Slimmer PSP gets price, launch date for Japan

Just in case a few hands-on photos, dissection slides, and FCC documentation weren't enough to satisfy your desire for slim PSP details, how's about a launch date and price -- in Japan. Yes, we know the rest of the world is now immediately envious, but hey, it's a start. According to Reuters, Sony will launch its trimmed down PlayStation Portable on September 20th in the Japanese market, and it plans on listing it for ¥19,800 ($162). Per usual, North Americans (and beyond) will be forced to sit patiently and await the news for their own nation, but if you're eager, now you know exactly when to book that plane ticket to Tokyo.

[Via Computers and Video Games]

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 17th 2007 11:53AM]

From what I can see, folks all over the globe seem to be showing infinite patience when it comes to this platform.
No one seems in a hurry to get a PSP at all really.

So slow down, tie that other shoe and RELAX.
There will be plenty when you get there!

[Juice @ Jul 17th 2007 12:13PM]

I think I might get one.

[ZombieInvasion @ Jul 17th 2007 12:17PM]

WHO CARES! I could give 2 shits if this thing ever makes it to the US. It's nothing but a new color PSP with a video out, that's all.

Until Sony wises up and releases a PSP with a hard drive or at the very least, flash memory up to 8GB and puts a 2nd Analog stick on it...The PSP will remain nothing more then a failure.

Stop blogging about this waste of time and money, piece of stool disgrace already!

[moochuck @ Jul 17th 2007 12:39PM]

since when is selling over 25 million a failure? sure its not selling as well as the DS, im sure price had a little to do with it, but it has so far sold more units than the original xbox and gamecube. and about proprietary technologies i think i will go throw my gameboy,color,advanced,nes,snes,n64,gamecube, cartridge/cd in my wait, they can only be put into one thing too, stupid Nintendo and their proprietary formats.

[Punchy @ Jul 17th 2007 12:22PM]

I agree with Zombie, this is not news worthy at all.

Unless you are simply continuing to try and point out that Sony just doesn't get it.

I for one refuse to buy any Sony product until they wake up and start to listen to what the industry and consumers are demanding. Mainly, a departure from proprietary technologies that force third party companies and the public to adopt software, hardware and interfaces that do not play well with anything other than Sony products.

It's 2007 Sony, monopolizing the entire supply chain is so like yesterday.

Punchy

[byaah @ Jul 17th 2007 12:25PM]

Ohmygaw, you're like, totally right!



All kidding aside, I completely agree with you. Its time for Sony to move on.

[Jimmy Rivera @ Jul 17th 2007 12:59PM]

What is wrong with you folks? You attack these blog forum/comments like the reporting of consumer electronic news disgusts you and killed one of your closest kin. Just because its iphone/sony/apple/M$ related, doesn't mean you "should" open your yip-yap and pollute the comment posts with whining and moaning, telling the every one within ear shot that you don't wanna hear about the Big Dark world out there. Please. Its a blog, that's biased at times, and likes to tell running jokes with pics of CEOs with Consoles that are 3X the size of the actual ones. I for one was interested in the news, cuz the other regions are gettin it first, and a little cheaper at that. The PSP does have decent games out now, and the Homebrew experience is damn good. Big props to the dude that said GBA/DS carts are proprietary too, we don't expect portable systems to use CD/DVD/VHS/8track do we??! So if you don't have one and hate Sony, keep your diatribes to a minimum, cuz now I'm resorting to whining about not wanting to hear something anymore... wow that was circular.

[lerry @ Jul 17th 2007 1:10PM]

i agree jimmy...its a blog...i dont get why u guyz are just complaining and complaining, with you guyz around, we'd probably see no news at all, get over it, if u dont like it, dont read it. u might not like sony and w/e they make, but other people might, why dont you people get on with ur life

[Ben @ Jul 17th 2007 1:35PM]

"What is wrong with you folks? You attack these blog forum/comments like the reporting of consumer electronic news disgusts you and killed one of your closest kin. Just because its iphone/sony/apple/M$ related, doesn't mean you "should" open your yip-yap and pollute the comment posts with whining and moaning, telling the every one within ear shot that you don't wanna hear about the Big Dark world out there. Please. Its a blog, that's biased at times, and likes to tell running jokes with pics of CEOs with Consoles that are 3X the size of the actual ones. I for one was interested in the news, cuz the other regions are gettin it first, and a little cheaper at that. The PSP does have decent games out now, and the Homebrew experience is damn good. Big props to the dude that said GBA/DS carts are proprietary too, we don't expect portable systems to use CD/DVD/VHS/8track do we??! So if you don't have one and hate Sony, keep your diatribes to a minimum, cuz now I'm resorting to whining about not wanting to hear something anymore... wow that was circular."

Yes, what he said.

[ZombieInvasion @ Jul 17th 2007 1:46PM]

@ moochuck...

Excuse, my post should have read:

"The PSP will remain nothing more then a failure IN MY EYES."

The PSP is a failure because it could be the ultimate device if just 2 things were added.

1. Hard Drive or Flash Memory
Advantage: No longer any need for the continuing raping of consumer funds in buying more and more memory stick duo's just to fit on more movie, song or game save. Ability to save tons of games, music and movies on a slick machine making it a front runner for a true I-Pod killer!

2. 2nd Analog Stick
Advantage: This one is obvious. The PSP is basically a portable PS2 right? Why the hell would you release a portable PS2 missing one of the most intregal parts of controlling games its emulating? The addition of a 2nd analog stick would make every recycled PS2 game thrown on this system INSTANTLY PLAYABLE. No more contorl tweaking, just instant portabilty! Not to mention new games and First Person Shooters and the likes will love it more then ever!

No I am not some fanboy. I am a person who see's the PSP as nothing but LOST POTENTIAL! And why in God's name Sony would spend however much money to "improve" it by adding nothing more then a video out is mind blowingly OBSURD!

Rant over.

[Vu @ Jul 17th 2007 1:53PM]

Well, in owning a psp my self i want to put this into perspective. A second analog stick would be very uncomfortable to place into the shape and build of the psp, remeber this is just a revision not a whole new system, if they did put one into place it wouldn't be able to be used in older games.
For the built in flash, i don't care either way. i just would rather have to use an external form of storage, so encase my flash becomes corrupted then i could transfer from one psp to another.

[Vu @ Jul 17th 2007 1:47PM]

like usual Europe wont be getting it until 2008 most likely.
Don't live there but how soy normally releases its system it'll take ~5 months until Europe gets the psp Vr.1.5.

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Jul 17th 2007 2:13PM]

Touchscreen anybody?

No??

Thanks, eat that yourself.

[required @ Jul 17th 2007 2:38PM]

looking fwd to sept. a second psp will be nice.

[ccurry_lewis @ Jul 17th 2007 4:43PM]

I want one!

[KC @ Jul 17th 2007 8:09PM]

That's a nice update for the PSP. Smaller, lighter is always welcomed.

The video out... OMG, if you've missed this, it simply means that the PSP can be used with a TV in conjunction with the LocationFree system, or even remote-play for the PS3. What's there not to like about it?

[bratkun @ Jul 17th 2007 9:42PM]

Im sold... bring out the 1seg tuner as well. Now I can finally rest my Zaurus SL C1000 from gaming (snes emu) and use it properly as a small linux box. Almost bought a mylo last week (buy one take two here in japan which makes it the same price as the new psp)... thank God I didnt. Hehe

[raf @ Jul 18th 2007 4:50AM]

i want one too!! sadly in Poland it'll be probably twice that price :( the old psp is still 699zl ( $ 250 ) for base pack :( how it is possible that in rich countries like USA and Japan that kind of stuff is always cheaper than in poorer countries???

[alexhrose71 @ Jul 18th 2007 9:12AM]

Its simple economics. A piece of hardware like this may sell 5 million + units a year in the US (if successful) yet in a small country like Poland you'd be lucky to sell a 10th of that.

Less sales means you have to spread your overhead costs over less units which equals higher price.

Next, there is localization, English speaking countries are a big market - US, Canada, UK, Australia, some former colonies etc. - so producing packaging and instructions, translating the menus etc. is cheaper. Now go to Polish - how many countries require Polish boxes, Polish manuals, Polish menus - this adds to your overhead, which again is spread over fewer units.

Poland has a population of 38 million vs the US 250 million (approx). You can see there are clear economies of scale here.

[Jonn @ Jul 23rd 2007 3:45PM]

the ds touch screen gets scratched up to fast.... and the ds has no anolog stick at all! so shut ur whine holes and if u say oh if my ds gets scratched il buy a new one for cheap but the psp is 40 bucks more and the ds has no hard drive as well! and no memory card slot! the ds games are shot with no meaning to it just some fun games. personally i like both