One of the regular complaints about the Sony PSP is its lack of dual analog sticks. Rather than berate Sony about it, however, one enterprising gamer over at AcidMods hacked together a workaround, connecting a DualShock 2 controller to his PSP.
Video demo after the cut
Sony have announced their latest financial results [pdf link], and given their last set of figures revealed a dire 95-percent crash in profits a quarter ago, all eyes are on the Japanese giant to see if they’ve managed to turn things around. Unfortunately, it’s still not looking good: sales decreased 19.2-percent compared to the same quarter 2008, and an operating loss of 25.7bn yen ($268m) recorded. That’s 99.1bn yen down from the previous year.
Sony have revealed plans for “snackable” titles that gamers could download to their PSP Go in less than a minute, taking on Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch in the process. Speaking at a closed-doors event at E3 last month, Sony’s head of developer relations Zeno Colaço told Develop that the company envisages the move appealing to non-traditional gamers familiar with micro-downloads.
Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer has struck back at Activision chief Bobby Kotick, claiming his calls to cut PS3 prices are “a lot of noise” and that there’s no “logic” in discounting the console. Speaking to Reuters, Stringer suggested that “I (would) lose money on every PlayStation I make – how’s that for logic.”
Time to roll out the old render, as news emerges about what could be considered the true PSP2. According to Eurogamer Spain, they’ve acquired the spec-sheet for Sony’s in-development successor to the current PSP, a long leap ahead of what’s on offer with the PSPGo.
Rumors regarding a PSP phone have circulated for almost as long as the gaming handheld itself has been available, and despite Sony’s best efforts they refuse to die down. According to the Nikkei business daily this weekend, Sony is looking to set up a department that would explore gaming/phone hybrid devices; the team could be established as early as July, suggests the report.
It’s perhaps saying a lot about our opinion of big businesses like Sony when admitting you purposefully milk early-adopters wins you kudos for honesty. SCEE’s Andrew House, current president and former chief marketing officer, has done just that, telling MCV that the PSP Go’s high price is partly the result of “a certain premium” associated with a new device.
Game developer Activision have set their sights on bringing Sony down a peg or two, threatening to cease development for the PS3 and PSP consoles if the company does not reduce royalty fees. CEO Bobby Kotick has accused Sony of “losing a bit of momentum” and complained that the company does not “make it easy for me to support the [PlayStation 3] platform”. Kotick is now asking for a PS3 hardware price-cut.
Sony’s PSP Go! might be a masterpiece of miniaturization, but it’ll bring with it a shrinking feeling in your wallet, too. Set to land in the US on October 1st, the all-digital companion to the existing PSP-3000 will not only cost nigh-on twice as much as its bigger sibling, but require all new accessories thanks to a sneaky change of port type.
The PSP Go! is shaping up to be great, but it doesn’t have a full QWERTY keyboard, does it. Acidmods forum member folklord36’s PSP Laptop does, though, courtesy of an Xbox Chat Pad, together with relocated speakers, LED lighting and more.
SlashGear Japan
