Sony announces 'snackable' 100MB Minis for PSN Store
By Darren Murph 
posted August 18th 2009 1:23PM
posted August 18th 2009 1:23PM
Update: Press release after the break.
Introducing 'minis' for PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable): Offering a Variety of Small Yet Mighty Downloadable Games That Pack a Punch
COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- gamescom -- Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced the imminent arrival of "minis": a new section on PlayStation®Store that offers a range of all-new downloadable games for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable). Available exclusively via digital distribution, "minis" will have a 100MB size limit, ensuring they are quick and easy to download to either the upcoming PSP®go or to the more than 52 million units of PSP that exist worldwide, offering innovative entertainment at your fingertips.
The new "minis" section will be available on PlayStation Store on 1st October in Europe/ PAL territories and in North America, to coincide with the launch of PSPgo, offering more choice, more ways to play and more innovative experiences to immerse yourself in wherever you are. Fifteen games will be available initially, across a wide variety of genres including arcade-style games, racers, parlor games - and a few that defy categorization! - with more than 50 games on offer by the end of the year in Europe and the PAL territories.
The "minis" development process has been designed to open the door to a broad range of developers to encourage new talent and creative ideas to PSP. "minis" are being developed by some of the most creative studios from across the globe from GameShastra, a medium-sized development team based in India, to HoneySlug a three-man team in Camden, London. Some developers, such as Creat, have already created content for PlayStation Network; others, such as Subatomic Studios are bringing their experience in the mobile phone market to PSP.
The minis initiative is also supported by traditional game publishers, with industry leader Electronic Arts Inc. developing a number of games for the programme including Tetris® and Sudoku, with other titles to follow before the end of the year.
"We are very excited to offer so much new content for PSP this year, particularly in this bite-sized form," said Zeno Colaco, Vice President, Publisher and Developer Relations, SCEE. "In opening the door to developers everywhere, we are broadening the type of content available to PSP owners, and opening up a world of possibilities to enhance the PSP gaming experience."
"'minis' is yet another part of our concerted effort to expand content options on PlayStation Store as the demand for digital content will increase with the launch of PSPgo," said Eric Lempel, Director of PlayStation Network and Strategic Planning, SCEA. "minis will give developers the opportunity to create and share a variety of new and original content that in some cases, are only available on PSP."
Arriving on 1st October, "minis" - along with the new PlayStation®Network video delivery service, Digital Comics, and features such as Skype, photos, music, movies and the best handheld games out there - are another reason to take PSP with you wherever you go.
About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®3, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PlayStation 3 in November 2006, over 23.7 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level. Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 138.8 million systems worldwide. Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 52.9 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market. With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 27 million accounts have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 560 million items have been downloaded.
More information about PlayStation products can be found at www.playstation.com or visit the Virtual Press Office at www.scee.presscentre.com.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system and its digital services PLAYSTATION®Network and PLAYSTATION®Store.
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PLAYSTATION 3 and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com
PlayStation, PLAYSTATION and the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PS3 and PSP are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
I like how the game they demonstrated was Fieldrunners. They really got a great strategy over at Sony.
This seems like a pathetic outing. Minis is a joke.
No the joke is that they needed 100MB to code Tetris????
Well, 100MB is the limit, not that every developer is mandated to use it on pain of death. Still, if they want to include FMVs from "Tetris: The Movie" I'm game.
Watching a live blog of the Sony Press Conference right now. So from what I can tell, basically Sony's strategy with these PSP "Mini Games" is to take the apps on the iPhone and make them work for the PSP?
Gotta love Sony. >.>
I hope Microsoft follows them; I have an xbox and i just loooovee free!
no one said anything about free (this is Sony we're talking about)
Hmm... how did i get free into my head? :S
Those fuckers ripped off Eggo.
my thoughts exactly. I think i will go eat some.
No way the PSPGo is that big. Not in the hands-on in the youtube videos. I would consider it at this size and a $199 pricetag.
Cheap mini games or not, this thing should not be $250, or else it'll lose out to the ipod touch- a shame since the quality of most of the games on the app store suck
"...loyal Sony gamers will soon have access to a new segment of titles, ones that'll be available anytime and anywhere that there's an internet connection."
What exactly do they mean by this statement? Can they only be played online, much like Steam, regardless if they're mulitplayer or not?
Do PSP owners that download games through PSN, such as PS1 games, have to be within a wireless connection to play or does the connection only pertain to these Minis?
You are way off target with everything you said. It is referring to the need of an internet connection to download the games, not play them.
OK, rereading that sentence, your comment makes sense. That should've been common knowledge that you need an internet connection to download from PSN, though. Why even mention that?
Because PR machines like to phrase shit like its new and magical. "Download games wherever you are!!!!! This is crazy and new and exciting!!!"
Obviously an attempt to match the cheap game offerings available on the iPhone. Still, I doubt they're going to offer these for less than 5 bucks a pop, which is where most iPhone games are priced at. And the discrepancy between pricing on the "regular games" ($30+) and these is going to be glaring.
Completely different experiences. "minis" are bite-sized portions designed to tide you over till your 3-course meal for $30+. It's the difference between 10 levels and 50.
'Snackable' just like an APPetizer, eh?
That was a real rib tickler!
the new psp is still fugly
Agreed on the fugly and maybe this is a noob question, but are they going to ditch that stupid UMD and give the PSP some hard drive space? I'm tired of hacking microSD to MS ProDuo converters to get decent space for my movies, games, music . . . .
They already have. No UMD drive, instead they have 16GB hard drive space built-in. hopefully they will have a UMD trade-in program where owners of existing games can like send their UPCs and get free digital downloads of the games they already own. But still, if the prics is over $200 then no buy for me. (Unless I get some huge trade in deal for my current PSP-2000 at like gamestop or someting)
Why these buttheads at Sony didn't make this thing touchscreen is beyond me.
I'll stick with the DS.
if they did make it touchscreen, then what?
Games for touchscreen and games for non-touchscreen? Do you want to be in charge of returns from Little Johnny's Mum who says the game doesn't work on her non-touch system? Do you want to educate the public that there are two PSPs out there, one with touchscreen and one without? Do you want to be in charge of educating the public about the differences and spending real dough doing it? Do you want to change box art? Web pages?
Do you want to be in charge for labelling boxes "ONLY FOR PSP Touch"? Do you want to risk confusing the masses?
As a software developer, do you want to develop for two fundamentally different PSP platforms in the same hardware generation (ie. this isn't a PSP 2)?
I am certain that 95%+ of the PSP-owning public doesn't know they can download with their current PSP.
This reason alone is why Sony have a chance at swindling users for their PSP Go, with 16GB on-board (users don't know they can buy 16GB stick and a new PSP 3000 for cheaper), smaller 3.8-inch screen, no UMD drive, non-removable battery and more discomfort for the princely sum of USD $250.
I still think it will fail, though.
Look at the front side of that baby, it look ugly as hell with all that bump. Well see, I might get one if the price drop because for what I see it's more portable and pocket friendly than the 3000 model and Sony current library isn't bad either. Put Fat Princess up there and I'll be dam.
Give it time. FP is coming soon.
I would have preferred them announcing a homebrew application launcher for everybody. such a great little machine with so little "official" softwares is a shame.
the psp minis, have beter things then the DSI does, i like my dsi, but the lack of interesting things to download just plain sucks!