While its not a price point or release date, we have gradually been given more and more details on Sony’s “Next Generation Portable” in the week since its announcement at Playstation Meeting 2011. Those concerned that 3G functionality will jack up the cost of the system were both proven right and put at ease with the announcement that the handheld will debut in multiple SKUs, one featuring standard Wi-Fi and the other sporting the more travel-friendly 3G. Andrew House, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, confirmed the information in an interview with Eurogamer.
“The first thing to clarify, which I’m not sure the presentation did a perfect job of doing today, is that all of the devices will have Wi-Fi capability; a separate SKU will have 3G.” House clarified, “So the user gets a choice. Wi-Fi is available wherever, which clearly is the most important aspect of connectivity and that connected experience; 3G will be a subset of that.”
On the software side of things, Sony may have debuted quite a few new entries in exclusive franchises, but many of the studios behind the original games will not be returning for the portable iterations. Insomniac posting a Twitter message proclaiming that Nihilistic Software will be taking over the work for the system’s new Resistance title; the company is also borrowing some of Insomniac characters for the cross-over brawler Heroes on the Move.
A hands-on preview with Uncharted NGP also revealed a new developer taking over an established franchise, with Sony’s own Bend Studio replacing Naughty Dog. Bend has previously worked on the Siphon Filter series and the PSP-exclusive Resistance: Retribution.
For a full list of third developers currently working on NGP games, click here.
What are your initial thoughts on the NGP, E-Gs? Looking forward to new entries in these franchises? Comment below!
Well the 3G will only be portable friendly in your own country. As soon as you go to another country and start to use a different network, well you will be hit with double fees (one from the company in the other country, and the one you get your service in your own county).
I think there will be SKUs with different internal storage options as well. I think it is both good and bad that another developer is making the hand held titles. On the good hand it allows the original developers to focus on their main titles for the home consoles and allows those games to be the best they can be. However on the bad side of things, the new developer might not understand the entire feel of the title, so they can mess up a few things and make the game not like what the main entries are.
I just want Sony to give me a pricing for the system and also a shipping date. I will not pick one up at launch as I don’t know what games are coming out for it, or what potential problems the hardware will have. I usually wait 6 months for the system to be out so there is a variety of games to choose from.