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At their press conference, SCEA introduced a new version of the PSP portable gaming system. This new version is smaller in size and features a video-out port, a feature I've been wishing it had since the introduction of the PSP.
With a video-out port, you will now be able to play your games on the larger screen of your television when you're at home, while still being able to play games on its small screen while you're on the run. In my opinion, this will greatly increase the value of this system. As Jack Tretton, President and CEO of SCEA, put it, "...the new video-out port, which gives consumers the option to enjoy PSP content on the big screen, brings a whole new dimension to the PSP experience." For one thing, this makes the choice to pick up movies on the UMD format much more palatable; now you don't have to watch these movies alone.
The new PSP will be offered for the first time in this territory in two exciting new PSP Entertainment Packs:
- The PSP "Ice Silver" will be included in the limited-edition Daxter PSP Entertainment Pack, available in September.
- A collector’s edition PSP "Ceramic White," including a Darth Vader silk-screen on the unit, as well as the PSP exclusive title, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, will be featured in Star Wars Battlefront PSP Entertainment Pack, launching in October.
PSP Entertainment Packs with the new colors, revealed at the E3 Media & Business Summit today, will be available for a suggested retail price of $199.99 USD.
The first newly designed PSP that will be released in North America is the limited-edition Daxter PSP Entertainment Pack, which will be available on September 10 and provide users with everything they need to enjoy the ultimate in portable entertainment, right out of the box. This package will feature a PSP in "Ice Silver" along with the award-winning, action-packed game, Daxter; the hit TV comedy from 20th Century Fox, "Family Guy - The Freakin' Sweet Collection" on UMD; and a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo.
The limited-release Star Wars Battlefront PSP Entertainment Pack, available on October 9, will allow owners to experience their favorite Star Wars battles any way – and anywhere – they want with a special "Ceramic White" PSP featuring a silk-screened image of Darth Vader on the back of the unit. (Editor's Note: Obviously, because when you think Darth Vader, you think white, right?!) Also included is Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron, the next chapter of the best-selling Star Wars Battlefront series from LucasArts. Set during the Original Trilogy era, the game is the previously untold story of a ragtag ensemble of battle-hardened rogues and scoundrels assembled by Han Solo. Now for the first time ever in Star Wars Battlefront, you can customize your character, select your weapons, choose your abilities and create a different experience every time you play. A stand-alone version of Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron will also be available on October 9.
"We're really excited about the next chapter in the most successful Star Wars video game franchise ever, and since we created Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron specifically with PSP in mind, it’s the perfect companion to the newly designed PSP hardware," said Jim Ward, President, LucasArts. "And the Darth Vader image silk-screened on the back of the unit adds to the mix to make a great package that should be high on the holiday gift list of both gamers and Star Wars fans alike." (Editor's Note: ...or anniversary gift...)
In addition to the new PSP Entertainment Packs, the current PSP Core Pack will continue to be available at $169.99 USD, with an enhanced-design PSP in "Piano Black," an AC adaptor, and battery pack slated for September.
Driven by the recent $30 price reduction, the buzz from the "Dude Get Your Own" marketing campaign, and the breadth and depth of its software, the PSP platform has seen a significant lift in sales at retail in North America.
More than 140 games will be released for PSP this fiscal year, including more than 20 third-party titles currently slated as exclusives. First-party studios will be responsible for eight exclusive games, including several key titles that are playable at E3 this year: God of War: Chains of Olympus, Jeanne D'Arc, NBA '08, PaRappa the Rapper, Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice, SOCOM US Navy SEALs: Tactical Strike, and Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow. |
