GDC 06: PSP Update

March 23rd, 2006, 02:04 Posted By: wraggster

Source IGN :

March 22, 2006 - In his platform keynote address at GDC 2006 this morning, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President Phil Harrison gave a number of details on new and upcoming developments for the PlayStation Portable system. Many had already been confirmed at the PlayStation Biz conference earlier this month.

In his address, Harrison announced that PSP games will finally be available via download over the internet to Memory Stick. That includes PS one games (running on a new emulator for the platform) and other titles available by e-distribution, both large and small. He also mentioned two new products for the system, a USB camera / EyeToy (in September) and a GPS device (in October), and both promise gameplay opportunities as well as general use functions. The PSP's front end will be receiving an upgrade for its RSS features and will do Flash while browsing the internet. It was also mentioned that video and still camera features will be implemented (assumedly with the same EyeToy camera), and that VOIP (character ) will be a big component of the system in the future. In general, "communication-based" gaming is one direction the PSP will explore in future titles.

The price has officially dropped for the system with the introduction of a more compact core system package, and was mentioned again as part of the system's discussion. A reported five thousand development units are now out in the game creation community for making games on the system. As for specific titles for the platform, however, only one was really given a spotlight, but it was a goodie: LocoRoco, the goofy, blobby game from SCE's Japanese studios -- this is the first confirmation of the game's plans for release in America (it was previously planned for Europe and Japan, with the doors open for US but not locked down.) Look for more on that title and all of those new PSP features soon.

Thanks to SoQb0nc5r for the news

There are 0 comments - Join In and Discuss Here