AU Diary: NGP/PSP2 Speculation Time!

39 responses to “AU Diary: NGP/PSP2 Speculation Time!”

1. 

   den

   January 27, 2011 at 7:57 pm

   I’m thinking 400 AUD. If it costs more than the PS3 then it definitely won’t sell at all.

   Reply
2. 

   Benjamin Sutton

   January 27, 2011 at 7:58 pm

   Price: $400

   Battery Life: 5 hours max.

   Games: Mostly remakes of popular PS3 titles: Uncharted, God of War, Little Big Planet etc.

   Competition: 3DS, definitely. With the 3DS having games like Metal Gear Solid and Saint’s Row, it is definitely encroaching on the PSP demographic.

   Reply
   1. 

      Michael Barnes

      January 28, 2011 at 12:33 am

      LOL Saints Row is a threat? Hosh Posh.

      Reply
3. 

   Luke

   January 27, 2011 at 7:59 pm

   Cost – a lot.

   Reply
4. 

   NotoriousR

   January 27, 2011 at 8:01 pm

   Price? >$400. Probably $400 or $450.

   Battery? ~4hours?

   Games? Would like to see. No UMD compatibility is annoying. Will I have to buy Peace Walker off the PS Store to play it on the NGP?

   Competition will be interesting. I think it’s the weakest of the ‘three’ (iOS, 3DS, NGP). But then again, we really don’t know much about it. I hope took it’s lessons learnt from the PS3 and PSP and actually apply them, and not repeat them. (And don’t bother with that Marcus PSP ads, they were rubbish.)

   The front and rear facing touch panels are interesting, but watching that Uncharted demo, everything seems like a gimmick. This whole social network thing they’re trying to do doesn’t sound interesting, nor does the Augemented reality stuff. And the ‘interactive nature’ of Uncharted with the whole stroking the NGP to climb a vine, moving the NGP around to aim. Didn’t they leanr this from the SIXAXIS? Having said that though, I would like to see how Kojima and thatgamecompany utilise this technology, because if anyone can use this in an interesting manner, it’s them.

   Reply
   1. 

      PIerce

      January 30, 2011 at 1:20 am

      I think the ps3 launch taught Sony a lesson (albeit how stubborn and deep in denial sony are). Hopefully Australia will not be asked to pay an extra surchage on the psp2 console now that we are on par with the rest of the worlds countries exchange rate. However I believe If they do charge more it will only be because Nintendo charges us more for the 3DS compared to the rest of the world first.

      This is a common thing that always happens in Australia. I won’t delve into why it is and always has been but I will say why it is more than likely to continue on.

      Even if we are financially on top of the world (so to speak, in comparison to 10 years ago), we are such a small consumer base that it is quite irrelevant to any worldwide corporation that we are upset/unfairly dealt with.

      Make no mistake, no videogame company truly cares how we -Australia- feel about console/game prices. We only make a very small margin of there sales.

      I will be buying both the 3DS and the PSP2 the day their large unwieldy and likely soon to be updated technology hits the consumer shelf. With a little (read: tons of) luck, neither portable fun box will cost more than there american dollar equivalent.

      Realistically though I’m expecting to spend 900 to 1000 dollars for each console with one game respectively.

      Reply
5. 

   Tom

   January 27, 2011 at 8:07 pm

   One of the issues is how far off it may be. At this point in time, if it was releasing next week, I’d expect $500, even pushing $600. The tech in it can’t be cheap and even at those prices they can’t have much of a margin until the production process becomes more efficient.

   Battery? I’d say they’d like to push 4-5 hours playtime.

   Competition wise, the 3DS has the new ‘revolutionary’ tech headstart, plus it’ll be cheaper and appeal to the more ‘casual’ family market.

   Reply
6. 

   Aliasalpha

   January 27, 2011 at 8:10 pm

   How much was the PSPgo at launch? $450 wasn’t it? I seem to recall that being heavily panned as an unrealistic price so hopefully they’ll keep it under that.

   Unfortunately looking at the tech I can’t see that happening, a smartphone with comparable tech would likely be in the $600 range

   Reply
7. 

   xWisp

   January 27, 2011 at 8:11 pm

   800 aud. Sony loves making money

   Reply
8. 

   matt30822

   January 27, 2011 at 8:15 pm

   Price: $300-400 US. $450-600 AU

   Battery: 4 Hours

   Games: Sony need to pull their finger our of their butt and start showing some decent third party support like the 3DS showed off on reveal. We all know the first party support is there but if they want to convince people to buy at launch, they need to show that third parties are dedicated to the handheld.

   Competition: If this comes out at a higher price then the 3DS it has already lost. Not to mention that the size of this thing is beast – i had trouble fitting the original PSP in the pocket – this thing simply is not portable enough for me for my day to day if i have a phone and ipod with me.

   In short: It should be a good battle between the NGP vs 3DS in Japan for the top spot as long as the NGP is priced right. Everywhere else – It should be a good battle between 3DS and Apple because Sony is simply not going to move any units until it starts pricing competitively.

   Reply
9. 

   McNulty

   January 27, 2011 at 8:22 pm

   I predict 450+ aud

   Reply
10. 

    Matthew Buckner

    January 27, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    What I want to know is full details of the 3G integration. Will it use a micro-sim and will I be able to be connected to the PSN at all times if I so desire? Will I be able to play the announced call of duty game online via 3G not wi-fi? Or will the 3G only allow for basic connection to PSN for friends lists etc.

    Also, I’m guessing $400-$500 pricepoint, 3-5hrs battery life dependent on screen brighntess. Plenty of old and new versions of popular playstation franchises.

    A lot of the demos or games mentioned we apparently ported to NGP very easily. The idea of being able to own a game on PS3 and then potentially play a very similar version on the go on NGP and save all progress to a cloud would be sweet. Hopefully trophy integration so I have a new reason to start trophy whoring again.

    Reply
11. 

    Dan Miller

    January 27, 2011 at 8:30 pm

    Price will be $500AUD. Battery life will be at 5 hours. Games will be weak to start but A grade titles will hit a few months later.

    Apart from the D3S and the iOS App store? I say Nintendo is no threat. Apple will be Sony’s biggest threat with how popular the iOS App Store is.

    Reply
    1. 

       Mert

       January 28, 2011 at 11:00 pm

       How can u think nintendo won’t be a threat there the biggest handheld gaming company out there the psp sold about 60 million units and the ds sold about 130 million and iPods and iPhones arnt real gaming devices so u can’t compare them just coz u cam get games on them u look in gaming stores iDevices won’t b there

       Reply
12. 

    Manne

    January 27, 2011 at 8:46 pm

    What format does it use for Games?
    and how will Backwards Compatability work?

    I can’t see a UMD slot on it at all, and I see 1 possible sd card slot.

    Reply
    1. 

       oggob

       January 27, 2011 at 9:35 pm

       Not sure if serious, but… you are out of luck, no UMD support… the unit is compatible with PSP games though downloaded from the PS Store.

       Reply
13. 

    Peter Richards

    January 27, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    You’d be lucky to get 4 hours, but sony will tell you it is 6 🙂

    I think Sony keeps missing the point, gaming on the go is different to in your loungeroom, I’m not sure people actually want full PS3 game titles on the go. They might think they do, but it may not turn out that way. Gaming in public on a small screen makes a different type of game enjoyable. I dunno, the specs are truly drool-worthy, but will they get the games right? If it was released today it would have to cost $600 or more, but I reckon it will be out in October @ $400

    Reply
    1. 

       Arthur McChesney

       January 27, 2011 at 9:47 pm

       I want PS3 games in my pocket!

       (I’m looking at you GT-PSP)

       Reply
    2. 

       Daniel McKeating

       January 28, 2011 at 6:21 am

       me too!!!

       Reply
14. 

    Mr Waffle

    January 27, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    “Sony has learned a few harsh lessons from the launch of the PS3”

    Harsh lessons? Like what, that people will stand in lines at midnight ready to cough up a grand for a new console, and then all the penny-pinchers will flock to the system once the price drops…? Seems like the same business plan for every console ever.

    Reply
    1. 

       matt30822

       January 27, 2011 at 9:11 pm

       Ah yes – i remember the Aussie PS3 launch very well… It was packed out.

       http://kotaku.com/246437/australian-ps3-launch-shindig

       Reply
15. 

    Aaron Holesgrove

    January 27, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    No way this thing will sell for $400. Looking at the specs, this thing is basically an iPhone 5, especially with the 3G chip inside. I reckon it’ll be sold at a loss for about $600.

    Reply
16. 

    Sean Rankin

    January 27, 2011 at 9:07 pm

    The thing I’d be most concerned about, and i’m sure i’m not alone here is game delivery. I mean sure downloading the game is all well and good, but what about people who don’t have reliable internet connections or a wi-fi setup?
    What if they didn’ have the net at all? there is heavy restrictions with the amount of data you can download over a 3g internet connection. And dispite the claim that over 90% of australia is covered by mobile phone networks, they don’t talk about the quslity of the connections, or the quality of the systems.

    Reply
    1. 

       Daniel McKeating

       January 28, 2011 at 6:27 am

       there’s a retail method of buying with the NPG… apparently sony will also sell retail gaming chips versions of the games and will increase the size of the chips later on… i think this probably for the so retailers will stock the NPG, retailers such as ebgames don’t stock the pspgo! because they can’t make money off of selling the games it uses…

       Reply
17. 

    Dan Aubin

    January 27, 2011 at 9:13 pm

    The Price

    – $600AU

    Battery Life

    – 4-5 hours

    The Games

    – A handful of first party (think 10) Sony titles
    – A few third party (think 5)

    The Competition

    – Main rival 3DS, cheaper, loved games
    – Second iOS iPad / iPhone

    Thinking Positive

    – Sony has learned from it’s PSP mistakes, more developer support (think android games revenue + cross platform (ps3) + apps))
    – LBP launch title + touch screen + wireless multiplayer = win!
    – No UMD!
    – Ultimate mobile device (3G)

    Reply
18. 

    oggob

    January 27, 2011 at 9:32 pm

    I think we all firstly need to remember that there is still alot we don’t know about it and the only reason why this Meeting was held was because the 3DS is coming out in 2 months, otherwise I honestly feel they would have waited til E3 2011.

    With that in mind though, it’s still somewhat works for Sony, because they have confirmed a specs list, a list of titles that will be making it to the device with some minor playable gameplay tests/tech demos.

    The seed is planted to give the customer something to think about, perhaps to hold out on buying a 3DS straight away and as the hardware announcement out of the way, E3 can be used to focus on the software, with likely announcements on price and release confirmation.

    The Price?
    $499 Min… There is a stack of nice tech behind the device and we’ll be paying for it. One thing that will be interesting though is if some Telco carriers will pick it up and the cost will be “subsidised” by some 3G plans. Time will tell…

    The Battery Life?
    I had no issues with the PSP 1000 model and it’s battery life, and I’m still playing one now, so if they can mirror that length, then sign me up.

    The Games?
    There are a few things that will be under estimated when this thing rolls around, but hopefully it will all come to (my) plan at least! :p

    2nd Analogue Stick, it was always demanded and how we have it, no disrespect to games like Syphon Filter, Resistance, etc that used the face buttons to move the camera, but this will really allow home consoles games to come to the portable, from camera control to aiming, it will be a huge impact.

    I am really interested in the comments from Kojima though, the fact that he is looking to bring the home and portable together, by allowing cloud saves, so you can play on the go and then return home and continue on the home consoles from where you left off. This has huge potential for any and every game type.

    For sports games, imagine being able to continue the season on the go, or the management side of things, RPGs can allow you to grind out a level on the train, etc… Factor in the addition of Trophies as well, and you have the ability to work on various trophies anywhere 24/7 and simply need to synch up to save the progess.

    Personlly, I would happily pay $150-$175 for a combo pack, where you get both the PS3 and PSP2/NGP game in the one box. So yes, they can capture the casual market with the ‘app’ like store, as well as provide standalone portable games, but they should be marketing the intergretion of the PS3 and PSP2/NGP, providing not a portable experience, but a home console experience on the go.

    The Competition?
    3DS only, I don’t either Sony or Nintendo are really considering Apple as competition at the moment, they have their own thing and both Sony and Nintendo provide something much different.

    Reply
19. 

    Thermal Ions

    January 27, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Based upon the specs they’re going to price themselves out of the market again.

    Sure, I’d love a portable game system with all that, however the reality is that for a portable game system I’m simply not going to pay the asking price that accompanies such specs.

    Reply
20. 

    Steve0410

    January 27, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Price? $500.

    The PSP launched at $400, taking into account inflation, costs of R&D etc, $500 is a fairly conservative estimate.

    Reply
21. 

    NegativeZero

    January 27, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    $350 USD. $600 AUD, easily. Apple can get away with charging $800 for the 16gb iPad 3G, after all.

    Battery life should be pretty good, probably 6-8 hours of solid play, depending on the game. Remember, the PSP’s battery life was craptastic because it had to run a high-powered LCD drive, a not-very-efficient processor, and a huge power sink optical drive.

    The Cortex A9 is a very efficient chip, even a quad core will not be an enormous power drain. They’re all flash-based and are running an OLED screen instead of LCD. Honestly if it lasts less than 6 hours on a full charge then they’ve done something very wrong.

    Looks like the battery compartment isn’t accessible, incidentally, so no option to add a bigger battery…

    Reply
    1. 

       Mert

       January 28, 2011 at 11:04 pm

       Y would it cost $250 more in Australia when the dollars the same u dumass

       Reply
       1. 

          Dainbramage

          January 31, 2011 at 4:19 am

          Because gaming companies have little care for the Australian market. Why are you paying upto $110 or more for a new game when others are paying a portion of that.

          Reply
22. 

    Lorrie

    January 27, 2011 at 10:52 pm

    Ill buy this for $400, i doubt it will be that cheap here though. I’d expect a $100 premium over the 3DS.

    But Uncharted, Portable. Uncharted… Help me, I have a problem…

    Reply
23. 

    Dunnowhathuh

    January 28, 2011 at 1:33 am

    Here’s hoping that they indeed learned their lesson with the PS3. Even though there were massive lines at the PS3 launch, you can’t ignore the suffering they went through those first few years. If it had the Slim’s RRP from the start, I reckon the PS3 would’ve been a lot more competitive against the Nintendo freight train.

    Having said all that though, a large of me thinks they haven’t learnt anything at all and are going to set the price at an arm and a leg.

    Reply
24. 

    Jubs

    January 28, 2011 at 1:52 am

    Price: $450-$500 AU

    Games: Ports, some ports, and a few more ports making it near-useless for PS3 owners (unless you travel a lot, I presonally don’t). Non-port games won’t come out until the PS4 is released and developing for the PSP2 is the cheaper alternative.

    Battery life: Something unsuitable I’m sure.

    Competition: As the 3ds will inevitably have things other then ports, the PSP2 will need to be the same price or less to even begin competing. This is Sony though, and despite what some people are hoping will happen, they don’t learn from mistakes when it comes to pricing.

    Reply
25. 

    Steven Bogos

    January 28, 2011 at 2:47 am

    Well, if the 3DS is looking at around $250 USD, we can expect at LEAST $350 USD for the PSP2, which when you factor in Australia price gouging means we’ll pay roughly twelve billion dollars (or close to $450). That’s pretty damn steep for a hand-held, considering I can get a decent smart phone for that price.

    However, the fact that it has 3G as well as all of the social networking stuff that smartphones are known for is interesting… but also kind of dumb considering they are already marketting a PSP phone, why would they attack their own competition?

    The specs of the system are actually quite impressive, and i’m looking forward to seeing some really good looking games. No word on battery life yet, but if the 3DS is looking at around 4 hours, we can pretty much expect the same for this.

    The games, as people have said, are a worry. The best original IP games on the original PSP (Loco Roco and Patapon for example) were much too far and few in between, with the console being showered with crappy ports like the GTA stories. I’m yet to see a real ‘killer app,’ which is especially worrisome as the 3DS has several, for many different types of gamer (Kid Icarus, Metal Gear Solid, Legend of Zelda)

    All in all, i’m not very impressed. It’s got all of the features of a smartphone without the actual phone, and a very powerful set of innards. I’m betting on Nintendo winning the handheld war again this time around.

    Reply
26. 

    Kris Butler

    January 28, 2011 at 10:02 am

    $599 and it’ll have riiiiiiiiiiiidge raaaaccerrrrrr….

    sorry… i really am…

    Reply
27. 

    Zar

    January 28, 2011 at 10:44 am

    I think people here are missing a vital point about the iPhone. Unlike the 3DS or the PSP2 the iPhone is a device for everyday use. You will always have it on you, and it can play some games if you need to kill some time. Bringing a PSP2 or 3DS with you is much like bringing a book to read on a train. You’ll do it when you have something good to sink your teeth into but it will always be less convenient to carry.

    That said, if Sony built an Apple App store competitor for the PSP2 I think things would be very very interesting.

    Reply
28. 

    Mert

    January 28, 2011 at 11:07 pm

    $350 au tops Theyve allready said the it will less than what the 1st psp launched for

    Reply
29. 

    Nick Corcoran

    January 30, 2011 at 4:43 pm

    price: IT’S SONY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE! so in other words, far too much.

    Reply