/action

Sega: Puyo Puyo Fever, action puzzle

Sony Computer Entertainment: Dokodemo Issho, chatting game

Sony Computer Entertainment: Minna no Golf Portable, golf

Taito: Puzzle Bobble Pocket, puzzle

Namco: Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten, puzzle

Namco: Ridge Racer, racing

Hudson: Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory, SF action RPG

Bandai: Eiyuu Densetsu Gagharv Trilogy: Shiroki Majo, RPG

Bandai: Lumines, sound and light action puzzle

From Software: AC Formula Front, mech simulation

Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Igo, table

Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Shougi, table

Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Mahjong, table

GameSpot will continue to bring you the latest updates on the PSP's imminent launch as they become available.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/10/27/news_6111570.html

Question: Why do I need a remote control for a hanheld device? lol

Battery life is 4-6 hours for games...hmmm

Also Bandai is releasing the Gundam movies on UMD format for the PSP

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/10/27/news_6111581.html

Edited October 27, 2004 by dejr8bud

[Wes]

Question: Why do I need a remote control for a hanheld device? lol

Good question.

So, it's more than 200 bucks to get going? It's going to be a tough sale here unless they can drop it into the 120-range over here.

[do not disturb]

looks sweet but its a HH game and the one thing i can't stand about HH games is, why can't they make them so they work with the games you already own? yeah i know it so they can make more money but still. and i don't like how sony sells all these stupid little accessories for grip(hello whats with the $33 AC adapter, can you say $5 at radioshack). you figure with a $200 price tag, they could include it.

[bandit29]

looks sweet but its a HH game and the one thing i can't stand about HH games is, why can't they make them so they work with the games you already own? yeah i know it so they can make more money but still. and i don't like how sony sells all these stupid little accessories for grip(hello whats with the $33 AC adapter, can you say $5 at radioshack). you figure with a $200 price tag, they could include it.

Uh read it again lol

the AC adpater is included in the normal pack version

Of further note, the PSP will be available in a number of different packages. The normal edition PSP package will include the handheld itself, an AC adapter, and a battery pack..

[do not disturb]

d'oh! thats what i get for speed(not)reading. LOL!

well its still kind of a ridiculous price tag for a HH IMO but atleast now i know it comes with the adapter and a battery.

from the screens hots onthe site, it looks like it came do a lot more that justplay games. i'm assuming you can watch movies, play MP3's and take pictures?

[AlphaHX]

Question: Why do I need a remote control for a hanheld device? lol

im assuming its for the music player part of it. just like their high end cd/md players, sony always include a remote. its handy imo.

[zeo-mare]

it looks cool i am probably going to pick one up a little further down the line.

[Zentrandude]

Question: Why do I need a remote control for a hanheld device? lol

so you can change the songs when your psp gets stolen and the perp is running away.

smart move making it cheaper but being bleeding edge tech with all the bells and whistles they would have to go by volume with proly a paper thin margin. but still 180 bucks is still quiet much.

man that screen looks unrealistly large and fragile they better come with a hard box carrying case.

[bandit29]

P

from the screens hots onthe site, it looks like it came do a lot more that justplay games. i'm assuming you can watch movies, play MP3's and take pictures?

Movies yes in UMD format. MP3's? I doubt it knowing Sony. Camera? I'm pretty sure it can't take pictures...yet.

185.00 is steep(due to exchage rates being awful for the US now) but I wonder what the US MSRP will be. If they can release it here for 150.00 I'll consider buying one at US launch.

[Wes]

Nevermind, I'm going blind.

But anyways, why don't they include a memory card on their basic package?

Edited October 28, 2004 by Wes

[Solscud007]

Uh since when do any system come with memory cards during thier initial release?

This thing is awesome. Sony owns my soul haha. I will get the uber version. or shall i call it uber loser/geek version haha

Edited October 28, 2004 by Solscud007

[McKlown]

And don't forget that the battery time is cut down to 2 /12 hours when watching movies.

Though I guess that doesn't really matter, since most people won't be getting it for movies anyway.

Edited October 28, 2004 by McKlown

[bandit29]

And don't forget that the battery time is cut down to 2 /12 hours when watching movies.

Though I guess that doesn't really matter, since most people won't be getting it for movies anyway.

Doesn't anyone read around here? jeez

and four to five hours for movies, on average.

[F360°]

hmm,, I just got the new PS2 ( it's even more smaller and slimmer in real life).. So I will have to wait on this PSP until the price drop to under $150.

[chrono]

dejr8bud, Your right people just don't read sometimes. LOL

If anyone would've looked at the image more closely the box says "value pack". This means that a stand alone unit WILL be cheaper then you think! It's a classic marketing ploy.

The DS WILL run pretty damned expensive too! Anyways people will be buying the PSP and price won't be as large a factor as you think it will be.

Remember the intial cost of the PS? 300+ & the PS2 wasn't that much more costly. The gamers have already given the "go" on higher prices because of their frenzied intial unit buying.

[eugimon]

sweet.

4-6 hours ain't great, but livable.

definitely be getting one of these when it comes out.

happy happy

[Gaijin]

dejr8bud, Your right people just don't read sometimes. LOL 

If anyone would've looked at the image more closely the box says "value pack". This means that a stand alone unit WILL be cheaper then you think! It's a classic marketing ploy.

And if ya read the article, it states in Japan, the "Value Pack" is $232 and normal at $185...

Edited October 28, 2004 by Gaijin

[TSP]

Li-ion batteries only live up to merely300 recharges untill the're done at 200 you already have a memory effect . Playtime will be only half the time. Games release is the 23.12.04! Profit will be made if the PSP kills the Nintendo DS or untill spring next year . I would say spring in two years - maybe. Just like the PS2 sales good without profit. Killed DC and toke all the software licences.

I geuss Nintendo is going to make new plans for "Revolution" and "GBA2"

[Radd]

I geuss Nintendo is going to make new plans for "Revolution" and "GBA2"

Why?

[bandit29]

Well at Sony did this right : no region coding on games but there might be region coding on movies

http://psp.ign.com/articles/561/561098p1.html

October 27, 2004 - There have been essentially four questions sent into the PSP Mailbag -- four questions, and a heck of a lot of hate mail. Those questions are: When is PSP shipping, what will PSP cost, how long will PSP's battery last, and will I be able to play games from here if I import?

Today happens to be a pretty good day for Sony fans -- three of those questions were officially answered as part of SCE's announcement of the launch plans (that'd be 19,800 yen [which is about $179-199 in US dollars, and is a good indication for the US price plans], 4-6 hours, and December 12, 2004), and on the fourth question, we finally have confirmation of long-running expectations: the PlayStation Portable will feature a region lock encoding system, but that this lock system will not be used on games.

PSP adopts both a "worldwide" and "regional" code system," explains Molly Smith of SCE America. "For games on PSP there is no region code. However, due to language and system issues, quality assurance procedures are done in each territory. Therefore, we recommend purchasing both the hardware and corresponding software in the same market/territory."

The move is a good-face turn for SCE -- although importing is a relatively small business, the expanded gaming market has developed a taste for games from other nations. And with day-and-date releases of many major titles (games like MGS3 will launch in Japan and the US around the same time), the advantages that region lock-outs on piracy and damage control are lessening. (Illegal modification chip dealers often have a harder time configuring a system to play legal Japanese games than illegal pirated game copies.) We're not entirely sure what the exact reasoning for the decision to leave games unlocked -- Nintendo set something of a tradition by leaving its Game Boy and handheld series region-free through to the new Nintendo DS, so that may have been an influence -- but it's a choice that import fans will surely agree with.

Sony Computer Entertainment still cautions against importing, as gamers are still wholly at the whim of fate and the quality of their import dealer. Gamers have no warranty on imports, and quality assurance is not a given across boarders on hardware or software -- official SCE products go through their checks, but systems are often slightly modified for each territory, and the games also are often improved between the time of the import's release and the domestic release. Multiplayer is another issue to consider -- games from different regions have modified code and other changes that would make them incompatible for multiplayer sessions with versions of the same game from North America. Also, all the Japanese games are pretty much in Japanese ... so, that's another problem right there.

PSP will not be entirely open to import collectors, as the options for region encoding on UMD Video releases is still undetermined. Region encoding on DVDs are still a sticky situation that the manufacturers are holding tightly to and consider vital to the format. With PlayStation Portable being capable of running high-resolution video, movie makers may not be comfortable with allowing the handheld to play movies from anywhere. However, we would guess that a Region 0 would be included in the PSP spec as it is on DVD players, or the option could be turned off for movies that do not require the feature.

IGN also cautions gamers new to imports to be sure to be aware of the issues that might arise from importing a game system -- if you don't know what you're doing or can't face the possible consequences, please wait for the US release early next year (besides, Japan gamers need this game system just as much as you do!) That said, we're ecstatic with the confirmation and will be lining up with many other import fans for our own PSPs from Japan when the system launches on December 12th

[Ladic]

how much are the movies gonna cost?

[Gunbuster]

So is anyone picking up this POS..I mean PSP? I must admit I like the large screen and it's "sexy" design, but that are not good enough reasons to buy ;;

There is no word on battery life yet, but the load times are horrible!

from Lik-sang

Loading Times

Loading time and battery life seem to be the big factors which decide about the PSPs success or failure in many gamers eyes right now. While we can't comment on the battery life as of yet, latest reports from Japan about loading times on demo units that actually have access to the games are as follows:

Ridge Racers:

• From power off to Namco logo and title: 16 seconds

• From selecting car/track to start the race: 14 seconds

• Exit the game back to car/track selection: 10 seconds

Dokodemo Issho:

• From power off to PSP logo and title: 20 seconds

• Starting game from title screen: 10 seconds

• Going back to title screen: 5 seconds

Mojipittan:

• From power off to title screen: 20 seconds

• No more waiting time

Minna no Golf:

• From power off to PSP logo and title: 24 seconds

• From character selection to start: 19 seconds

• Waiting between courses: few seconds only

The interface/menu of Minna no Golf seems to be very slow reacting, with people even hinting that this could be a problem of the pre-release version only.

[Gunbuster]

more pics

[Gunbuster]

more

[Gunbuster]

and the UMD

[sabretooth]

i'm sticking with the ds, as it actually looks like nintendo tried to push the envelope in the hh dept as opposed to making a seemingly rushed mini ps2, plus nintendo's qc is a hell of a lot better than sony's right now...

[EXO]

Damn you Rosa!!! make up your mind! Which one should I get? One minute it's the Gameboy and then it's the PSP the next!

[eugimon]

I know I complained about my DS at first, but after having it for a few weeks, I'm quite fond of it now.

having said that, I will still get the PSP when it comes out.. maybe not right away anymore... but eventually. the battery life is more and more bothersome the more I think about it.

[ogami]

I have NDS and I love it.

As for PSP, when FF or Super Robot War comes out on PSP, I will buy PSP.

24~10 seconds of loading time? that is a lot, even for PS2.

[Noriko Takaya]

Meh! I'll wait to buy my PSP when the next system to replace it comes out. I'll need an adaptor to plug it into my lighter socket in my work van though. Have to have something to do when the company puts me on standby. The chick in the pictures above kind of reminds me of Akina Nakamori.

Edited December 8, 2004 by Noriko Takaya

[Druna Skass]

How long would it take for the second gen of the PSP to come out. I'm not making the same mistake I did when I got a 1st gen PS2.

[Radd]

I also still do not trust Sony's estimates on the battery life. When they say 4-6, I think 2-4. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but I still remember when they promised the PS2 could render out the ballroom scene from FFVIII on the fly with a roaming camera. These load times will just suck up more battery life.

[JB0]

Uh since when do any system come with memory cards during thier initial release?

None I can think of, really.

BUT...

SegaCD.

Sega Saturn.

TurboCD.

3D0.

CD systems with built-in save RAM.

Also all older machines, because f'ing Sony made the memory card an acceptable way to do things.

[KingNor]

does anyone else think that the psp's joystick is too close to the edge of the system, i was imitating useing it a while back and it felt awkward to have the palm of my hand not resting on anything.

either i'll have to have my hand away from the deck so i can extend my thumb or i'm going to have to hold it like a gameboy but have my thumb bent at an akward angle to reach the joystick...

hmmm

***edit***

also as a gentle reminder to psp buyers, i do like sony but they've had a VERY bad trackrecord for first gen game systems. i STRONGLY recomend waiting for some first run reviews before getting it.

Edited December 8, 2004 by KingNor

[Ladic]

I have First Gen PS1 and PS2 and had zero problems.

Alot of people just don't know how to take care of their systems.

I still my Atari 2600, Nintendo, Genesis, Supernintendo, etc, all working in perfect condition.

Edited December 8, 2004 by Ladic