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PSP Pricing, Battery Life Announced

Posted by timothy on from the you-mean-it-has-batteries dept.

zmcnulty writes "The day has finally come: Over at TechJapan, we've got a translation of a Japanese BB Watch article stating that Sony has announced the Playstation Portable will cost 20,790 yen (about $195 USD) and is to be released on December 12th. Also, the battery life is quoted as being 4 to 6 hours. Not exactly what I'd call fantastic, but at this price, looks like Nintendo is in for some serious competition. Free your doubts about software too, as Sony has announced 21 titles will be released in December as well. Here's the official Japanese PDF press release regarding the PSP's release."

17 of 421 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Add another one to the pile by BlueThunderArmy · · Score: 0, Interesting
    Although minidisk failed miserably in its initial launch, it experienced a bit of a resurgence among aspiring musicians and is still used pretty widely by that set.

    Don't ask me for details, I can't even play kazoo.

  2. Battery Life Isn't Everything by Dragoon412 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    So, even the staunchest of Sony fanboys have to concede that when it comes to creativity and battery life, Nintendo's going to win this round. But I still don't think it's going to be a repeat of Game Gear vs. Gameboy.

    For starters, look at the launch titles for the DS:

    Super Mario 64 DS
    Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt (demo)
    Pictochat (built-in)
    Feel the Magic: XY/XX
    Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits
    Ridge Racer DS
    Madden NFL 2005
    Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf
    The Urbz: Sims in the City
    Asphalt Urban GT
    Rayman DS
    Spider-Man 2
    Ping Pals

    It's nothing but a couple sports games, a couple platformers, two racers and a bunch of gimicky nonsense. If this is in any way indicative of the DS' overall lineup, Sony will still win this round.

    I think this is going to be more like GCN vs. PS2. Why? Because Sony's game lineup appears stronger. Not only will it have many of the same third-party games (i.e. Spiderman 2, Madden, Tiger Woods), but it will have many more, such as Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Tales of Eternia, FIFA, and Need For Speed Underground.

    What's more, the PSP is suppsoedly going to come packaged with Tiger Woods and Need for Speed Underground. What's the DS have? The gimmicky made-for-gradeschoolers Pictochat, and a demo of the first level of Metroid Prime: Hunters.

    Look, I'm not proclaiming early victory for the PSP, but let's not relegate this to some failure of a system like the nGage before it even hits the market. This is Sony we're talking about. They have a more mature and diverse lineup of games with a much better stable of 3rd-party developers, and anyone who says the PSP's screen isn't just plain sexy is a liar.

    Personally, I'm itnrigued by the DS, but much lke the GBA, I think the game lineup is horrid. But I hope they both do well. More choice is never a bad thing.

    1. Re:Battery Life Isn't Everything by {tele}machus_*1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I think the key difference between the two systems is Nintendo's dedication to innovation. Both consoles will put more gaming power into a portable package than ever before.

      But Sony's going to use that power to exploit proven franchises and game concepts. People can play their favorite kinds of games with great graphics on the go, and that's a huge selling point.

      Nintendo is going to use its console's power to do more than push polygons: Nintendo will (like Nintendo always does) create great games that have a child-like sense of pure fun.

      I guess it depends on what you want from your system. Personally, I prefer the unique and just plain fun games that Nintendo publishes to yet another sports game, first person shooter or driving game.

      And, frankly, 4-6 hours of battery life is pathetic.

    2. Re:Battery Life Isn't Everything by subsonic · · Score: 2, Interesting

      so you're saying that some of the DS's features are not going to counteract the game selection. OK, both have wireless gaming, but DS can cash in on the numerous GBA titles already out there (which is one of the reasons that I will actually be getting a DS). On top of it, I know the battery life will be good. On top of that, I know the sucker will be durable (a big plus for something portable).
      I imagine that most people who want to watch movies would buy it to play DVDs, not to have to buy a select few of their titles over. Thats a stupid move on Sony's part.
      Secondly, i like Nintendo's game selection. It may be "kid friendly," but generally they are great to play. These are just factors in favor of Nintendo. Not saying its no contest, obviously Sony knows how to ruin Nintendo's day.

      Nintendo is still the big player in the portable game market, holding its own against the N-gage, Zodiac and other mobile phone-based games. This round is Nintendo's to lose.

    3. Re:Battery Life Isn't Everything by Fex303 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      It's nothing but a couple sports games, a couple platformers, two racers and a bunch of gimicky nonsense.

      You say that like it's a bad thing. For an opening line-up having a couple of sports, racing, and platform titles is good. They're the main genres that people are attracted to. And Nintendo always take their time getting their first generation of games on a new system perfected. But that results in top-notch games, look at Super Mario World (SNES), Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Super Smash Bros Melee (NGC). As for gimmicky nonsense: This is video games we're talking, it's all gimmicky nonsense.

      The only things that are missing are a role-play game (Golden Sun series), turn-based strat (Advance Wars, Final Fantasy: Tactics), and beat 'em up (a Namco one would be nice, as would a new incarnation of the Super Smash Bros games). All of those Nintendo are well and truly capable of producing in short order. I'll be very surprised if they don't release more really good exclusive titles for the DS in next six months than Sony does for the PSP.

    4. Re:Battery Life Isn't Everything by Dragoon412 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I really hate the way "mature" in video games has become equivalent to either "violent" or "raunchy."


      Hold up a minute. This is Slashdot, and I fully expected to get trolled and mod-bombed over a post critical of anything Nintendo does, but I'm really getting sick of the argument you and a billion other Nintendo fanboys keep spouting off about.

      I didn't say anything about violence in games. I sure as hell didn't say anything about GTA3 - that has to be the single most overrated franchise next to, perhaps, Mario and Final Fantasy. No one said anything about death matching (and for the record, Metroid Prime: Hunters multiplayer is deathmatch). I said more mature. Perhaps you need an explanation:

      Nintendo's portable systems are dominated by games like, say, Golden Sun, Megaman: Battle Network, and Pokemon. In each instance, the main character is extremely young, the dialogue is insultingly simple and/or convoluted (see: Fire Emblem on the GBA), and Nintendo pulls all sorts of crap like this.

      I've said it a dozen times on Slashdot: when I want a more mature game, I want a game that isn't insultingly simple to play, or where the main character doesn't act like a little kid, not blood and guts. I'm not looking to strangle some guy to death with his own intestines.
  3. Cool for travelers by binaryDigit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Having the wifi would be interesting for travellers. Imagine going to the airport and joining in in established games with other travellers. If the game had an online version (in addition to multiplayer), you could continue the game with other people you met. Also, if the airlines start allowing wifi usage on the plane, then you could play against others in flight. Heck, the airline could sponser tournies and what not. This could be an interesting opportunity for developers to come up with some interesting games/apps geared specifically for those who have between 1/2 hour to 4 hours to "play".

  4. sounds better now by sknja · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think sony is making the correct steps to get this product out. The battery life althoguh short will most likely improve, and the price of the unit really is not that bad.

    My question is... will ther be a region lock. The interview with Kawanishi-san makes me believe there will be region locks on all the systems. That really dissapoints me. If that is the case then I wont be playing any american games for this bad boy...

  5. Re:competition? by The+Only+Druid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, the PSP has a better screen (both in resolution, size and aspect ratio), is significantly faster and more powerful (featuring PS2 ports from the get-go with full true 3d as opposed to n64 graphics on the DS), is aesthetically MUCH more pleasing, is more hackable (thanks to the fact that its got USB interface built in, including using that as a firmware upgrade vector according to the developers)...sounds like comeptition to me.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm not tossing my GBA SP, but I'm not even thinking about buying a DS but I'm debating the PSP.

    --
    "Stumble before you crawl"
  6. Re:4-6 hours is not enough by Sheepdot · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Game Gear was actually a decent device. Both it and the Lynx did *not* have nearly the library that the Gameboy did.

    Also, back in their time, these devices ran on double a's and triple a's and couldn't be recharged easily. They failed because of the 4-6 hour life, yes, but because not everyone had a battery recharger, and a quick means to recharge them was not available.

    I find currently that if I'm not done playing my current GBA after 4-6 hours, then my neck and back generally regret it the next day.

  7. Sony - Another inferior product by vasqzr · · Score: 2, Interesting


    The PSX was inferior to the N64. The PS2 is inferior to the GC and the Xbox.

    But, they got the products out to market first. And, they treated the developers good, even if it isn't a easy platform to develop for. Plus, they didn't use any fancy, proprietary, and expensive media formats (such as the N64 cartridges or the GC's mini-CD's)

    They don't have any of these advantages this time.

  8. Re:Price by StikyPad · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm not so sure hardware costs are all that high..

    I bought a 16k color phone with WAP, GPS, et al for 13,000Y (~$100US at the time) with no service contract. And that was two years ago. Although, the demand for items like this is much higher in Japan than in the US, so they probably make up for it in volume. Computer hardware, for example, is no cheaper in Japan than in the US; it's actually higher in many cases. I think Sony's taking a gamble that the PSP will do well, which it probably will.

    Also, to the people complaining about Sony's media: Name one portable gaming device that doesn't use a proprietary media format? At least Sony plans on making theirs available for other uses, so perhaps you can burn a copy of your favorite movie. Although who knows what media compression formats the PSP will be able to read. I'm not saying Sony's other formats are anything but overpriced and underperforming, but at least they're opening up the portable gaming device market a bit.

    --
    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
  9. Re:I think by The+Desert+Palooka · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I agree... Nintendo seems to have a tendency to underquote the actual battery and range of things... Like the wavebird, as mentioned before, they say it has 20 ft of range, in reality it has 90ft... Also they only say something is a feature when it's in there rock solid... Basically they seem to go Worst Case, Sony, in my experience, seems to go Best Case... and then pull back the specs as they can't accomplish certain things...

    I'm going with the DS. Nintendo understands the crucial points of this market... Price point, and battery life.

  10. Re:Battery Life by TLSPRWR · · Score: 3, Interesting

    For the original GBA, unless they gave an estimate of around 40 hours, that divide by two theory doesn't work. On their website, they have it listed as a battery life of 15 hours, though I've had a GBA last almost 24 hours on a single pair of AA batteries (volume off and on about half the time, no screen lighting). That's playing it about 30 minutes to an hour almost every day, and not having to change the batteries but once (or perhaps twice) a month.

    I'm not sure about the GBASP, but I'm sure it gets over the 18 hours (without backlight) that they predict. Nintendo always gives estimates about battery life that are lower than reality, it seems. If Nintedo says '6 to 10 hours' I believe them.

    Just my $0.02

  11. Re:White Headphones by Sargondai · · Score: 2, Interesting

    actually, looking at this picture, it looks like it'll be yet another proprietary headphone jack. Didn't Sony learn anything from the GBA-SP 'mistake'?

  12. You're smoking what now? by oGMo · · Score: 3, Interesting
    the games.. That's all that really matters. Have you looked at the lineup for the two systems on ebgames? Nintendo's games are, for the most part, hand-hend games. The GBA's best titles (Advance Wars, FFT:A), would not work as home console games. They were designed specifically to be 'pick up and play', and put down for an hour, then play again.

    GBA games are mostly ports of console games. FFTA is basically a watered-down version of the original FFT, which was for PSX (and worked quite well there). Ports of all the Super Mario Allstars games (as individual carts), ports of Zelda, ports/remakes of old games (Shining, Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy Adventure/Sword of Mana, Metroid ZM, direct NES title ports).

    The few titles that have been original (Golden Sun, Metroid Fusion, etc.; you know the ones) haven't been that great, either. Castlevania has been good. Wario Ware was funny and fun. Advance Wars was good. But c'mon here. I bought a GBA and a GBA SP, hoping for a whole new lineup of SNES-era games, and all I got was ports.

    The PSP seems to have mostly ports of PS2 games. This won't work, but I suspect most people will ignore this fact, and be turned on by the sexy graphics of the PSP, and the PSP will do well, with shitty games, because most people are too stupid to base their opinion on anything that matters anyway.

    I don't know what you're smoking, but you obviously haven't had beyond a cursory glance at what the PSP will be offering. You saw Gran Turismo 4, and heard that there would be Metal Gear, and though "ports!"

    There are already a good number of original games lined up. Ren Goku. Mercury. Metal Gear Acid (no, this is not a port, and no, the fact it's turn-based is actually pretty logical). The Gagharv. Ten No Kagi. Many more, go look (psp.ign.com or the like).

    It is all about the games. That's what Sony has to offer: a great selection of original games.

    --

    Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage

  13. GBA SP by sbszine · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I get 10 hours with backlight on from my SP, so this seems reasonable. (I have the sound off, tho', 'cos there's no sodding headphone jack).

    --

    Vino, gyno, and techno -Bruce Sterling