Focus on new firmware, PC Store and UMD movies part of PSP future
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jan 8th 2008 at 9:00AM }
The PC Store will continue growing throughout the year, but don't expect the ability to purchase content directly from the PSP any time soon. "We're concentrating more on the PC right now. We're using the kind of TiVo-to-go model, where before you leave on your trip, you download a bunch of stuff and you bring it with you on the go. That'll be the way it is moving forward for the foreseeable future"
Finally, UMD movie will make a comeback as SCEA tries to deliver content on their own terms. The company will be actively promoting titles with the full backing of SCEA's marketing division. "We, actually, at SCEA, we're going to be launching our own titles, as well, so we have a deal that we're going to be launching some studio titles on our own."
For more, read 1UP's complete interview.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tru-blu @ Jan 8th 2008 9:10AM
Nice. Couldn't hurt. Advertise it to the millions of new PSP owners that it can also play movies. How about some UMD box sets for the PSP? That'd be great.
Robert @ Jan 8th 2008 9:55AM
That's a good idea, but why don't they focus all of their time/advertisement money on the BD Live feature? That's much more useful than buying a movie for both your PSP and Blu-Ray.
Shinogu @ Jan 8th 2008 10:13AM
Methinks the marketing toward that feature will be relegated to commercials and stickers on the Blu-ray disc wrapping that say something like "Plays on Blu-ray players, PlayStation 3 and now PSP with BD Live." Uninformed consumers w/o Blu-ray will be left to buy the UMD counterpart if that's how low it gets.
Of course, they could also possibly not release a UMD of that particular set of movies that supports the new feature. That'd be cool.
exolstice @ Jan 8th 2008 10:23AM
If the average UMD disc still costs more than the average DVD, people still won't buy them.
Kspraydad @ Jan 8th 2008 10:32AM
Does SONY make irons?
Dude needs an iron.
SparkyJ23 @ Jan 8th 2008 11:13AM
Lets not forget the "new firmware updates" means of adding functionality will only apply to the latecomers. All us folks holding a psp phat can get lost is the message from sony that I'm hearing.
Errol @ Jan 8th 2008 11:43AM
I know what you mean. It feels like Phat owners is just getting backstabbed with all the new features only available for the Slim.
required @ Jan 8th 2008 12:00PM
I'm pretty certain that the only non-phat feature is skype and it's not even available for download yet.
Autobon @ Jan 8th 2008 12:13PM
Well if they are going to continue working on the PC store, they should expand the list of supported operating systems. Also they should bring it to the mac as well. I dont have a mac, but i know people who do.
PostedOval @ Jan 8th 2008 12:29PM
I actually like buying UMD movie IF...If they are 1) good movies and not B-Grade comedies and action flicks and 2) are reasonably priced. $10 at the most.
Where is Star Wars on UMD? Lord of the Rings? Raiders of the Lost Ark?
Alien @ Jan 8th 2008 12:52PM
Yeah , at 10$ , a UMD movie seems great , especially if its a quality title :)
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 8th 2008 8:01PM
Definitely. $10 is a pretty good deal. But if it's more than that? I'll pass.
MuslimConvert @ Jan 8th 2008 2:11PM
Itll work now for one reason...video out. The PSP 1000 didnt have video out, so when u buy a movie you have to decide DVD, or UMD. Most people wanna be able to watch the movie on their TV and laptops etc as well, not just on the PSP. This is where Sony screwed up with the UMD movies the first time. Now, you can buy the PSP version, and still watch it on your home television set as well.
Dennis @ Jan 8th 2008 4:56PM
for ya'll that didnt know there is a program already released for custom firmware call furikup that allow slim and phat psp's to work on any sivoip carrier. And its already been released!
Philip Wesley @ Jan 8th 2008 5:25PM
People complaining about Slim only features forgot that this is a business where PS1/PS2 games do not work on all PS3s, GB/GBC games do not work on the DS, and it's impossible to plug NES/SNES/N64 game paks into a Wii.
In short, buy a slim, or go without features.
Also, I thought it was kind of cool to download PSP movies off of select Blu Ray discs... then I remembered that there are DVD releases currently that do the same thing for the iPod and the PSP. (Die Hard 4 for example, and a ton of hentai releases.)
So, it's really nothing new.. just Sony claiming innovation from other companies ideas.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 8th 2008 7:58PM
"In short, buy a slim, or go without features."
Agreed.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 8th 2008 7:41PM
I'm interested in seeing how the relaunch of UMD will do. The price model at launch was horrendous. They cost as much as the DVD versions did! Total ripoff.
The prices now are great. About $5 or $10 a pop is the best price. Unless there are more features included, I won't pay the price of a DVD for a UMD.
Brad @ Jan 9th 2008 1:28AM
I own 3 UMD movies, and I only bought them because they were on sale for $5 each.
If UMD movies are released at $5, they'll sell a ton. At even $10, makes no sense compared to DVD's, as you can play those anywhere...
Brad @ Jan 9th 2008 1:45AM
If you read the 1UP article, he talks a lot about Remote Play. But not about anything coming down the road. He said no PS3 games coming down the road are planned to support Remote Play (although he mentioned Lair).
I have to ask, am I the ONLY one who would like to see Remote Play enabled for PS2 games?!?!?!? Everyone keeps talking about the PSOne Remote Play support, but every time I fire it up I think about how much cooler it would be if we could play PS2 games on PSP Remote Play...