Sony NGP (PSP 2)

[PapaStu]

3DS is a no brainer for me. I'll get it because of the sheer number of DS games i've got. A true 3D picross will make my mind asplode.

I neglect my PSP, so i'm not quite as antsy about the NGP/PSP2 and though some of the features (the rear touchpad in particular) if done right could be great I've got a feeling that many of the games are going to be gimicky and thats not a good thing, just like the Wii.

It'll be at least 300. A 3G one will probably be closer to 400.

They've still not said much about the game medium. Are we going to be spending 40-60 bucks for DLC, or some kind of SD card. If its DLC, there is no way i'm spending that on the games and i'll probably pass on the system completely.

I also think that they've gone away from the PSP2 name because it'll make people think that their PSP games will work with it and we know how that helped kill the PSPgo. A new name = new games.

[Leo_A]

They've talked about the game medium a good bit and confirmed very early on the other day during their presentation that it's not going to be download based like the Go.

It's going to use flash based cartridges with patches, DLC, and saves being written to a rewritable portion of the cartridge.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

6. No HDMI out? As powerful as this thing is, you'd think that it would have a HDMI output so that you could connect it directly to a huge HDTV. It does have bluetooth capabilities, so you'd think that you could use a DualShock 3 controller with it, (wirelessly), while having the unit connected to a large HDTV. This way, you could essentially use the PSP2 as your one and only gaming device. When you get home, you connect the HDMI cable to it, and grab you're DS3 controller, and kick back on the sofa in front of your 50 inch plasma. If you're going away for the weekend, you bring the PSP2 with you, (along with another HDMI cable in case the hotel's TV has a HDMI input!), lol.

No need to sell all of that as a reason to fault the system.

All of that is distinctly feasible and as far as I know none of it has been confirmed OR DENIED.

Just because the bottom port isn't a traditional HDMI port doesn't mean that they won't sell a video-out cable that has an HDMI on the TV side of the cable.

And since the PSP Go allows for the use of a Dual Shock controller, I don't see any reason why they'd scrap the functionality on the NGP.

[kupomogli]

Like others have said, it depends on the price and game library of whether I will get the system or not, and really if I think the system is worth paying that much. Like with the 3DS, I don't really feel that it's worth $250 even with Mega Man Legends 3 that I'm interested in because really what are we getting? Just a 3D gimmick added to the system. I'll be buying one for sure but I'll need to see some more releases.

With the NGP, being that it has two analog sticks with PSP compatibility I'm already fairly interested. When playing PSP games, the second analog stick basically controls the Dpad, and while some games use the Dpad to move the character and the analog to rotate the camera, the option is always there to swap the settings. Here's a video of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd as an example, though I'd recommend muting the volume.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scD0gsGDxcU

With game releases on the NGP, the only one I'm actually interested in is Uncharted. I like the series, plus it's being made by Sony Bend, the same people who made the Syphon Filter games for PSP. Supposedly a new game as well rather than a port. From the gameplay video it looks really good and it also does a great job at showing the new features of the system, although I'm sure and hope, that those features can be turned off after the initial wow factor has hit.

It was a smart move adding touch screen to the device because literally everyone loves touch screen based gameplay now days. They took it a step further and added the touch sensor in the back to add another unique gameplay feature. While I see it as a gimmick, who knows how developers will end up utilizing all the features. Then to just have everything that the 3DS has(aside from 3d,) they also added a camera on the front and back(no need for two cameras as it doesn't have 3d.) Then Six axis was added which is one feature that I never thought we'd see on it, but once seeing it in action on the NGP, I think it's actually better to have six axis on a handheld over on the PS3. A game like Motorstorm for example when turning the screen, you know exactly how far your vehicle will attempt to turn . It's not like on the PS3 where six axis was more of a frusturation than it was as a unique gameplay device. Though it may be a bad idea because what happens when developers start making games where you need to shake the system.

From a technical standpoint this is the best portable to be released. It's lacking no features another portable has and even has additional features. While those of us moving to the next DS will just get a more powerful DS(with an analog stick,) those of us with a PSP will get a more powerful as well as fully featured PSP. While the NGP may not have the best sales and it may not even get as many good games as the 3DS(which we're not sure until both systems are on the market a few years,) it's no doubt the better system.

I'll say it'll be priced at $299 and $349 for the 3G model. They'll lose money each sale but coming out nine months after the 3DS they don't want to be too much more. I don't think the $50 more than the 3DS matters that much because all everyone looks at is that it's in the $200 range and if customers were to actually compare the systems they might choose the system which you'll be getting much more for your money.

[WCP]

No need to sell all of that as a reason to fault the system.

All of that is distinctly feasible and as far as I know none of it has been confirmed OR DENIED.

Just because the bottom port isn't a traditional HDMI port doesn't mean that they won't sell a video-out cable that has an HDMI on the TV side of the cable.

And since the PSP Go allows for the use of a Dual Shock controller, I don't see any reason why they'd scrap the functionality on the NGP.

Yeah, that's true. It's possible that it will have a specialized dongle that can attach to it with an HDMI or component connection. I guess I'm just assuming that Sony will drop the ball with that, and if they surprise me by announcing that it will have a high quality video out, along with DualShock 3 support, then it would definitely be a portable that I would strongly consider.

One question about that 960 x 544 resolution, I wonder if alot of TV's will be able to accept that signal and then upconvert it to 720p or something? That could be a problem. The TV that I have right now won't accept certain oddball resolutions from stuff that I hook up to it. If I hooked up something outputting a 960 x 544 resolution, it might not even display a picture on the screen. I seriously doubt that the NGP (PSP2) will have a built-in video scaler for it's video out port.

[Leo_A]

And since the PSP Go allows for the use of a Dual Shock controller, I don't see any reason why they'd scrap the functionality on the NGP.

The only wrinkle in that are the touch screens. Will they bother implimenting SixAxis/Dual Shock 3 support when it won't be a viable option with every software release? If the touch screens take off like I assume they're hoping they will, I'm not so sure we can count on it.

At least it has real analog sticks this time and not that awful nub.

One question about that 960 x 544 resolution, I wonder if alot of TV's will be able to accept that signal and then upconvert it to 720p or something? That could be a problem.

I assume they've learned their lesson with the good deal of flak the TV/Out feature of the PSP has recieved. I imagine it's safe to assume the system will have scaling capabilities and will be able to output a resolution that can fill up as much of a 16x9 display as possible while maintaining it's correct aspect ratio.

[kedawa]

There will be no AV output and the 3G connectivity requires an add-on.

They shouldn't be allowed to call it NGP unless it includes an SNK digital thumb stick, which it doesn't.

Other than that and the abysmal battery life, it's going to be pretty sweet.

[Leo_A]

There will be no AV output and the 3G connectivity requires an add-on.

What's your source, if you don't mind me asking?

I very much doubt this will lack a TV/Out feature. And I doubt 3G connectivity will require an add-on. If anything, there will be two SKU's; one without 3G connectivity at a significantly lower pice and a premium model that includes it.

I'm having trouble picturing this having an expansion bay where you insert some 3G card to enable 3G connectivity on your PSP2.

Of course, I don't know anymore about the details than anyone else here. So I reserve the right to be wrong.

[thegamezmaster]

So I guess that leaves older psp owners and their umd libraries left out? Or is there something I've missed?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

There will be no AV output and the 3G connectivity requires an add-on.

Source please.

[Kitsune Sniper]

This could've been so awesome if only it had some way to play UMD games. An add-on or something. Why offer full backwards compatibility if you're not letting people play more than 3/4 of the available software?

[megasdkirby]

This could've been so awesome if only it had some way to play UMD games. An add-on or something. Why offer full backwards compatibility if you're not letting people play more than 3/4 of the available software?

They (Sony) could possibly find some way to make those who have UMD's be able to transfer the games to the PSP2...for a fee.

Something like paying a fee for a license to download to the console. Once the license is installed for that particular game, you can possibly connect both units and with a program (possibly downloaded for free off the PSN store), the user can transfer the game (possibly an ISO) to the PSP2. Then the console can identify the ISO with the license and let you play it from there.

[kupomogli]

This could've been so awesome if only it had some way to play UMD games. An add-on or something. Why offer full backwards compatibility if you're not letting people play more than 3/4 of the available software?

A UMD drive would make the NGP larger than it already is, which it would have to be an additional size that's slightly larger than a UMD. Systems life span is another issue I'm thinking, as I can no longer play UMDs on either my original PSP or PSP Slim.

Since it reads PSP game data though, shouldn't that mean that signed PSP games would be playable regardless if they're from PSN or not? All we have to do is hope that someone releases a program to sign whatever PSP ISOs to the public.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I didn't say it had to have a built-in UMD drive. Just some way to let people with a collection to play them without having to pay for them again.

[Trebuken]

Looks great to me.

I get the sense they aren't aiming to compete with the 3DS, but are aiming to maintain/grow their current audience and to take a bite out of the iPhone/iPad crowd.

TV/Out seems like it should be there; that would make this into the ultimate plug-and-play device.

[duffmanth]

It looks like a more than adequate machine but I'm not exactly sold on it. As for those wondering what the price will be, Sony has said that there will be multiple skus of the NGP at launch. This means that there will be more than one price. If I had to guess I would say that the prices will start at $300 and go up to $400. All models will have built in wifi but not all will have built in 3G.

Sony is now determining what they feel will be appropriate pricing for their system. While $300 is expensive the feature set pretty much requires it to atleast be this much. And even then Sony would still be losing money. The higher end models(which I'm still speculating will go for $400) will sell out at launch but after that it's going to be another long slow burn because people really won't won't to pay that much for a portable. But as we get closer to launch the rest of the details will continue to get worked out.

What I'm curious about is how much they will charge for their games. Some Psp games already go for $40 and since Nintendo is rumored to be charging between $40-50 for 3DS games Sony might actually charge the full $60 console game price for NGP games.

I would agree with your comments on the pricing. Anyone hoping this system is gonna be $200-250 is dreaming. It's almost certainly going to be $299-$399 considering the power and features it's going to have. As far as the prices of the games goes, I would say at least $50 considering they're almost PS3 quality titles.

[Leo_A]

There will be no AV output and the 3G connectivity requires an add-on.

Two different versions with and without 3G have been confirmed for Europe today, which cast further doubt over your claims that you portrayed as facts.

[megasdkirby]

I would agree with your comments on the pricing. Anyone hoping this system is gonna be $200-250 is dreaming. It's almost certainly going to be $299-$399 considering the power and features it's going to have. As far as the prices of the games goes, I would say at least $50 considering they're almost PS3 quality titles.

At that price, it will have a hard time selling. Many will not justify the price, no matter how powerful the console is. This was what Sony was expecting back when they announced the PS3 for $600, and the price really hurt sales. It is now that it's selling quite will because it's at an acceptable price.

Hardware wise, it might be worth the price. But it all depends on the consumers, not what Sony wishes.

Games are another factor. They must be around $40 in order to be somewhat acceptable. Pricing them any higher will make consumers wonder: "Why in the hell do I want to spend $50-$60 on a handheld game, if for the same price I can have a PS3/Xbox 360 game?!" I see this type of mentality at work every time.

Sony really has to take a hit in order to stay competitive. They are naive if they think otherwise. But it is Sony we are talking about.

The console should be equal or similar to the 3DS in price, and the games must "make sense". No use buying a $60 PSP2 game if for the same price you can get a "better", bigger version for it's console counterparts (believing that the game is released for both units).

[Oobgarm]

I'm fairly confident that we'll see a $299-$349 price with $50 games.

[wingzrow]

Didn't buy the PSP because of the stupid thumb stick. Now that it has two that's half the battle. Now it just needs good games.