Feature: PSP Go Preview

Sunday, September 13 2009, 06:00 BST

By Matthew Reynolds, Gaming Reporter

Three generations and four years down the line, Sony is keen to keep the portable PlayStation dream alive. It has iterated the device a number of times since its release back in 2005, scaling down the size, brightening the screen and increasing the battery life, but it still kept the same peripheral control scheme and power-hungry UMD Drive.

A series of sweeping changes sees the PSP Go become the smallest and sleekest gaming device the company has ever produced. It's all part of Sony's plan to rebrand its PlayStation line, which started this month with the release of a slim PlayStation 3. DS delves into the short history and promising future of the device.

The industry's worst kept secret

While the recently-announced PS3 slim was hinted at ahead of time, rumours of an all-encompassing redesign of the PSP had been circulating since late last year, months after the PSP-3000 dropped into stores. It was hinted that the device could either be the PSP2 or another iteration on the existing design, but the exact nature wasn't known until April this year. A report from 1Up.com hit the nail on the head in terms of the name and features; sliding controls, a larger screen and the removal of the UMD drive were going to be part of the PSP's biggest redesign to date.

Although all the facts were out there, all Sony had to do was keep it under wraps until its official unveiling at this year's E3 in June. However, two days before the event began, its US online magazine series Qore had accidentally leaked a video showing off the device and its new feature set, as well as footage of several launch titles. When it was officially unveiled by Haz Hirai, president of networked services, at Sony's E3 press conference he admitted: "We have a couple of names for the device. One is the worst kept secret of E3."

Specifications

Titled PSP-N1000, the shell of the device is based on Sony's mylo COM-2 internet device, which features the same prominent sliding mechanism to hide the buttons. While the mylo holds a keyboard, the PSP Go hides away its face controls. When folded you can only see the screen, which has shrunk in size to 3.8" compared to the 4.3" of previous models (although the resolution remains the same and the visuals scale down perfectly). The smaller screen paves way for a smaller device overall, one that's 16% lighter and 35% smaller than the PSP-3000, and 43% lighter and 56% smaller than the first version of the PSP released back in 2005.

When the controls are revealed it has the exact same number of buttons, including a D-Pad and a single analog nub, which has moved in toward the centre of the device. Although at a glance its new position looks uncomfortable, it has been reported to be in a much more natural location. (Sony was considering a second stick, but feared it would split the market.) In terms of gameplay accessibility, the device remains the same, however its hardware functionality has been adjusted. The battery can no longer be removed or changed, and its standard USB connectivity and TV Out has been changed to its own proprietary connector. It does however add Bluetooth connectivity for mobile phone tethering, headsets and compatibility with PS3 controllers for future titles.

The biggest change to the device is the removal of the UMD drive. Deemed too power-hungry and too expensive as a proprietary format, Sony has scrapped the mini-disc in favour of a digital distribution-only model, a first for any gaming machine. In order to cater for the adjustment to download-only gaming, the device comes with 16GB flash memory built in, which can be extended to 32GB using Memory Stick Micro cards, or 48GB using Micro SD cards. This allows games to be downloaded from a computer to portable media, or acquired directly to the system itself with its Wi-Fi connection.

PlayStation Network

Sony's online domain will be adjusted to cater for the all-encompassing digital distribution strategy. As well as rebooting the client-side program Media Go, which can sort and download files from the PlayStation Network, it will be possible to browse and download games from the PSP itself through a Wi-Fi hotspot. PSN cards will finally arrive in Europe in September, allowing those without credit cards to purchase content, as well as a free digital comic reader with the likes of Marvel on board. Plans to embrace older PlayStation titles began with the release of Final Fantasy VII during the summer, and Sony has pledged that the vast majority of the entire PSP back catalogue will be available to download from the store by October.

The Games

The system will launch with the long-awaited Gran Turismo PSP, which runs at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second and will feature 800 cars, 35 tracks and local multiplayer. For those that purchase a PSP Go at launch, you'll be able to download the game for free until October 10.

A large number of first and third parties are also supporting the launch with variety of old and new properties in time for Christmas. LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival, LittleBigPlanet, Jak And Daxter, Monster Hunter, PixelJunk Monsters, Resident Evil Portable and GTA: Chinatown Wars will be arriving soon, as well as the recently released Dissidia: Final Fantasy and Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny.

As well as blockbuster games on the move, one of the new marketplaces opening on October 1 will be the PSP Minis service, an iPhone App Store competitor which will offer smaller quick-fire experiences. The sub-100MB downloads will be quick to acquire and cheap to purchase, offering classics such as Tetris, Sudoku and Pac-Man, and downloadable favourites Fieldrunners, Burn Zombie Burn and Championship Manager. A total of 15 games will be available at launch, with another 40 in the store by the end of the year.

The Release

The handheld will arrive in Europe and North America on October 1 for £224.99, and Japan two months later on November 1, with early adopters receiving Gran Turismo PSP for free. For those who still want an existing PSP-3000 (which will support all of the above online services and downloadable titles now and in the future) Sony has reiterated that it plans to support the device by bringing out new hardware bundles for Christmas, offering two sizable options for those that want PlayStation games on the go.