[jonnybryce]

Mockup:

There's no question that gaming on the Android platform has heretofore been relatively underwhelming -- but that looks like it's all about to change. It seems that Sony Ericsson -- a company that has yet to even introduce an Android 2.0 device -- is at work on a project to redefine gaming on Google's mobile platform. We now know (via a trusted source) that the company is actively and heavily developing a brand new gaming platform, ecosystem, and device (possibly alongside Google) which are already in the late stages of planning. And we've got the goods on it.

Hardware
-Samsung Captivate meets PSP Go
-Landscape slider (no QWERTY - just like Go, game controls slide out)
-Dpad remains
-No analog nub; meet a "long touch pad" much like Blackberrys and the latest Moto + HTC phones
-3.7-4.1 inch display; WVGA or better resolution
-5 MP camera [tentative]
-Snapdragon 1GHz CPU
-Xpera project but expected to be branded Playstation
-"Looks pretty damn sexy"

Software
-Android 3.0 "Gingerbread"
-Android Market introduces new section for PS games
-Games may be made available for other non-PS branded powerful Android phones (not betting on it)
-PSX-PSP graphics
-Titles currently being shown off: God of War, Modern Warfare, LBP

October release possible

Right now we're working on getting even more detail about the phone and partnership, but we can tell you now that this is not a random rumor -- we have reason to believe that what we've heard and seen is real and coming to market.

Engadget

Is Sony is finally listening to what consumers want? Wowza. This will be all I ever want and need.

[AzureNightmare]

um...no

[crimzonflame]

wheres the dual analog?

[Mr_Brit]

If this happens instead of a proper PSP2 then I'm never buying a portable again.

[jonnybryce]

Seeing as how PSP still has many years left in it's life this will probably run PSP games - or atleast Minis - so they'd keep the same control scheme for compatibility.

If this happens instead of a proper PSP2 then I'm never buying a portable again.

Why can't this be something that comes out in between PSP-current and PSP2? PSP has a 10 year life cycle remember?

[Classic24]

SHOTS FIRED :lol

[alr1ght]

hows about they first develop a mobile site so I can actually check my FL/trophies? No, i'm not talking about some 3rd party app.

[Kandrick]

Is Sony is finally listening to what consumers want?

-No analog nub

Hmm... no.

[Gospel]

This is the bad idea. Not a bad idea, but the bad idea.

Is Sony is finally listening to what consumers want?

Are you serious?

Jesus, it's like the portable division just fell apart after PSP 3000.


.

[Man]

PlayStation games across Android phones? This is huge.

[Kuran]

Well.. that would be utterly _depressing_ news.

Why are we back to PSX-PSP graphics again? Dual Analog? A fucking cellphone?

No thanks.

[HamPster PamPster]

As someone who cares about battery life I hope they offer a non-phone version so I don't kill my phone after playing a game for 20 minutes

That said, I'm still holding out hope that a dual analog psp2 is coming at some point

[Brettison]

Mock up design needs work, but that's why they call it a mock up! Beyond that consider me EXTREMELY interested.

[Mama Robotnik]

So are they abadoning all hope of competing with the 3DS now, and are going for the App/Mobile phone game market instead?

As much as the 3DS excites me, I was really hoping for some proper competition this time round. Its usually good for the industry.

[WickedLaharl]

PSP still has many years left in it's life

i lol'd

sony, seriously, if you are listening please release a successor and not more revisions or hybrids.

[jonnybryce]

Are you serious?

A PSP phone has been rumored and desired forever. Sony has finally began tightening up the ship and putting all of its departments to work together so this makes sense.

Wow. Some gamers really hate cellphone gaming.

[lordfroakie]

PS1 graphics? :x

[V_Ben]

no analogue? dearie me sony, you're going backwards. How will you play Modern Warfare with no analogue? :lol

[Chris1964]

Seeing as how PSP still has many years left in it's life this will probably run PSP games - or atleast Minis - so they'd keep the same control scheme for compatibility. Why can't this be something that comes out in between PSP-current and PSP2? PSP has a 10 year life cycle remember?

You have big imagination.

[Vic]

Wait, Sony Ericsson is making this?

[Luckyman]

shit just got real

[Mr_Brit]

There is now way that Sony's dumb enough to release this as a replacement for the proper PSP 2, this is just an Android phone with some SCE games on it, don't be worried PSP 2 is coming next year.

Edit: So this is from Sony Ericsson and not SCE. Yeah, I was right this is just another android phone and not the PSP 2.

[Gospel]

A PSP phone has been rumored and desired forever. Sony has finally began tightening up the ship and putting all of its departments to work together so this makes sense. Wow. Some gamers really hate cellphone gaming.

Desired by who? You and some gaffers?

Convergence devices are neat in concept, but once it becomes a phone, it competes with every phone on the market. It also assumes problems associated with mobile devices such as carriers, pricing, among other things.

[jonnybryce]

There is now way that Sony's dumb enough to release this as a replacement for the proper PSP 2, this is just an Android phone with some SCE games on it, don't be worried PSP 2 is coming next year.

I don't get why everyone defaults to thinking this suggests the PSP2 is going to be a phone. Why can't there be both? There's obviously money to be made with mobile gaming and SE already makes phones. This would be a gaming phone not the PSP2.

[Hazelhurst]

Sony's next handheld will have dual analog sticks (nubs). How else are they going to resell their PS2 library. Unless they think they can get away with using virtual analog sticks on the touchscreen. That would suck.

[Pai Pai Master]

Meh, I'd consider buying this as my next phone but definitely not my next PSP.

[Man]

There is now way that Sony's dumb enough to release this as a replacement for the proper PSP 2

Really? The Android market is huge (outnumbering iPhone for starts). This is a brilliant move on their end.
Making another straight forward handheld, that would be short sighted.

[Corto]

Me wants. But, why no analog?

[GDGF]

ok

:lol

[SSJ1Goku]

There is now way that Sony's dumb enough to release this as a replacement for the proper PSP 2, this is just an Android phone with some SCE games on it, don't be worried PSP 2 is coming next year. Edit: So this is from Sony Ericsson and not SCE. Yeah, I was right this is just another android phone and not the PSP 2.

Yep, I see this as a stop gap. Remember Nvidia screwed Sony over with the parts for PSP2 supposedly, this is probably to try to keep PSP game dev going until PSP2.

[H_Prestige]

So basically there is no real psp2, just an android powered SE smartphone, and SCE will start making games for android.

Seems kind of meaningless. If they wanted to make cell phone games, they should be selling them on the iphone app store.

[Operations]

Not a bad idea. Symbian is as good as dead and a new propietary PSP gaming platform would only guarantee a repeat of the DS/PSP scenario. Might as well try to save those two business units with something that actually has a chance of becoming popular.

[Cruzader]

PS1 graphics? :x

They are just stating what its "possible" out of the machine.

PSP games have SNES(sorta like La Pucell/Priny) like games but you wont see "Snes-PS2 quality games" because dumb people like you would get a heart attack.

Also PSPhone...YES! only issue would be battery life.

[paskowitz]

Google and Sony should merge. :D

[jonnybryce]

Not like it proves anything since they've had their hits and misses but the Wall Street Journal reported SE was working on a PSP phone for 2010 release back in March.

Threatened by Apple Inc.'s growing stable of portable devices, Sony Corp. is developing a new lineup of handheld products, including a smart phone capable of downloading and playing videogames, according to people familiar with the matter.

VG247
WSJ

[-Pyromaniac-]

The best games on phones are ones specifically made for phones, you know, those unique experiences.

I don't need this shit, and I love my psp.

[Ephemeris]

As much as the technophile in me would love to have one, I'm sure it'll be pretty pricey.

[Crisis]

Sony just released a brand new phone on contract with AT&T in America for $199 for a two year contract. It runs Android 1.6. You think this phone will have Android 3.0?

[Guardian Bob]

:lol

People underestimating how huge iPhone/Android gaming market will be.

[Mr_Brit]

So basically there is no real psp2, just an android powered SE smartphone, and SCE will start making games for android. Seems kind of meaningless. If they wanted to make cell phone games, they should be selling them on the iphone app store.

Completely wrong. SE and SCE are completely separate. This is just another bland android phone by a run of the mill phone company, the real PSP 2 from SCE, the succesor to the PSP, is still coming.

[Zen]

Hmm... no.

Well it has a touchpad in place of the analogue nub, so that could actually be better.

[Corto]

...and a tentative October release seems too early. Maybe if there is some kind of announcement at Gamescom, but even so... hummmm.

[tzare]

no analog does not make any sense.

[Achtius]

Sony just released a brand new phone on contract with AT&T in America for $199 for a two year contract. It runs Android 1.6. You think this phone will have Android 3.0?

That phone is not new. Just new to AT&T.

And the x10 is getting upgrade sometime in Q4.

[Agent X]

wheres the dual analog?

Where's the single analog, even? I know this is an Engadget mock-up photo, so maybe they just forgot about it.

Also, what's with estimating that the graphics level is between PlayStation 1 and PSP? There's a fairly large difference in performance between the two. They'd need to meet or exceed PSP level of performance, and have compatibility with downloadable PS1 and PSP games, or else there isn't much of a point.

[kitchenmotors]

I have little faith in Sony as far as portables go after the PSP go. This seems like a stop-gag effort to pull some of the mobile phone gaming market away from Apple.

Why would someone spend money on this phone and (PSP priced) games unless there's some cross-compatibility? Can I transfer the same games from my PSP to this phone? Will Sony actually support this better than they did with the PSP go?

Will the game be downports? The whole appeal of mobile gaming is the low-price time wasters, where it's easy to make impulse buys and get quality games. Sony is not exactly known for keeping prices low on normal PSP software on PSN.

[Yoshi]

So PSP Go was a very successfull experiment?

[Man]

no analog does not make any sense.

"The D-pad is here, but instead of the small joystick, the device will have what was described as a "long touch pad" for analog controls, along with standard PSP buttons and shoulder buttons."

[spwolf]

shit just got real

yep. sony be smart. Hopefully it is Sony + SE working on this with lead from Sony PSP team.

[TheSeks]

No QWERTY, no sale.