Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that it will continue to expand its successful PSP (PlayStation Portable) platform by making a new PSP hardware package available for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $199 (£115).

Later in the year the PSP will gets its own EyeToy. This new camera will allow you to play interactive games and presumably take pictures and video. It will also support PlayStation One game downloads, and full firmware upgrades will enable a videophone and VoIP as well as a GPS module. Sony has suggested a full hardware revamp towards the New Year.

You will be able to purchase the new PSP system at this price, complete with AC adaptor and battery, beginning March 22nd. The new PSP hardware package offers consumers the same access to game titles, music, movies, communication and wireless networking.

Following a record-setting launch last year, the PSP system has quickly become a cultural icon and a market-altering force with more than 15 million units shipped worldwide. As of this month in North America, there are more than 107 games available for the PSP system and more than 347 feature films, TV programs and videos from major studios combining with downloadable content from the Internet to create an unmatched library of entertainment content.

The PSP system has also served as an important driver in retail sales, bringing in more than $1.6 billion as of calendar year 2005, more than both Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS combined.

‘The PSP is the first portable device to deliver upon the promise of console quality game play, and together with the ever evolving multimedia capabilities, provides consumers with functionality never seen before in a portable device,’ said Jack Tretton, executive vice president and co-COO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. ‘This new price point demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide the best entertainment experiences, at affordable prices.’

Since its launch on March 24, 2005, the PSP system has evolved continuously with a system software update adding new and attractive features such as Internet browsing, Location Free TV support, and playback of high-quality video (H.264/AVC MP Level3) stored on Memory Stick Duo. In honour of the first anniversary, Sony Computer Entertainment America will introduce a new USB camera in the spring. By continuing to add new accessories and functionality, the company aims to expand the market and widen the consumer base.

With PSP system graphics rendering capabilities comparable to the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, PSP provides 3D games with high-quality, full-motion video and high-fidelity audio. A new and exciting lineup of PSP games will be released over the next few months by first and third party developers and publishers around the world with highly expected titles such as Daxter, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Essentials, Monster Hunter: Freedom, Me and My Katamari and more.

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BIOS, Mar 16, 06 | Print | Send | Comments (0) | Posted In Gaming