Sony NGP (PSP 2)

[Oobgarm]

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

This thing, if it delivers on those specs, and isn't astronomically expensive, it could very well be a great handheld. But I'm not sold on it yet.

The rear touchpad in particular really intrigues me.

[Baloo]

It also needs some good games. The US library for the PSP is fairly bad...

[portnoyd]

Whoopity doo!

[megasdkirby]

I fear this thing will be $250 or at least $300. There is no actual basis for this (just my opinion), but because of the following statement:

When I asked about price, Yoshida replied, "We are not talking about price yet, but I hope that when we announce the price, people will say it makes sense."

Although it can be interpreted in many ways, I fear they may go the route of the PS3 by saying "It's worth the $600 becuase it does alot of things!".

So yeah, I expect the system to be expensive, but this is my opinion.

Now, if the console is at least the price of the 3DS...or even cheaper...then that could be a very good thing. Imagine the PSP2 being $200 and the 3DS $250.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

With the tech specs on this device, Sony has not only delivered on every want and criticism that every fan and critic of the original PSP had, but innovated in some very clever areas.

It has 2 analog sticks, it has physical media, it drops disc-based media in favor of more sensible cartridge based data, and a laundry list of other things that anybody who's looked at the specs should know.

In fact, I've not seen a portable device with more hardcore gaming friendly specs EVER in my lifetime.

Everything on-board the NGP is so damned relevant to modern, contemporary gaming it's tough to make a legitimate argument against it not having what you need.

If the device can do what the best modern consoles and smart phones can do, there WILL be 3rd party support, and we'll have all manner of APP type games and full-fledged, full-featured software. I can't imagine there not being fun software at launch and beyond. That coupled with the fact that you've got access to the entire PS1, MINI and PSP library on the PSN at launch means there are already an ass-ton of great games to muck around with if you didn't 1st time around on a PSP, even if the launch lineup is thin or lacking. (Personally, my current PSN PSP/MINI/PS1 library is HUGE thanks to my PSPGo and PSN+ membership, so on day one I'll have a ton of stuff to fill out the internal memory of the device.)

I think that at this point, no matter what the price of the device is, that's going to be the thing that people looking for an excuse to justify ... I don't know, whatever personal disdain that they have for the hardware, go after

It's not going to be as cheap as the 3DS, so we might as well get over that in our minds right now.

I'm going to guess $400. I'll certainly pay less, and I'll pay a bit more (without being thrilled about it).

[Enigmus]

Oh, look, a portable PS3. /truth

[megasdkirby]

I think that at this point, no matter what the price of the device is, that's going to be the thing that people looking for an excuse to justify ... I don't know, whatever personal disdain that they have for the hardware, go after

I'm going to guess $400. I'll certainly pay less, and I'll pay a bit more (without being thrilled about it).

At $400, I will pass. Heck, at over $250 I will pass. Reason being that, for a little more, I can get a "full fledged console" compared to a portable. Sure, it's not fair to compare a console to a hand held, but if I think that way, I know many others will so as well.

Also, the console can do many things but it still won't matter if the price is high. Just look at the Playstation 3: if the console was priced at a much, MUCH lower price, there would be a great chance that the current trend of consoles would have changed. But if the console is higher than it's competitor, it may not sell as well as they hope.

I firmly believe that the PSP2 should be priced at $250 and not a penny more, just to give the 3DS some sorely needed competition. Pricing it any higher will give the competition an upper hand, and people will simply purchase what is cheapest, which we have seen in this current generation.

[Press_Start]

Thanks for the link. The videos helped give me a better idea for the NGP is about. Hearing that they switched from cased-CDs to cartridges-based handheld while pulling off PS2.5 graphics (least from I've seen) gives me hope they might do the same console in the near future.

The way I see it, there's three things that'll decide if NGP will be a success or flop:

1. Games: The NGP's/Sony's best shot is Christmas 2011. They need a great battleship launch of software titles of the AAA-game variety cause we already know Nintendo's bringing Kid Icarus, Ocarina of Time, Resident Evil Revelations, Paper Mario, Kingdom Heart 3D, Professor Layton, and a possible Star Fox title in the future.

While the other side has Uncharted. Sony needs to bust out more goodies especially at E3 if they want to entice gamers and keep up with the 3DS.

2. Piracy: This has plague the PSP the same way Kratos has temper tantrums and ultimately why many developers are hesitant. Not even the God of War devs are safe.

http://www.play.tm/news/32268/ready-...t-of-psp-devs/

With PS3 recently cracked, it looks like NGP is next on the hacker menu.

3. Price: PS3's $600 price tag stinted the early years of its growth and that was before the recession. Now...money's tighter and the 3DS' $250 price puts the NGP/Sony in a bind.

Go too high n' gamers can't afford your system and go to the cheaper option.

Go too low n' stick it to the competition big time and take a huge hit to your bottom line in the process.

It's a balancing act but I'll bet Sony will price the thing around $230 or $240, just to seem "cheaper" in a sense.

Well that's my two cents.

It also needs some good games. The US library for the PSP is fairly bad...

There's over 70 RPG's for the handheld on the US side alone. Not to mention God of War, Peace Walker, Birth By Sleep, Dissidia, Megaman Powered Up, and Castlevania Dracula X. You just have to drop the "Wii only has bad game mentality" and take a peek around.

[Icarus Moonsight]

The PSP is/was very much like the Saturn, import and the library gets a significant bump. All the shmups, the Princess Crown port and the recent addition of Onichanbara. Then again, with a Pandora battery, you get all that plus more.

The PSPGo actually makes sense now in hindsight. They were hoping it would sell better (without getting cracked wide open) and be adopted by as many PSP owners as possible, to downplay their marriage to UMD and line up better with their future successor and the PSN distribution model.

That'll be an area where they still take a hit -- with owners of the UMD drive PSP systems, in the BC. Nintendo still has the edge in more than just the 3D gimmick(?) and definitely will have in price point. Eager will always beat pretty, so until they announce a retail tag, one has to assume it's just pretty for now. If they announce at $300, then I'd say they're both eager and pretty. I highly doubt that though.

[CDiablo]

I think it looks great. I dont think any portable gaming device is worth more than $200. Im a Hypocrait because I am buying a 3DS at launch, only because I feel its the best console fo this generation. My only gripes with the console is I have heard nothing of a TV out(I never get to travel without being the driver) and all this console will provide is the same experience I can get on an XBOX/PS3/Wii. Also I am worried about games for this thing costing $60 or so.

[heybtbm]

The potential is there, but I can't seem to shake the memories of the PSP and it's god-awful software line-up. It had very few "must have" games over it's lifespan...a bunch of "goods" and very, very few "greats" (and this is from a day one early adopter). It's not really Sony's fault...just personal preference. Most of their exclusives bore me to tears. Uncharted? Killzone? Little Big Planet? Not even remotely interested.

Get a functional, sweet-looking, online FPS on there and we'll talk. Make use of those dual analogs! A few A-list RPG's please? How about a Dragon Quest that finally breaks its DS shackles and goes forward graphically instead of backwards? These possibilities are exciting...not the boring crap they've shown so far.

[duffmanth]

It looks like a very promising system. It also seems Sony has addressed many of the criticisms of the PSP and PSPgo, like finally adding dual analog sticks and doing away with a download only system. The touchscreen and trackpad look interesting, and it looks like they've got the major developers on board with their biggest titles. If the hardware specs are right, it's going to be a beast of a system. This brings me to the price...my best guess is $299? It'll be more than the $250 3DS, just because of the power alone, but Sony has been really stupid with their pricing in the past, so who knows? What concerns me about the price, is that Sony might look to Apple with the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch pricing, and say well our product has most of the bells and whistles yours does, and try and charge somewhere in the $400-600 price range for it?

[Icarus Moonsight]

They've addressed many, if not nearly all, of the PSP faults. Now to see if the build quality got a booster shot and this thing can get an upgrade to field work. The PSP was the only portable device I never took portable on principle, out of fear of someone looking at it funny would shatter it. Price is the other Achilles heel, and with what's been said, the news is not good. "Second job to afford", not good. If it's $399+, the only thing that is going to save it is a suction feature.

[Swamperon]

I can't see any flaws with it, 'cept maybe the price and that's something the 3DS is guilty of too (at least in GBP) but nothing about it is making me go wow either.

The back touchpad is intriguing but I'd have to see it in action before getting excited about it. And great that it's as powerful as a PS3 but if I wanted that, I'd buy a PS3. Which I hope to do this year.

[retroman]

im already sold on it...got to have any system that comes out