Sony denies PSP2 rumors, calls it "misinterpretation"

by Majed Athab { Dec 18th 2008 at 10:10AM }

Chatting with Silicon Alley Insider, Sony's John Koller called the PSP2 rumor "completely unfounded." Koller called the push for a PSP2 a "misinterpretation" for the PSP's refocused direction away from UMDs and move towards digital distribution. Despite a flat out denial from Sony, Eurogamer -- the publication which first ran the PSP-4000 and PSP2 rumors -- insists that its sources are "adamant that Sony has specifically discussed both products with them, and that games are in development for a PSP successor."

It's a bit of a tug-of-war here. Who do we believe? It's not too farfetched of an idea that the PSP-4000 is due for next year considering that new hardware has come out annually for the past two years. Couple that without mention from Koller, and it's very likely that this could prove to be still on the table. As for the PSP2, it's never a good time to talk about replacement hardware during a key shopping season, if you catch our drift. Perhaps we'll hear more as we enter 2009.

Tags: hardware, psp, psp-2, psp2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kspraydad @ Dec 18th 2008 10:35AM

I've always loved that mock up.

FeaturePreacher @ Dec 18th 2008 11:44AM

The psp2 isn't going to drop UMD altogether. One, that would piss off the game consignment market. Two, the psp2 will probably be backwards compatible. Three, digital distribution will be available, but it has its own issues such as if consumers actually own the product or just have a time-constrained license and how restrictive will drm be if you wish to transfer a title from the psp it was purchased on to a new psp that was purhcased. Physical media is there for as long as the media exist, non-physical media is there for as long as a company allows you to have it.

FeaturePreacher @ Dec 18th 2008 11:47AM

That should have been a reply to Maverick Saturn's reply.

debaser @ Dec 18th 2008 10:50AM

I think Sony has totally screwed the pooch with the PSP
I will not be buying another till they figure out what the hell they are going to do with it.

If it's a Portable Game Console...then PLEASE GIVE US MORE GAMES

If it's a Portable Media Player... Then ADD more Playback functionality and a DL service

If it's a Portable Internet Device... Make a freaking decent Browser for it.

If it's a PS3 Accessory then give us more Remote Play Options (really hoping Resistance Retribution doesn't drop the ball on this!)

Other than games (God of War and Patapon....) my cell phone is more useful for all the above

Maverick Saturn @ Dec 18th 2008 11:17AM

You annoy me, simply because everything you're saying is 100% right and I don't want to have to agree with you, but I must.

PSP is a great system, but Sony is lost like a sheep in the woods, simple things that should be there aren't and we are lacking, they are trying to do everything at once, and not doing all to the best of thier abilities.

Games / Movies / Music should be DD based and UMD dropped, make more use of PSStore like iTunes. There should be an MSN like chat system already on PSP so when you meet people you can add them, play games with them, much like PS3 friends list and chat to them on PSP anywhere in the world, takes the need of mobile capabilities away, all you need then is a headset and cam of any quality as extras (like msn) and you can have visual or audio convos, heck you should be able to have multi convos like MSN. Next, sort out music and video playback, I want to be able to delete, move, rename etc my files ON PSP, not on PC, thats annoying adding what you said as well. Internet need sorting out, I want youtube!

Alot of Sony's woes could be sorted if they just ditched the umd slot and replaced it with an internal harddrive, with the extra option of using mini or normal sd memory stick slots. Sony should already have a camera built in and they have no excuse, look how much Apple can fit into that sleek little Iphone, and yeah, its not perfect, but its superb, why can't Sony fit them in?

Carney @ Dec 18th 2008 6:49PM

Sony would probably love to drop UMD and go download only. That way there would be no used games for sale, no swapping among friends. No mail rental services. If you want to play, cough up full new retail every time.

Plus they could sell way more Memory Sticks. I doubt a hard drive would be a good idea given the stresses and pounding a PSP takes, far more than an iPod. Hard drives are very failure prone compared to flash drives and solid state memory.

Gaucho @ Dec 18th 2008 11:03AM

That is one sexy mock-up. I would put the D-pad and the buttons on top though.

slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five] @ Dec 18th 2008 1:25PM

my thoughts exactly.

Fane @ Dec 19th 2008 5:24PM

Really. Who has thumbs that long (besides Uma Thurman)?

Tristan @ Dec 18th 2008 11:03AM

I hope SONY is at least looking at these mock up designs for some of them are gorgeous and not outrageous (reminds me of those images of the DS 2 with about 6 or 8 screens).

I doubt Sony would ever confirm if they are making another one until either Nintendo Makes a move, iPhone games get a significant boost in developers making games, or Microsoft decides to bring out a handheld.

Of course, Sony could just wait until another press tech show to do it as well outside of this holiday seaosn.

Dr Haisook @ Dec 18th 2008 11:56AM

You said it:
"As for the PSP2, it's never a good time to talk about replacement hardware during a key shopping season."

Of course Sony HAS TO deny a PSP2. The PSP already have a bad reputation, so announcing a PSP2 could literally kill it. Sony still wants to get some profit out of the PSP in the coming couple of years. So if a PSP2 is in the works as we speak, they'll never talk about it.

For Japan, a PSP2 is unthinkable now. The PSP is doing well over there and new games are released every week, AND people buy them. Remember that Japan holds the first priority. Sony won't release a PSP2 for North Americans just because they want 2 damn analog nubs. And also remember that the PSP capabilities as a gaming handheld was and still is ahead of its time. It's not like it's outdated now. A PSP2 will just be a new marketing strategy, rather than an update, and will be released only after Japan has had enough of the PSP.

J. Tal. @ Dec 18th 2008 11:58AM

I'm an electronic nerd at heart, I've been thinking about mods & such for the PSP. It is completely possible to have the exact same design of the PSP now and just add another analog nub. Also, they were talking about small Blu-Ray drives. That is also completely possible, at a low price too! You can get a Blu-Ray drive for your computer for arround $150.00. If they added a Blu-Ray disc funtion they would have to go back to the old price when the PSP first came out. I have seen small Blu-Ray disc's that can hold 12GB that's a huge step up from 1.6GB for the normal UMDs. About the CPU and Graphics proccesors. Right now they have super small Nividia 1000's that half the size of a credit card. That could cram that in and get about as good graphics as an XBOX 360. Which would freakin' sweet! I hope they get it right the next time arround. Good luck Sony!

J. Tal. @ Dec 18th 2008 11:36PM

I messed up above, i ment 10,000's Nividia cards!

TM @ Dec 18th 2008 12:00PM

never trust a rumor. But sony does not seem to care for psp fans as it should. Their support for the system is getting weak and they seem to refuse a major revision. It ,sadly, does seem that sony is trying to get the psp to die, at least to me

HAAS599 @ Dec 18th 2008 12:04PM

I like that design. The buttons slide in and out of the unit it looks like.

Put bluetooth in it and we can use our ps3 headset and DS3 with it if we want.

Stereo bluetooth would be even better.

Fane @ Dec 19th 2008 5:29PM

And while were at it, full Sixaxis controls and DualShock rumble, so we can use it as a PS3/PS4 controller.

Angel Mass @ Dec 18th 2008 12:24PM

You know, some of the people who has designs those PSP 2 models, should be working in Sonys designing department

anarkhy @ Dec 18th 2008 12:24PM

No psp2. Yep, just like i told, is too sooner to put another gaming machine on the market.

Wait the next 5-6 years, then start especulating on psp2.

slycooper_rocker (lorddshadow the amazing) [anti-panda death squadron force five] @ Dec 18th 2008 1:26PM

i would say 2-3 years...

Gurbinder @ Dec 18th 2008 4:03PM

2-3 years probably. Psp Is kinda topsy turvy so noone can be sure

anarkhy @ Dec 18th 2008 6:00PM

in the next 2-3 years we will have psp4000 or psp5000. still psp1, lol.

Gurbinder @ Dec 22nd 2008 12:43AM

They did announce that psp would be a 10 year operation thing earlier on when they first released it so you most likely are right however knowing Sony, I wouldn't be too sure on there promises.

Genghis Hank @ Dec 19th 2008 2:10PM

OK, since everyone is so focused on PSP2, I'll chime in.

My wish list:

1) Don't make my investment in UMDs worthless
2) Let me plug in a Verizon USB key to use the Internet anywhere
3) Keyboard
4) Better MP3 playback (more features, speakers you can hear)
5) Good camera included or purchable as an addon without importing
6) Downloads to compete with I-tunes and Netflix

and of course...
0!) More games

And the biggest lesson I want Sony to learn...

The more you lock down to fight piracy, the lower your sales will get. If you open your system up and make pricing affordable, you undercut the motivation for piracy and get a bigger base to sell to.

IMHO: Forget the second analog. Forget touch screen. Forget motion sensor.

Maverick Saturn @ Dec 18th 2008 1:31PM

Sony says it listens, and to a certain extent it does, Home gets sorted according to fans demands, PS3 gets sorted according to buyers demands, but PSP people often get ignored, where can I go to make myself heard in terms of PSP and what are the chances they will care to listen?

Carney @ Dec 18th 2008 6:56PM

If Sony listened, they would have lowered prices (bad idea, goodbye profits) and kept PS2 backward compatibility for the PS3 (would have been a good idea) .

MarkShark @ Dec 18th 2008 2:58PM

I perfer the mock-up over on Engadget.

TM @ Dec 18th 2008 6:21PM

very nice design though...

aj @ Dec 19th 2008 7:30AM

"refocused direction away from UMDs"?

So why is the PSN store so damned empty?

Nothing makes sense anymore.

Matt @ Dec 22nd 2008 5:00AM

anyone look at the picture. It says hard-drive, touch screen, webcam & PS2 emulator. Sounds great if true!

maskedrose @ Dec 23rd 2008 3:53PM

Gosh, you people are stupid. Download only is not the way.. imagine losing your mem stick.. all those games.. gone. No more artwork booklets or cases for those who like to collect. No more used games to buy for 4.99 in the bargain bin. No more selling games once you have beaten them.. no more borrowing games.. or renting them.

Why would I pay 15.99 for a download I cant touch, when I can pay 20 for a UMD with a booklet and case I know I will always have.

I have never, and will not download any games.. if it's not on UMD, I just won't play it.. That's Sony's loss, not mine. I'm willing to pay for my games, I'm not willing to pay for a game I cant put on my shelf.