PSP To Have PS2 Connectivity, No Shovelware Conversions?

Thanks to GamesIndustry.biz for its article discussing Sony's confirmation that its forthcoming PSP portable will feature connectivity with the PS2 home console. According to remarks from Sony's Fumiya Takeno: "This feature would allow games to be played on the home systems, with save games being moved to the PSP so that play could be continued on the handheld system - exploiting the fact that the PSP's hardware is broadly similar in specification to the PS2." Although "...it is known that porting code from the PS2 to the PSP is extremely easy", it's also been confirmed that Sony "..is placing a heavy emphasis on the development of new titles for the PSP, rather than the porting of existing PS2 software", meaning the company is likely to be harsh in the approval process regarding 'shovelware' PS2 conversions.

Comments

controller

[SkunkPussy]

I know, why don't they make it so you can use the PSP as a controller for the PS2?

oh.

Re:controller

[chrismcdirty]

With one key difference... the gaming media thinks it's new and exciting! Where Nintendo "hasn't gone" or has done badly, Sony will triumph!

I'd like to see it not get filled up with a bunch of shovelware. That's what they say now, but I'm sure it'll be given rehashes out the wazoo.

why PS2 connectivity?

[incubusnb]

the PSP is scheduled to launch in 2005 alongside the PS3 from what i understand, what exactly is the point of having any sort of Connectivity with the PS2 if it will probably never get used? i sure hope they plan on it connecting to the PS3 or they'll have a feature that will never be used except by the very few companies that will still make games for the PS2.

by that time all the really good titles will already have been announced for PS3.

Re:why PS2 connectivity?

[rrace]

Could be, since the PS3 is supposed to be able to run ps2 and ps1 games it would also be able connect to the psp. The library of games sony will have with the ps3 will just be amazing.

GBA competition

[The_Real_GooberMan]

Looks like the competition they'll be providing for the GBA is complete. The only thing the GBA did that the PSP didn't do was connectivity with another console.

Innovative Goodness :)

[polyp2000]

The main crux of this statement, for me is the heavy emphasis on developing new titles for PSP. I dont think Sony are ruling out some ports, as what would be the point in having memory cards/game-saves transferable to the PS2.

However, It is about time we saw more original and new games out there. I am of the Sony faithful crowd. But of late most games are NG ports of things that have come and gone before. To a certain extent this can be said for most consoles. Although stuff like monkey-ball shows the GameCube to be a ground for fresh ideas.But i shouldnt forget Socom and EyeToy :) My preference for dark and disturbing games keeps me with PS2.

I think that its a good idea for Sony to push innovation card a bit more because the games/console market is getting saturated with half-assed ports released on all 3 consoles. Two's company, Three's a crowd so to speak! Id certainly like to see more single platform licenses out there. Right now there is little difference in any of the three consoles where new games are concerned. Its mainly brand loyalty that joe average uses to choose a console. Having a killer app/must have game available only on PSP, is the thing that will get those units sold en masse!

Nick

That's spiff.

[josh glaser]

Lets hope they make better use of connectivity then Nintendo seems to be doing. Even in games where connectivity is required for each player, it doesn't seemed used very well...you use the GBA to manage your items! Ooh! I'm sure the PSP/PS2 link will be more successful, as those systems are of comparable power, and the PSP could run ported games. However, you'd have to buy two copies of the same game, which people might not want to do.

Re:That's spiff.

[chrismcdirty]

No offense, but do you really think they could make a handheld system right now that is comparable in power to the PS2 while still retaining a halfway decent battery life? I surely don't.

I'd say it is probably more comparable in power to the PS1. Possibly more powerful, but not close to PS2.

It's just the marketing machine rearing it's ugly head. Remember when N64 was in development, Nintendo said it'd be as powerful as an SGI workstation? Remember when PS2 came out, Sony claimed it was fast enough to be a supercomputer with one processor? I'd really like to see them fit a supercomputer into a 4"x2"x.5" package.

Re:That's spiff.

[socode]

The PS2 is fast enough to be a supercomputer, just not a contemporary one, since it's a moving target. Unfortunately, so are marketing people.

Re:That's spiff.

[chrismcdirty]

The exageration gets you far, though. Remember the Xbox-GCN wars before they came out? Microsoft gave out untextured, unfilled, unenhanced polygon counts. So their numbers were through the roof. Nintendo gave out realistic gaming specs and were slammed by the media [and have been slammed ever since].

I'm hoping the battery life is good, too. I'll definitely give it a chance. Here's hoping.

Re:That's spiff.

[Rallion]

Multiplayer Crystal Chronicles WITHOUT the GBAs would be maddening. "Okay, guys, I need to switch items, get ready to pause!" "Oh, me too, so pause again right after!" Ugh. I would stab somebody so quick....if I didn't get stabbed first.

Re:That's spiff.

[DeadScreenSky]

But that problem is more because Square-Enix chose not to design an effective interface for such things. You could easily do a minimal transparent item changing interface to pop up in the corners (one for each player) of the screen, for example. You could even just shrink the main screen view for a little bit instead, allowing the game to still be played by others. Sure, it wouldn't be as immediately intuitive as the current interface, but that really doesn't matter in a game that is intended to be played for quite some time. And it would be easier to see what is still going on in the game. A nice quick tutorial should be more than enough, considering how basic the RPG system aspects are anyway. The better control ergonomics alone would make it a great tradeoff.

I got nothin..

[sheiqck]

I doubt its anything to get excited about, Nintendo already said games with better gfx isnt the future. I rememeber a few years ago when PcPoweplay was good, and 500mhz was front page material.. i really dont think shiney bump mapping does a whole lot for me. Add to that the fact that sony is always on the bottom in the grapics department makes me wonder why they dont try and make the psp a communal device like the big N wants to.
I like sony, my MD works great.
I just wonder whether the PSP is something that will ever have any must have games (Halo, Mario Kart, Goldeneye, HL type stuff).

I'm sure they won't have GTA 3

[Smack]

I'm sure Sony will stand by this principle and not release any of their more popular games as "shovelware". Not Sony.

I do not think that word means what you think it m

[drinkypoo]

"Shovelware" does not mean "hastily ported software". I don't know where you got that impression but it is entirely incorrect. Shovelware is software (or media) included on a CD or DVD-ROM in order to use up some of that extra space. Typically it consists of demos for other like content, or related software. For example the shovelware on a driver disk for a USB camera might include webcam and photo retouching software, plus a slide show maker that puts your pictures on a cube or something, and costs $39.99 to register. On a clip art disc about cars there are probably clip art samplers of houses and pets or something. That is shovelware. A crappy port is only shovelware if it's thrown in with some other software, just because it would fit on the disc.