Sony PSP2 fact sheet: Everything you need to know

The PlayStation Portable 2, codenamed the Next Generation Portable (NGP), has just been announced by Sony Computer Entertainment at this year’s PlayStation Meeting 2011 event in Tokyo, Japan. I have waded through all the announcements and press releases to give you a simple, fact-sheet summary about this new gaming device:

Release date
End of 2011 (Japan only). This means that the North American release of the PSP2 could come later, in early-2012 instead. Expect a confirmation for the PSP2’s worldwide release on a later date.

Hardware

• Two analog sticks (finally)
• Touchscreen controls on the front display
• Rear touchpad controls (this is interesting)
• Six-axis motion controls (similar to the Dualshock 3 controller)
• Front and rear cameras
• 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS support
• Location-based service to detect nearby PSP2 users
• New flash memory-based media for PSP2 games (phasing out the old UMD format)
• Built-in stereo speakers and microphone
• Hardware power purportedly as strong as the PS3, because of…

Possible cross-platform support with the PS3

• The ability to “export” games from the PS3 console to the PSP2 handheld. Metal Gear Solid 4, Lost Planet 2, and Yakuza are the only games announced with this feature so far.
• Ability to access PSN Store, PSN Trophies, and PSN Friends on the PSP2

Games currently in development for the PSP2

• Call of Duty
• Broken
• Gravity Daze
• Hot Shots Golf
• Hustle Kings
• Killzone
• Little Big Planet
• Little Deviants
• Reality Fighters
• Resistance
• Smart As
• Uncharted (oh yes!)
• WipEout

My thoughts: The dual analog sticks and double touchscreen controls (front and back) are amazing, and the ability to export titles from the PS3 to the PSP2 could revolutionise the way you play your console games. But with so many packed features and functionality, I am a little worried about the pricing for this handheld. It could possibly be way higher than the price of the Nintendo 3DS (US$259), and I’m not sure if gamers are willing to fork out that amount of cash for just a handheld.

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