Rumor: PSP-3000

[PapaStu]

It's been the top selling system in Japan for the better part of 2008.

So, yeah, strange.

Perhaps they've actually turned a big enough profit to warrant a new model designed for that region first and the US and Europe second.

It's selling so well because of 3 games. Monster Hunter 2 (and its add on release), FF VII Advent Children and the new PSO game. It doesn't hurt the fact that the DS has hit market saturation in Japan and even the massive releases arn't causing much in the way of sales spikes now.

[GnawRadar]

Rumor confirmed:

http://kotaku.com/5039411/sony-announces-new-psp-model

[swlovinist]

I think that this minor revision is not necessary. I guess I wish that Sony would focus more on other hardware changes(load times, longer battery life, harddrive ) and start getting some more games on the system. The holiday lineup for the US is looking rather paltry. Rather than add features the standard portable gamers is not going to give a crap about, I guess I wanted more in a hardware revision, such as a built in hard drive. While the new bundles are great, I guess I just want the system to have some improvements such as a quieter drive, faster load times...not crap that I am not going to care about(shooter download...meh) I would love for them to start selling the PSP at $150 with a memory card(PSP without a memory card is worthless) As for people waiting to get a PSP, the current setup is more than good. Sony needs to realize that the system offered at a cheaper price is what is going to move systems. Selling a portable at $200 is too much, even in bundles. People at this time want value, at an affordable price. Until this happens, along with more software, the PSP is just going to get by. Just my ten cents.

[Sergeant Sega]

Heh... Well, well, I'm sure as heck not buying this, it's not gone a year since I "upgraded" to the slim&light version, and now they're expecting me to do this again? Who do they think they are? Nintendo? Hehe...

I would think about getting it if they at least added an sorely needed analog stick, and maybe doing something new with the design. But I will never use skype, and propably not the mic either.

[heybtbm]

I wonder if the PSP-2000 component and composite cables will work with the PSP-3000 model? The cables have disappeared from stores and I wonder if Sony just gave up on the idea of playing the PSP on a TV.

[Sergeant Sega]

I wonder if the PSP-2000 component and composite cables will work with the PSP-3000 model? The cables have disappeared from stores and I wonder if Sony just gave up on the idea of playing the PSP on a TV.

You got to wonder why they would want to connect a portable console to a tv, but one thing good about it is when you're out traveling, and have a hotel tv with composite input

[swlovinist]

I think the TV out idea was a good idea, even if it did not catch on. Great for systems with screwed up screeens.

[zektor]

I wonder if the PSP-2000 component and composite cables will work with the PSP-3000 model? The cables have disappeared from stores and I wonder if Sony just gave up on the idea of playing the PSP on a TV.

I went out the other night to purchase a new set of cables, and they are everywhere around by me (Target, Walmart, GS, even Coconuts)...so this issue must be in your area.

I am perfectly fine with the 2000 models. They provide everything I could ever want out of the PSP. Lightweight, awesome screen, tv-out (I use this often personally), and an overall great handheld experience. And as for the device being too much, well, I would have to disagree. For what you are getting in the form of a handheld multimedia powerhouse, I think it's a great deal. So much so that I own three of them (Star Wars, GOW, and the new Madden 09 models) and I am not rich at all.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

You got to wonder why they would want to connect a portable console to a tv, but one thing good about it is when you're out traveling, and have a hotel tv with composite input

I'm amused that you half-answered your own question.

When it comes to portable game systems, I believe that TV out should be a STANDARD feature.

History shows that there has always been a healthy demand for TV-output on all portable devices since the original Gameboy.

Yes, the devices are portable, that's a given. A majority of play time will be spent on the go ... but when there IS an option to plug into a larger screen and sit down with the device - WHY NOT provide that option? In most cases it's not going to add tremendously to the cost of production - the video and audio feeds are already happening in the device, it's just a simple matter of re-routing ... and in the case of audio, most if not all portable devices have headphone jacks, so it's not much more beyond sending that feed to stereo output cables.

The bottom line is that it's not about it being an overwhelmingly embraced feature, it's just that historically it's a feature that has been "added" to so many portable devices and/or sold to us as peripherals SO MANY TIMES ... it's really time for companies to get on board with this feature from the BEGINNING.

In the case of slim PSPs, they do some very nice things multimedia-wise, between music, movies, web-browsing and game-playing, it's really nice to be able to have all that in your pocket at a moments notice to plug into a big-screen TV while traveling, or just hanging out in your bedroom.

[kedawa]

In most cases it's not going to add tremendously to the cost of production - the video and audio feeds are already happening in the device, it's just a simple matter of re-routing ...

It really isn't that simple. There's also the issue of scaling the image and converting the data to an analog signal that a television can display. Most portable game systems simply don't use PAL or NTSC video signals internally, so some type of additional hardware is necessary in most cases.

[CosmicMonkey]

Here's a final picture of the PSP-3000 system. Seems it does have the 'PS' button and an inbuilt microphone. Also, the screen is highly improved and the TV out now runs 480i as well as 480p.



Screen Comparison


2000 top, 3000 bottom

Screen Comparison article

Original news post

[Trebuken]

I thought i heard as well that it would come with a 4GB memory card...

Doesn't explain why there are sop few PSP games coming out. I can't imagine developers held back for this...

[Overbite]

I was gonna pick up a PSP but now this. I'll wait I guess. I do hope they come in different colors like the slim does.

[CosmicMonkey]

It's confirmed there will be Piano Black and Mystic Silver versions available on release. I'm sure other colors will follow. Let's see how long it is before this model gets hacked.

[Oobgarm]

*shrug*