PSP nabbing PlayStation Store this fall, online multiplayer over PS3

Evidently fearing some outbreak of freedom and excitement, Sony has notoriously guarded its PSP's WiFi access closely, adding features such as Remote Play at a snail's pace, and keeping such obvious adds as "ad-hoc" over the internet at bay. But no longer(ish). Sony is bringing ad-hoc online multiplayer to the PSP this fall, with a firmware update to allow the portable to network over the PS3. You'll also be able to get social during gameplay, with text and voice chat in the new online mode. Additionally, the PSP is finally barging on to the PlayStation Store via WiFi, and Sony's going to kick things off with a free downloadable game, "Mainichi Issyo Portable." The best news is that this is compatible with all three PSP generations, so just because you can't afford The Screen of Awesomeness doesn't mean you're out in the cold.

[Via Joystiq]

[Das Boot @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:41AM]

I would get excited about this, but with Sony's constant announcements of pushing back release dates, im not expecting this soon. I am however expecting a Home Beta invitation. I've played over 300 hours of Burnout Paradise online.

[Alex Kirby @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:43AM]

This is all nice and good, but when is Cyprus getting a damn playstation store!!! Y wont sony let me give them money??!!

[Knifa @ Sep 3rd 2008 11:01AM]

Move to a real country.

[liv @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:28PM]

rude...

[Alex Kirby @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:44AM]

This is all well and good, but when will the damn playstation store come to Cyprus ???? Why doesnt Sony want my money ???!!!

[Ayman @ Sep 3rd 2008 11:09AM]

they want to make sure that it is your money

Plus you can go buy the US $20 PSN Card

[Fiddlesworth @ Sep 3rd 2008 9:54AM]

Fair enough, the PSP direct-access PSN Store has been a long time coming but who ever expected Sony to offer a service (free by the way) so that Ad-hoc (local multiplayer) games could be played online? That's unexpected and very cool. If it's supported, you'll be able to play Dissidia Final Fantasy online enough though Square-Enix couldn't be bothered to put Infrastructure multiplayer in.

[NHAnimator @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:03AM]

Thank you, Sony, for continuing to make improvements to the PSP/PS3 systems.

[xmrgamerx @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:17AM]

*yawn* ad-hoc online was already possible since the psp first came out some years ago through xlink kai. sony is always slow on user needs. . .

[sockatume @ Sep 3rd 2008 11:31AM]

Engadget haven't explained it very well, and I get the feeling that they've not grasped what this actually does, or the meanings of the terms used. ;)

Ad-hoc play is by a local, computer-to-computer wireless network. Internet play on the PSP used infrastructure mode, which goes through an access point and onto the web. Ad-hoc over internet seems like a contradiction in terms, right? They're offering a way to play the ad-hoc modes of games, but against opponents on the internet. This means that games which were previously ad-hoc only could be played online, albeit with a PS3 acting as an intermediary. Presumably the PS3 presents itself as a set of local PSPs when using this mode.

That's certainly not obvious, and it's a pretty big deal. You can literally play any multiplayer PSP game over the internet after this update.

[sockatume @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:15PM]

Ha, I misread xlink kai as kxth bai which explains why I wasn't sure what you were on about. At any rate, it's still a big deal in terms of finally having official support. ;)

[liv @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:34PM]

you have a point there... but what I am even more xcited about is the fact that now.. you can DOWNLOAD GAMES and store the LOCALLY ON YOUR MEMORY CARD. Does that mean that you don't need to mod your PSP anymore?? If they can find a workaround to that, I will surely grab a PSP 3000... sure no modding means no homebrew but hey... at least you can play games without having to pay for them... And I know that it isn't morally right, and that you shouldn't illegally torrent games but I would rather do that then to fill a major corporation's ass with money... low rank me if you think otherwise...

[eiki @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:22AM]

Mainichi Issho (まいにちいっしょ, Mainichi Issyo which translates as "Everyday Together") is a November 11, 2006 Sony Computer Entertainment online game for the PlayStation 3. It is based on the Toro franchise, a cartoon character which is a mascot for SCEJ. This game is exclusively for the Japanese market, its international title is Everyday Together ! as seen romanized in the Mainichi Issho Store


Genre: Life simulation game, Casual game, Mini-games, Multiplayer, News

haha, looks funny

[c. thomas @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:22AM]

Geez.. And people say Xbox Live Marketplace is a mess!

[NHAnimator @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:43AM]

Care to elaborate?

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:58AM]

He's talking about all the in-house advertisements and clutter of the PSN Store that most PS3 users here on Engadget try to use against XBL Marketplace... I must agree- he does have a point; it's no different than XBLM.

[John @ Sep 3rd 2008 12:17PM]

I wouldn't really call the PSN marketplace cluttered, or the xbox live market cluttered either. I'd say that I was able to find my way around the PSN marketplace easier than when I used an Xbox, but since I doubt anyone spends an appreciable amount of time on the marketplace for whatever console they have (except Wii users, who probably spend even more time than out switching out memory cards), it's not really a crucial function.

[Mr.MakeItHappen @ Sep 3rd 2008 10:43AM]

Well . . . its about time. I bought that thing three years ago and besides G.O.W, I haven't had any reason to pick it back up. Might be time to dust ol' girl off.

[eminemdrdre00 @ Sep 3rd 2008 11:05AM]

pretty cool!