PSP hitting Japan on December 12 for $185

[Last Exile]

Hey,
here is news :

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TOKYO--After months of analyst speculation that the Sony PlayStation Portable might not make it out this year, Sony Computer Entertainment today dispelled these notions when it announced that it will, in fact, release the PSP in Japan on December 12. The next-generation handheld gaming device will be priced at 19,800 yen ($185), which is fairly close to the already-announced price point of the Nintendo DS, which is slated to hit Japan on December 2 for 15,000 yen ($140).

Of further note, the PSP will be available in a number of different packages. The normal edition PSP package will include the handheld itself, an AC adapter, and a battery pack. The PSP will also be offered in a value pack that's 5,000 yen more at 24,800 yen ($232), which, in addition to the accessories included in the normal package, will come with a 32MB Memory Stick Duo, a set of headphones with a remote control, and a carrying case.

The accessories, of course, will also be available for purchase separately. The 32MB Memory Stick Duo and headphones with remote will be offered at 2,800 yen each ($26), and the carrying case will be offered at 2,000 yen ($19). Additional rechargeable batteries will cost 4,800 yen ($45), and a spare AC adapter can be purchased at 3,500 yen ($33).

In addition, today Sony Computer Entertainment finally made an official statement concerning the battery life of the PSP: The handheld's rechargeable Lithium Ion battery will allegedly last for four to six hours for gameplay, on average, and four to five hours for movies, on average.

Also, the PSP's wireless connection, which follows the IEEE802.11b standard, can allegedly reach up to 30 meters indoors at 11Mbps, and 91 meters at 1Mbps. Outdoors, it can reach up to 120 meters at 11Mbps and 460 meters at 1Mbps. The range will decrease if there are obstacles in the vicinity or strong electronic frequencies nearby, such as from microwave ovens or power lines.

Twenty-one PSP titles will be released during December, although SCE hasn't clearly stated as to how many of those games will be available precisely at launch of the PSP. The titles scheduled for release by the end of the year are as follows:

Electronic Arts K.K.: Tiger Woods PGA Tour R, sports
Electronic Arts K.K.: Need for Speed Underground Rivals, racing
Capcom: Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower, fighting
Koei: Shin Sangoku Muso, action
Koei: Mahjong Taikai, table
Konami: Mahjong Fight Club, table
Konami Computer Entertainment Japan: Metal Gear Acid, strategy
Cyberfront: Kollon, puzzle/action
Sega: Puyo Puyo Fever, action puzzle
Sony Computer Entertainment: Dokodemo Issho, chatting game
Sony Computer Entertainment: Minna no Golf Portable, golf
Taito: Puzzle Bobble Pocket, puzzle
Namco: Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Daijiten, puzzle
Namco: Ridge Racer, racing
Hudson: Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory, SF action RPG
Bandai: Eiyuu Densetsu Gagharv Trilogy: Shiroki Majo, RPG
Bandai: Lumines, sound and light action puzzle
From Software: AC Formula Front, mech simulation
Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Igo, table
Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Shougi, table
Marvelous Interactive: A.I. series Mahjong, table
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let the wars begin.

-LE

[rav96]

OMG its cheaper than i expected

[JunkieJoe]

I wonder how long its gonna be before it hits North America, so dont think the wars will beginning for atleast 6 months

[Robojack]

Hm, I think I'd rather start saving up for PS3, rather than spend money on a portable system.

[Lacuna Coil]

Ive heard it?s not until late 2005 before we see this handheld out on the market. Also I want to see prices for games for the PSP. I don?t think id get it I don?t want a portable playstation, I want something new and different like the DS it brings more to the table new ways to play games.


-LC

[evilomar]

Leave it to Sony to rush things, just to compete against the DS.

[Andromeda18_]

If I wanted to buy the PSP before now I want to buy it more than ever. Square Enix has announced its first PSP title, called Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, an action RPG based on the settings of Final Fantasy VII, as the fourth entry in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII project. I think I'm going crazy!!!

It seems Sony will launch the PSP in the US and in Europe before March 2005.

[wrxh8r]

I think youll find that the ds was rushed to compete with the psp.It doesnt make sense for nintendo to have released the ds when the gba2 anouncement is scheduled for e3 2005 with the revolution.Which IMO would put the game boy at about the folowing christmas assuming similar times as the ds and psp for time of announcement and release.2 portables from one company within 1 or 2 years is strange.Sony work off what......5-7 years or something.
I can wait till next year.Ill get a ds in the meantime and save my pennies for a psp.

[Last Exile]

you do know the DS has nothing to do with the Gameboy line at all. if it did it would be called the gameboy Ds. so it makes sense to put it out now cause it is new tech for the holidays and well wasent rushed. as in alot of intreviews this has been in the works for some time now. making up stuff isnt good.

if i get a psp for free ill take it but now im not very intrested i dont need another playstation. i dont travel enough to get one and if i did travel i would get a vaio laptop, better then a little handheld.

-LE

[wrxh8r]

Even if it isn't in the gameboy range its still strange to release so many handhelds within a short time frame.Allthough it would also allow a time extension of the gba line so that they can build something more powerful (or to batle directly) the psp for relativly low cost.Making the ds backwards compatable is as good as saying they want consumers to start buying them instead of gba.

[Puppet Master]

you do know the DS has nothing to do with the Gameboy line at all. if it did it would be called the gameboy Ds. so it makes sense to put it out now cause it is new tech for the holidays and well wasent rushed. as in alot of intreviews this has been in the works for some time now. making up stuff isnt good.

if i get a psp for free ill take it but now im not very intrested i dont need another playstation. i dont travel enough to get one and if i did travel i would get a vaio laptop, better then a little handheld.

-LE

Personally handhelds arent all that great I would also rather stick with a big system like the PS2...Yeah though your right there to get a laptop if you travel a lot its more useful...

[rav96]

i still love my brick GameBoy and pokemon... screw all the new techno gubbins keep it retro