PSP has an official release date and price

[Hoagie_one]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/02/03/news_6117815.html

PSP launching March 24

Single-SKU $249 "Value Pack" to include 32MB Memory Stick Duo; 24 games confirmed for launch, including Need for Speed Rivals, Metal Gear Acid, and Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix.
After months of saying the PSP will "probably" launch in March, Sony Computer Entertainment America has finally set the launch date for its entry into the handheld wars. This morning, the electronics giant announced that its eagerly awaited handheld game system will go on sale in North America on March 24.



While the PSP's ship date fell inside previously announced release parameters, its price was higher than expected. Sony will only sell the PSP as part of a single-SKU "Value Pack" for $249 in the US, CDN$299 in Canada. The new price point is $50 higher than the $199 many industry analysts predicted; that was based on the PSP's Japanese MSRP of 19,800 yen (approximately $185).

Besides the PSP unit itself, the Value Pack will include a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo (which usually retails from $24.99-$39.99 solo), headphones with remote control, a battery pack, AC adapter, soft case and cleaning cloth, and a UMD disc with game-demo movies and a music and video sampler. As an incentive for early adopters, Sony will include a free UMD copy of the blockbuster superhero film Spider-Man 2 with the first one million PSP Value Packs shipped.

More importantly for gamers, Sony today confirmed the launch-title lineup for the PSP, all of which will go on sale during the PSP's unspecified "launch window." "The high profile lineup includes a wide range of products that will appeal to every type of gamer--from the sports fan to the action enthusiast," said SCEA executive vice president Andrew House. While many games were previously announced, some were only confirmed as launch titles today--a full list is below:

Ape Escape: On the Loose, Sony Computer Entertainment America
ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails, SCEA
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, Capcom
Dynasty Warriors, Koei
FIFA 2005, Electronic Arts
Gretzky NHL, SCEA
Lumines, Ubisoft
Metal Gear Acid, Konami
MLB, SCEA
MVP Baseball, EA
NBA, SCEA
NBA Street Showdown, EA
Need for Speed Rivals, EA
NFL Street 2 Unleashed, EA
Rengoku: Tower of Purgatory, Konami
Ridge Racer, Namco
Smartbomb, Eidos Interactive
Spider-Man 2, Activision
Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, EA
Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix, Activision
Twisted Metal: Head On, SCEA
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade, Sony Online Entertainment
Wipeout Pure, SCEA
World Tour Soccer, SCEA

Also of note was SCEA's revelation that some PSP games would sell for as little as $39.99, some $10 lower than the standard $49.99 price most retailers list PSP games for. However, the announcement did not specify which games would carry the lower price.

[skid_68]

sweet news! Ive been wanting one of these for a long time, but Im still not sure if I want one bad enough to go make a pre-order. Gotta come up with the $250 first. Buuuuuuuut a free Spiderman 2, hmmmmmmm.

[pointdablame]

I REALLLLLLLLY wish I had a reason to have a new handheld system.  The PSP is so damn nice looking, everytime I see it I just WANT to own one.

I have a GBA though and never, ever use it, and I doubt the PSP would be any different.  I wish I could justify buying it, heh.

[skid_68]

Ill rarely use mine too, but I think Im still gonna get it for those times I DO play it .

[crashwg]

When GBA and SNES games can be emulated playably on it I'll buy one.

[Sephroth57]

no point for me really, at work im on a computer all day so i can play emulators if i really want, if not im driving my car or im doing something or im home. when do you need a handheld system??

[Dave_K.]

no point for me really, at work im on a computer all day so i can play emulators if i really want, if not im driving my car or im doing something or im home. when do you need a handheld system??

This is a growing trend in the mobile gaming industry.  Consumers valuable free time is already divided between TV, Movies, Internet, Console/PC Gaming...that its difficult to find a handheld game fun and engaging in the time it takes to get from one buss stop to another.  So expect to see more classic "Arcade" style games with no real depth, but lots of quick fun (just like Mame I guess :-).

[Hoagie_one]

Personally i like my portable because i can play it on teh couch while the wife is watching some dumb reality show.  I rarely use it on teh go

[IreM72]

Might be worth getting if rpg's are going be developed for it (especially by square)

bit disappointed that the new handheld castlevania game is for the DS and not PSP. A PSP castlevania game would have been awesome, still I hope konami make one at some point and keep it 2D! (a sequel to symphony of the night would be nice which was a great game)

I'd also be very interested in emulators for it especially for snes, genesis,msx,pc engine,vectrex and C64 (what happened to the one that was being developed for the gba? very disappointed it was never released)

[rchadd]

i play mine when waiting in airport

[stellarola]

I play mine at work....all the time.

[Hoagie_one]

I will play it in teh rain,
i will play it on a train

I will play it at the park
I will play it when it's dark

[Ravant]

Personally, I think it'll suffer the same fate as the Game Gear. Yeah, it's powerful, backlit, and just plainly sexy... but I'm worrying about battery life.

[skid_68]

Personally, I think it'll suffer the same fate as the Game Gear. Yeah, it's powerful, backlit, and just plainly sexy... but I'm worrying about battery life.

http://psp.ign.com/articles/574/574557p1.html

BTW: I just pre-ordered mine.

[Hoagie_one]

Personally, I think it'll suffer the same fate as the Game Gear. Yeah, it's powerful, backlit, and just plainly sexy... but I'm worrying about battery life.

oR LYNX.

AHEAD OF ITS TIME?

[shmokes]

Personally, I think it'll be a runaway success, though I think they'll be forced into a major price reduction soon after launch.  Dunno why they're charging so much to begin with.  It's only about $180 in Japan IIRC.  At $250 the competition from the DS is going to be stiff, but the difference between $150 and $180 wouldn't be a problem at all for Sony.

[pointdablame]

I'm really surprised that they didn't come out of the gate at $199 myself.   that $100 difference could definitely cause some problems.

[DYNAGOD]

no point for me really, at work im on a computer all day so i can play emulators if i really want, if not im driving my car or im doing something or im home. when do you need a handheld system??

This is a growing trend in the mobile gaming industry.  Consumers valuable free time is already divided between TV, Movies, Internet, Console/PC Gaming...that its difficult to find a handheld game fun and engaging in the time it takes to get from one buss stop to another.  So expect to see more classic "Arcade" style games with no real depth, but lots of quick fun (just like Mame I guess :-).

lets hope their better quality than GBA's Spy Hunter was...
What a piece of wretched fodder that was..

[Hoagie_one]

they will sell teh first couple million at $250 then release teh console only set for $180-199, a few months later..  Its brilliant actually

[rchadd]

drooling in anticipation of...

FIFA/ProEvoSoccer
Tekken/Soul Calibur
Colin McRae
Wipe out

in my hand!

I was big fan of PS1 but PS2 never really appealed to me but will coming back to Sony with PSP

[rchadd]

I am wondering if it will be possible to burn you own video disks for PSP to play avi/mpg videos?

or will it only play official sony licensed video disks?

[tmasman]

The "Disks" are a proprietary disk that there will not be PC hardware for... They are REALLY trying to prevent piracy of these games...

You can put stuff on it via a Sony Memory Stick though... You can get a 1 GB stick for around $150...

- tmasman