PSP2 officially announced (now with pics)

[-Seraph-]

Just now at Sonys playstation meeting in Japan, the PSP2 has been officially announced and even a few games. Several tech specs were given as well and hot damn, am I excited.

The system uses "New Game Medium" a flash memory based card dedicated for the system. The card is writable and it allows users to store saved games and DLC directly onto the card. It'll also have some interesting live connectivity aspects like seeing who else nearby is playing what, when, and what else they got along with being able to buy things on the fly. There is also hints of trophy support for you trophy hunters.

Spoiler

The currently Known tech specs are as follows:

CPU: ARM Corte-A9 core (4 core)
GPU: SGX543MP4+
RAM: unknown
Built in memory storage: unknown but chances are it will
Same general PSP shape (a little more oval)
Screen resolution is 4x that of the PSP
5"OLED screen (touch screen on back same size)
front/rear touch pads with full dynamic control
front/rear camera and mic
6 axis
3G, wifi GPOS
2 analog sticks
Nearly as powerful as the PS3 as a lot of games shown, especially the "ports" were a few touches lower than that of the PS3

Announced games are as follows:
Killzone
Dynasty Warriors
LBP
wipeout
Yakuza game
Uncharted (awesome demonstration like using axis to control drake and touch screen)
New Monster Hunter?
little deviants
Resistance
Dungeon Defenders (was meant for PS3 ut was moved to portable, trasition only took a week)
Cal of Duty
MSG4 being shown as a tech demo
Lost Planet 2 shown as a tech demo
Kojima to reveal someing at E3
Unreal Engine 3 running on device

Devs suport:
grasshopper
IREM
Squnix
Lev5
2K
Namc
Ubisoft
Rock star
CAPCOM
Toie
ect...
http://www.siliconera.com/2011/01/27/these-third-party-developers-are-backing-sonys-ngp/

Annnd that's all I got for now. So..thoughts? Who else is excited? Oh!! and I forgot to mention that it's scheduled to launch this holiday (in Japan at least). So we are bound to see more at E3. I can't wait for this thing and all that I need to know to rest my doubts are battery life, price, and any means of being able to play PSP1 games without repurchasing them.

 

[-Seraph-]

Any answers as to whether this is the same as the PSP phone? Will there be a PSP phone or just a PSP2?

This is NOT the PSPhone, the PSPhone is a completely different device, and if you are ciurious about that device, IGN and Endgadget had a hands on preview with that device as shown in the following link:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/26/sony-ericsson-xperia-play-playstation-phone-preview/

The PSP2 shown in the OP is the real deal and is not the same as the phone, a totally separate system. I was watching the live stream and had IGNs live blog active as well. They didn't show of the PSPhone at the show, this show was totally dedicated to the PSP2, or as they are code naming it right now as NGP (next generation portable).

 

[Tony2077]

does it use a go style for games or the normal psp style?

 

[-Seraph-]

does it use a go style for games or the normal psp style?

Uh...Go style? I'm sorry I don't know what you're asking. It's not a digital download only system if that is what you are asking. Like I mentioned in the OP, they are using some sort of flash based storage medium now. You'll still be able to download games from the PSn but so far we don't know how much internal storage the thing has. I just hope they give u a way to play PSP1 games without re-buying them. Hell a UMD drive add-on would suffice.

 

[Tony2077]

does it use a go style for games or the normal psp style?

Uh...Go style? I'm sorry I don't know what you're asking. It's not a digital download only system if that is what you are asking. Like I mentioned in the OP, they are using some sort of flash based storage medium now. You'll still be able to download games from the PSn but so far we don't know how much internal storage the thing has. I just hope they give u a way to play PSP1 games without re-buying them. Hell a UMD drive add-on would suffice.

i like umd there small and i only need to use space for demos and saves

 

[Tim Mazzola]

Still waiting on a price...

 

[StriderShinryu]

Looks great and I sort of want one.

My first thought was that it's rather large for a handheld gaming device but then I thought about the fact that it's not really meant to be one in all senses. Powerful cell phones and smart phones are so common now a days that most people simply use them if they feel a need for an any time any where any moment type gaming experience. The PSP2, by virtue of it's size, and the 3DS, by virtue of it's usage restrictions (not to mention the battery life issues both systems are likely to experience) puts them into more of a portable gaming device space. You can bring them with you anywhere but you're more likely to play them in more static environments.

 

[Asuka Soryu]

I think I'd want one, but the price is gone to be a nightmare... Is this like you'll go in stores and buy a game that's on a memory stick-like device?

 

[Epic Fail 1977]

CPU: ARM Corte-A9 core (4 core)
GPU: SGX543MP4+

Blimey!

You say the screen is 4x the resolution of the PSP1? So it's 960x544?

 

[Casual Shinji]

It looks impressive and it certainly has a bag full of nifty tricks, but I don't think Sony is going to get a foothold in the market by creating a console experience on a handheld.

I'm afraid they're going to get left in the dust again by Apple and Nintendo.

 

[Super Toast]

It looks fantastic. That being said, handheld consoles aren't really my thing. So I'm gonna give this a pass.

 

[Thaius]

Wait, the PSP2 has a freaking touch screen? What, did their "power is everything" strategy require even less originality, so they decided to rip off the more successful handheld?

I have no doubt the system will eventually have some good games I must play, and I have no doubt I will buy it at some point as I did the PS3. But I still think post-PS2 Sony systems are uninspired drivel that rely entirely on power with no substance outside of that one trait, and this looks to be no exception. They better be thankful for their third-party exclusives.

 

[migo]

It looks impressive and it certainly has a bag full of nifty tricks, but I don't think Sony is going to get a foothold in the market by creating a console experience on a handheld.

I'm afraid they're going to get left in the dust again by Apple and Nintendo.

lol yeah because Apple really knows how to make a console experience on a handheld. Besides, it's not like the PSP even remotely failed. May not be as high as Nintendo's handhelds, but they're still far from paltry.

Apple doesn't have to. They provide the hardware, devs do the work and make the good games. Nintendo's going to have a reeally hard time going up against Apple. Sony will too of course, but Apple's already in the lead for next gen portable gaming with the iPod touch 4G and iPhone 4.

The thing the PSP2 has going for it now is since the 3DS has shit battery life, all they have to do is have 5-6 hours of playtime with 3G and WiFi turned off, and the only real deciding factor will be size. At price they're even OK as the iPod touch 4G is selling at $399. No reason the PSP2 couldn't launch at that price and compare favorably.

If Sony also gets their shit together and launches with Netflix and Hulu Plus support, as well as providing something proper for homebrew devs, they'll be quite competetive.

 

[Tanis]

Damn this thing looks sexy...

Only thing I can see missing is the L2/R2 buttons.

 

[Epic Fail 1977]

Damn this thing looks sexy...

Only thing I can see missing is the L2/R2 buttons.

I thought that was them on the back?