PSP2 Rumor Thread - Reveal on Jan 27th?

[xtop]

Eurogamer.es is reporting that PowerVR technology from Imagination Technologies will form the basis of the still-in-development PSP2. The site claims to have insider sources that reckon that a quad core iteration of the low-power SGX543MP chip, codenamed "Hydra", will be present in the next generation handheld, not to be confused with the forthcoming PSPgo.

The chip itself appears to be very close indeed to the enhanced GPU experts say resides within the iPhone 3GS, providing a generational leap in performance over older PowerVR MBX processors found in the previous models. The same technology is also found in select netbooks such as the Dell Mini 12, as part of the new low power Poulsbo chipset. The single core version of the chip has been demonstrated at CES running Quake 3 Arena at 30FPS.

The obvious difference of course is that the SGX543MP is a multicore processor, available with anything up to 16 cores on tap. According to the original report, PSP2 opts for a quad configuration offering notional specs of 133 million polygons per second, and 4Gpixels/sec fillrate, assuming that Hydra operates at the chip's low-end of 200MHz (higher speed variants are also available, presumably for desktop use). While specs like this are always subject to interpretation, these figures are a ballpark match for the original Xbox. However, PowerVR's tech includes tile-based deferred rendering, which should provide a nice performance boost.

Also of interest is the fact that Imagination Technologies itself describes the chip as a GP-GPU, meaning it has the ability to operate as both CPU and graphics processor in one handy package, similar to projects being worked on by Intel and AMD. It may well be that PSP2 will centralise all of its processing into a single chip, thus saving power and providing other efficiency savings from a programming perspective (lightning fast interaction between game logic and graphics, for example).

So just how plausible is the original Spanish Eurogamer report? Having shared with us some of the more "off the record" information about the source of the info, it's a likely proposition, not least because Sony is hotly rumoured to have been the mystery "major international consumer electronics company" mentioned in this press release issued back in November last year.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-psp2-features-quad-core-gpu-blog-entry

i'm seeing talk about this, and depending on when sony wants to launch, we could be looking at a psp that goes well beyond the power of the lowly xbox, and closer to the power of the 360

 

[xtop]

Rumor: Sony Planning to Release PSP 2 Holiday, 2011

http://www.1up.com/news/rumor-psp-2-holiday-2011

If the latest PSP 2 rumor turns out to be true, the Nintendo 3DS may not have too much of a head start on Sony's next-gen handheld. According to VG247, a "British source familiar with the matter" says Sony has told publishers and developers to expect the PSP 2 to launch by the 2011 holiday season.
If accurate, that'd likely put the PSP 2 out about nine months or so after the 3DS, which launches in Japan in February and North America in March. It seems VG247's source didn't have much else to say on the subject, but this does at least appear to line up with previous PSP 2 rumors we've heard. Late last month, a rumor emerged that PSP 2 development kits had been sent out across the industry to get started on building a "significant launch window line-up" for the system. We can only assume if you're going to make a launch game for a new hardware, it'd be helpful to have an idea of when that hardware will actually be released.

Other rumored features for the PSP 2 include what's been described as a "touch-sensitive area" on the back of the system, but as you've probably noticed by now, all of these stories have the word "rumor" associated with them. There's very little officially known about Sony's next handheld, other than that they've confirmed it won't feature glasses-free 3D.

So if this launch window rumor is true, we'll probably see an official announcement of the PSP 2 at E3 next year -- or, perhaps, maybe even at GDC in late February. We'll see.

 

[mobius387]

No More PSP Dev Kits

Sony developers are indicating the end of the distribution of development kits for the PSP. It looks like the PSP2 console rumor news is real.

The End of the Current PSP Has Been Confirmed Officially

Here is the message from a Spanish distribution, translated from Spanish to English:

SCEE will no longer be selling the psp development tool (dtp-t2000a) or testing tool (dtp-h2500a) past November, 15th. Please order in advance if you require these development units.

We will advise you when a new model becomes available.

It is not surprising that the second generation PSP will make it's appearance in 2011, since the Nintendo 3DS will be available in March. There are currently rumours about this all over the internet, but we will need to wait for Sony to officially announce it. The PSP2 is most likely not coming out before 2011.

pspgweber.com/psp-article660-The-End-of-the-Current-PSP-Has-Been-Confirmed-Officially.html

 

[mobius387]

PSP2 to be 'larger, HD' according to new reports

Around the time of the Tokyo Game Show, Sony held a private meeting at its offices in Tokyo's Aoyama. The purpose was to show off the PSP2.

Several sources have confirmed to Kotaku that the PSP2 does have a previously rumored touch panel on the back of the hardware. The touch panel was described as looking like a big mouse trackpad. When Sony showed the PSP2, it did not provide concrete details regarding how the trackpad will be implemented in games and instead is leaving that to the discretion of game developers.

Sources also confirm to Kotaku that the handheld will have dual analog sticks. Sony's game controllers traditionally have dual analog sticks, but the current PSP model does not. Dual analog sticks would bring the PSP controls more in line with what gamers experience on Sony's home consoles.

The screen itself is not only sharper than the current PSP's, but about an inch larger. The larger screen means that the PSP2 will be larger as well. In the private meetings, Sony is touting the screen as "HD".

A larger PSP should not be that big of an issue for Sony — especially in a mobile environment with large tablets like the iPad. It also shows that Sony realizes it is no longer simply competing with Nintendo, but also Apple.

It is unclear whether this is the same handheld described by the Wall Street Journal. According to the paper, Sony is working on a device that mixes a game player, an e-book reader and a netbook computer.

In late September, there were also reports that the PSP2 hardware was in the hands of "numerous" developers.

Currently, the PSP2's hardware is not finalized, and Sony is having problems balancing battery, power and heat. There are apparently overheating issues, but Sony is, of course, aiming to have those issues corrected by the time the hardware is publicly shown.

Sony set the PSP2's goals (what Sony wants it to do), but is still tinkering with the portable's innards. The PSP2's tech specs are expected to change, meaning that things like chip size and processor size are variable. What's more, the hardware Sony showed was "temp hardware", so the final design is expected to change.

Apparently, Sony has privately shown two versions of the new PSP. One version slides open like the PSPgo, and another version is similar in shape to the regular PSP. These are prototypes, because Sony has yet to finalize the PSP2 hardware design.

Sources tell Kotaku that the PSP2's release window is fall 2011. Sony is not yet talking openly about the PSP2.

Sony did not offer a comment in time for publication.

Update: Sony replied, stating it did not comment on rumor or speculation.

kotaku.com/5672410/

 

[mobius387]

this is what i wanted. something between a psp and an ipad. lets just hope it either has lots of internal memory or microSD card slots so it allows more games to be downloaded.

 

[mobius387]

EA: PSP2 exists

The PSP2 exists and EA has had access to it - according to the publisher's senior vice president Patrick Soderlund.

Rumours of the tech included in Sony's new handheld have been bouncing around games news sites of late - from talk of an HD screen to hints that it will rival Xbox 360's power.

However, no major publisher has admitted that it has seen the device - until now.

In a new interview, which will be published on CVG soon, we asked EA's Soderlund: "Have you had any exposure at all to the PSP2?"

He replied: "Well, obviously as a developer we have had that - but I'm not allowed to talk about it."

Soderland was obviously reluctant to talk about Sony's new hardware - and skilfully avoided giving away any more detail.

When asked about his expectations for the console, he said: "We can't talk about it because of our relationship with Sony obviously, which is... That's just the way it is."

Soderland's comments come after Mortal Kombat's executive producer Shaun Himmerick's admission that his studio had access to PSP2. We think it's safe to say that the console's out there as we speak. Who wants one?

EA's currently pushing high-speed racer Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, which got its first review in the new issue of GamesMaster - with a very impressive 93 percent at the end of it.

computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=273297

 

[BlueCali]

lol, the PSP2 is a console now... so funny CVG.

 

[mobius387]

lol, the PSP2 is a console now... so funny CVG.

technically, they all are

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console

 

[BlueCali]

technically, they all are

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console

Wiki?

 

[mobius387]

Wiki?

ive had professors reference wikipedia in medical school. its turning into a semi-legit source. and its not like i was writing a literary paper

point being, handhelds are a category of consoles

 

[BlueCali]

ive had professors reference wikipedia in medical school. its turning into a semi-legit source. and its not like i was writing a literary paper

point being, handhelds are a category of consoles

Yep so have I, and then we can't use it in term papers. Wiki is a great resource in certain situations.

 

[xtop]

why aren't handhelds consoles?

 

[BlueCali]

why aren't handhelds consoles?

This was the downfall of the PSP..... as said by many.

 

[xtop]

This was the downfall of the PSP..... as said by many.

oh i see what you did

i think you're reading too much into it

 

[xtop]

Well, this is interesting. VG247 has published what it says are pics from an early Sony PSP2 development kit. There isn't much to go by in terms of back story, and in many ways it looks more like a KIRF from Mr. Blurrycam's vintage collection than something for software testing, but let's hear what the site has to say: HD screen, two cameras (front and rear), microphone, two thumbsticks, and a rear "trackpad" of sorts, presumably akin to what we've seen on the PS Phone leak. VG247 later updated to say that a source claims it's an earlier version of the kit and that a revision has since been developed without a sliding screen -- a move to perhaps deal with (also rumored) overheating concerns. We know a PSP2 exists in some form, so this can go one of two ways -- either cleaner shots will be found, or an entirely different leak will surface later. Given the suspect Fall 2011 debut, we have plenty of time to wait around and see.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/17/early-psp2-slider-dev-kit-in-the-wild/

 

[mobius387]

EA’s Riccitiello expressed his thoughts on Apple posing a threat towards Sony’s handheld market share. While he has heard theories about Apple making things difficult in the handheld domain, he doesn’t believe it will impact Sony much.

He stated, “Having something as powerful as a PlayStation 3 in your pocket is a pretty compelling idea.” He then went on to draw parallels to the significance of Blu-ray to the PS3 with PSP2’s potential.

Interestingly enough I don’t think Blu-Ray resonated much with consumers when it was first part of the package [PS3]… I think [Blu-Ray] is resonating now in a pretty big way, because a consumer doesn’t have to buy two devices when they can get one and it’s not multiple discs for a large game, it’s one disc and the fidelity is higher.

He then goes on to say:

Sometimes the competitive advantage requires games to show it off to prove its compelling. So reading in a press release that it’s as powerful as a high-end console in your pocket is sort of a little flat. Look at it [PSP2] the first time; when you actually see it happening it can be awfully compelling.

Its actually quite “compelling” just to hear Riccitiello confidently declare that you will be impressed just by looking at the games on the device.

Update: from IGN regarding the PSP2 CPU raw power

“The processor, we’re told, is just over half as powerful as the PS3, though the specific framework of the cores and the clock speed was not revealed.

psp2insider.com/2010/12/psp2-as-powerful-as-a-ps3/

 

[xtop]

i'm just glad the new rumors have the playstation phone and the psp2 being 2 completely different platforms

 

[mobius387]

Hey folks! I bring to you some interesting news from my local GameInformer magazine (Australia edition). First of all, developers have described the PSP2 as a very powerful machine that could stand running the likes of Uncharted 3. Moreover, the PSP 2 is carrying a codename of 'Veta'. The revelations come via an article in the magazine which is titled 'Playstation's new portable'. This is also supported by revalations online that the PSP2 has more internal memory than the Xbox 360 (1GB).

 

[Sixteenvolt420]

I wish i had more time for portable gaming. I sold my DS a little over a year ago, due to no time to play it. Now my PSP Go just sits here and rarely gets played. The PSP 2, looks pretty cool though.

 

[xtop]

Hey folks! I bring to you some interesting news from my local GameInformer magazine (Australia edition). First of all, developers have described the PSP2 as a very powerful machine that could stand running the likes of Uncharted 3. Moreover, the PSP 2 is carrying a codename of 'Veta'. The revelations come via an article in the magazine which is titled 'Playstation's new portable'. This is also supported by revalations online that the PSP2 has more internal memory than the Xbox 360 (1GB).

the comparison's they're making are pretty laughable

 

[xtop]

Mock Up

http://kotaku.com/5720126/will-the-psp2-look-like-this

Note these images are not from Sony. They're mock-ups. But since they're mock-ups of an image that claims to be of a real PSP2, they're still worth looking at!

These pics, commissioned by PSM3 and put together by this guy, formed part of a recent news article in the magazine, speculating on both the PSP2 and (still unofficial) PlayStation Phone.

Taking the blurry, x-rayified pics first published on VG247 as a foundation, they've whipped up a pair of images that show the rumoured handheld in all its rumoured glory.

How close these shots come to the final product we won't know until we get our first official look at the PlayStation Portable's successor. But until that time, it's nice looking at a PSP with two thumbsticks!