Sony talks up PSP digital downloads
UMD's future at risk?
Sony has confirmed that downloadable games will become a much bigger feature on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) throughout the rest of 2009.
John Koller, Sony Computer Entertainment America's Director of Hardware Marketing, told Wired that “one of our big pushes this year is to be sure that the right kind of content and the right kind of games in particular are placed on the PlayStation Network [PSN] for download on the PSP”.
“In the back half of this year,” Koller added, PSP gamers will begin to see a “good rise in the amount of content that comes to PSN for the PSP.”
Some gamers could interpret Koller’s comments to mean that Sony’s inked a timeline to phase out the PSP’s UMD optical disc format, but it’s worth noting that the executive didn’t say anything that indicated such a move.
That’s despite a senior gaming executive at games developer Acclaim hinting back in February that a redesigned PSP that doesn’t use UMDs could be launched by Sony this autumn.
Koller seemed to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, though. He claimed that although retail sales – namely UMD – are still of “extreme significance”, Sony is also “looking at” launching digital versions of the games released on UMD. ®
COMMENTS
haha, bright?
Super Stardust & PixelJunk Monsters have been on the PS3 PS Store for ages, these arent new. Super Stardust came out in summer 2007, Pixel Junk Monsters Jan 08.
Bright future? I hope so, honestly I do, but if ported PSN titles is what you call a future then god help us all.
You must be jumping for joy over the fact that Silent Hill has been added to the PSOne classics list.
@Ry
Superstardust on PSP is fantastic, as is the Resistance game, with Pixeljunk Monsters coming too, the future for PSP is bright.
re Mark
The last game I downloaded and played was Killzone Liberation... also availble on UMD, that was quite awhile ago.
What I was getting at is the fact Sony are heading towards download only titles, ie not on a UMD... Why bother with a PC PS Store when I can just download using the PS3??
Super Startdust, you have to be kidding right? EchoChrome.... yawn.
Resistance is something ive been looking into, you can connect the PSP to the PS3 and play the game on the PS3 at 720P using the wireless controller. Ive downloaded the demo, but havent got round to playing it.
re: makes sence (sic)
You know there are already a tonne of PSP game for download right? Download PSP MediaManager (free download), and it includes a PC version of the Playstation Store, where you can download games, and then copy them to your PSP.
There are some very tasty titles on there too...
If you havn't played EchoChrome, Superstardust or the new Resistance game, then you are missing out...
makes sence
With the amount of fireware updates the PSP has had since launch, it isnt really a suprise that Sony are going this direction.
Will be interesting to see what the first download-only game will be, if the game exceeds the file limit of a UMD, etc
I havent used my PSP for atleast 18 months, but if good games start to appear again, at a cost that is reasonable, I will more than likely start using it again. I could store the orginal files on my PS3 hard drive, and transfer them when I need/ want to, or maybe even remote play it?!?! Is that possible? Only had a PS3 a week.
Before someone kicks off, I have a 360 aswell. DONT SHOOT!
