We just sat down for an interview with Sony's John Koller, who among many other interesting tidbits and factoids (more on those later) assuaged fears that our giant UMD library would be entirely forsaken. While light on details -- they're still figuring it out, he said -- there will be a "good will" program by which owners of current disc-based titles will be able to obtain digital copies for use on the
PSP Go -- "a set number of titles for a set period of time," to be exact. He couldn't confirm all games, or at least all your personal collection, would be transferrable -- that might have to do with the number of digitized games they'll have at launch, which will be at least 300 but not the whole back catalog -- but despite calling it a short-term program he did say, should you receive a new UMD game later down the line, you should still be able to make the digital transfer. As for price, we're still looking to confirm something there, but they wouldn't be putting so much effort into the program if it wasn't at least for a discount, if not free.
If you happen to like your discs, Koller said UMDs aren't going by the wayside so long as the PSP is still around, but he expects digital to start taking an increasing share. Looking to the future, he confirmed all first-party titles and most third-party titles (by the developers' own volition, not a mandate) will be available as digital downloads day and date with the UMD hard copies, and yeah, despite the reduced shipping and manufacturing costs, it'll be for the same price, too.
posted June 4th 2009 7:03PM
Actually, a number of my wife's relatives would love a portable Skype device. They're scattered between two hemispheres and 4 different countries, you see.
But $300 (gotta remember accessories and taxes) is a bit too much for something that could conceivably be done on an internet-enabled cellphone. For less.
Otherwise, I agree with you. The PSP-Go sounds like one big FAIL waiting to happen here. Unlike the DSi, the PSP-Go offers no new features or hardware for developers to take advantage of. The digital downloads being the same price as the UMD versions basically punishes users with an inferior version that can't be resold. And what digital format HASN'T been cracked within days of creation? I fully expect that within a month after launch the PSP-Go and the UMD transfer process will be hacked wide open with easy-to-use software packages available to those who know how to use Google.
Honestly, screw Sony. They've really screwed us over in the UK. I was considering a PSPGo, but then I saw the price. Yes I was slightly disappointed, but it only worked out at this: 250.00 USD = 155.958 GBP which wasn't too bad. Only then did I go onto Play.com to find out that it was £250. How the hell does that work out? $250=£250? That makes 250.00 GBP = 400.630 USD yet the PSPGo is only $250. Seriously screwed over, really put me off. £250 for a PSP Go? I can buy a PS3 for that price, though I already have one. I just really want to know which asshole decided on the pricing for the UK. I doubt hardly anyone was going to buy one, people only started buying the PSP over here when it down to £130. £250? Rip-off.
Get an iPod touch, it's a better value proposition because it has more technologies incorporated than the PSP Go. Did I mention it's an iPod?
I see a HUGE downside to moving to digital distribution: sweaters! What else are grandmas going to buy? Video games have been about the only thing my grandma has bought for me the past 20 or so years.
I think Sony should create a program to convert UMD's to digital, this way even ppl who d/l games for their hacked PSP's can put them on their new ones...
Seriously. THEY SHOULD help those UMD owners. I own a first gen PSP and it's breaking down soon.... but...
having the digital copies same priced as the UMD is abit absurb.
I will not be buying PSP Go if the games are digitally signed and are locked to one single PSP and not transferrable.
I like the idea of the PSP go, but not if the games are the same price as a physical copy of the game. I remember on the ps3 they offered a digital download of warhawk for $20 less then the physical copy. The psp games should follow this, although not $20 discount but possiblt $5-10. And wouldn't 16 gb be a little lacking? Aren't PSP games pretty huge in file size? Still not sure about the psp go but it does look amazing.
most PSP games range from about 700 mb to 2 GB so you would be able to keep about 8-16 with you at all times...