Exclusive: PSP to hit Europe in March - Confirmed

Thank you God, sorry I mean Sony...
PSP's are the future and I'll be buying at least 5!!
Might pick up a DS too out of curiousity / desire to play Metroid on a handheld.
ROLL ON MARCH!!

Firstly, why does SPOnG always use the prototype PSP where there is new PSP news? come on use the official pic its not that hard.

Secondly, if the PSP does get released in March that would be a pretty smart move. No one would expect it and the PSP would gain a pretty good start for the new year. I still think the system is hugely flawed but when all the hype settles down we will find out that our worries (or hopes, depending on some) were not that valid. Remeber when the XBOX came out and everyone said that it over heated and that the PS2 scratches DVDs. Well those worries were put to rest within a year after launch. Same wil probably hold true for the PSP and its battery issue.

BTW any news on the PSP display screen, I heard that they wanted to use OLED screens but I think they settled for LCD screens. If they change there minds later on it could save them tremendous amount of battery power.

Wow, that is news, but whatever is cheaper still gets my money in March, which is still the DS. Sorry Sony, I can't pass up a DS, Pictochat, Metroid demo and Mario Kart for 120 quid (if the games are gonna be 30 quid that is).

Speaking of game prices we still don't know how much the PSPs games are gonna be, so what's the story Sony? 40 quid for PSP games is still too much, however the same price as DS games and the fight is on for real.

This spells danger for Nintendo but how they return fire should be interesting. It's now getting like a game of russian roulette.

Come on Nintendo, bring the DS forward to February so I don't have to import one

For some reason the writer uploaded an old and very crap quality pic. I gave him a kicking.

Proper image uploaded.

Anyway, it's a bit harsh to say we "always" use the concept images - I've just checked back and we use a variety of pictures of the final hardware, packaing, UMDs, Sony logos and Kutaragi-san.

After having to react to save it's face in the wake of the recent impressive Nintendo DS campaign, Sony have managed to 'talk' about a European release date for the PSP. This is the one thing Nintendo have not done for Europe. As exciting as the PSP sounds, Sony are clearly alarmed by the DS and especially by Nintendo's new and aggressive campaigns pioneered by the 'name taking & ass kicking' Reggie Fils-Aime.

My money is on the DS, but Sony are still a force to be reckoned with. What a great time to be a gamer huh?

Well. There we go, a special present to me from Sony, a console released just in time for my birthday.

I'll take this as a secret hidden message that they have called off the corporate ninja death squads they send after me last month, when SPOnG DARED to speculate about the PSP price point.

Well, let's face it, the only reason we're getting the DS is 'cos Ninty were scared to buggery by Sony announcing the PSP.

That's speculation I think. Perhaps some might see it that way, but if not DS we'd most likely just have GBA2 up instead against PSP. Do remember the GBA/SP has had a few years of life now, and despite the SP, a proper upgrade was always due.

(I remember way back in 1996 reading about what is now the DS in CVG mag, but when the GBA came out I thought it was what CVG was talking about. Perhaps it was and Nintendo's success with it's ARM Ltd tech prompted them to look for further use. Who knows.)

Therefore Nintendo would have had to go up against Sony anyway. After the success of GB, we all knew that Sony, creators of the world famous Walkman coveted such a piece of hardware, they wanted their own handheld badly. The success of PS1 (and later PS2) helped Sony acheive this goal of the PSP.

Perhaps this is all their entering the games industry was about in the first place, having their own GB style product very much emulating the success of the Walkman and GB. Portable tech that we can all access anywhere. Would make a lot of sense.

Now all I want to know is the price of the PSP games, can Spong help and ask Sony's suits that question?

I'm sorry I said that you ALWAYS post concept images. Lets just say that the PSP articles USUALLY contain prototype images. Either way. I love your site (raises roof), big ups, big ups. .......WORD.....

...Too much San Andreas makes you act like a 90's thug

It's amazing how when the DS put on pressure, Sony went from a handheld sometime next year to a handheld sometime this winter/spring.

I dont think PSP has good games when its launching time comes, I dont play the same Gran Turismo two times, and Metal Gear Acid play mode doesnt look convincent to me, on the other hand i want to play Metroid and the new Mario 2D, Mario Kart on line will be amaizing, Castelvania, Final Fantasy Cristal Chronics on line, an Another, make me think more about where my money coul be oriented .

No doubt we will see some brilliant games down the live for the PSP and im really looking forward to seeing what they can produce for the system. At the moment though i reckon the handheld is a risk for your money and Sony have already mentioned that another PSP will see release with better battery life among others.

The DS is the only reliable purchase at the moment i reckon.

According to Gamespot, both the PSP and DS versions of Puyo Pop Fever will be priced at 4,800 yen (US$45). I believe this will be valid for all games.

No. They entered the games industry for one thing, same as Nintendo, money! They are a business, they must make money or they are no longer a business.

Just think of the board meeting.

SonyMan1: "Hey guys let's get back at Nintendo by making our own console!"

SonyMan2: "Yeah! Then we can build up the global games market, invest heavilly in technologies we don't use now, develop newer and newer consoles and then bring out a handheld!"

SonyMan3: "Why bring out a handheld?"

SonyMan2: "He, he. That's the best bit! It will be like a walkman, isn't that good?"

SonyMan3: "Why not just make another walkman straight away and not take the risk of the consoles, which we know very little about?"

SonyMan2: "Errm?"

SonyMan1: "You're fired!"

Does that sound right?

Kaxxx -

Where & when exactly did Sony say they were going to release a second PSP with better battery life?? That sounds like a second-hand rumour at best.

Sony would never say this before the 1st machine is even launched, it would be very damaging.

If it was a rumour i would have stated that my friend. Came straight from a press release by Kusanagi himself.

Second hand rumour? Tut, tut!

Do u have a link to said statement?