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Sony On PSP Future: “We’re Not Moving Away From UMD”

Although Sony has already introduced the UMD-less PSP Go, they still plan to offer the PSP-3000 alongside the new unit, which means they're still committed to the UMD format.

This is a fact that Sony wishes to reinforce: UMD isn't going to fall by the wayside any time soon. According to a recent Develop interview with Sony Europe's Zeno Colaco, the PSP "probably has the best UMD lineup ever on PSP this year." Several blockbuster titles will arrive within the next month, and that includes both Gran Turismo PSP and LittleBigPlanet PSP , but don't forget about Tekken 6 , Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge . Said Colaco:

“I think the key thing is that we’re not moving away from UMD just because we’re making strides in digital distribution. From the beginning we’ve said we’re sticking to a two-SKU program that will sustain PSP and PSPgo. Most of our projected sales for this year are via UMD. We’ve already got strong support on the UMD-side, so it’s time we expanded further."

Let's not forget that many millions of people (about 30, currently) own one of the UMD iterations of the PSP, so it wouldn't make much sense for Sony to abandon the format entirely. Granted, they will likely switch over to all digital at some point, but it certainly won't be any time soon. This should appease all those who think their current portable model is suddenly out-of-date, and they won't be seeing any more games for it. Don't you worry, peeps.

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Karosso
Karosso
15 years ago

Good to hear. My launch PSP chubby still going strong and I don't mind downloading but, some games just feels right to own the actual disk.

bebestorm
bebestorm
15 years ago

There are some titles I don't mind downloading but there are titles that I want physical media.

ace_boon_coon
ace_boon_coon
15 years ago

i'll stick with my old psp. i can't really afford 250 foe the pspgo. i'll wait for a price drop

Jawknee
Jawknee
15 years ago

Any info on their "good will" program? Would be neat to be able to rip your UMD games to take with you on a PSP Go.

Solid Fantasy
Solid Fantasy
15 years ago

Thank God. It would be a douche bag move by Sony to abandon physical media this early on in the game. I'm all for advances in gaming technology, but it can be pricey to keep up with it when companies just dish out one new console after another. Sony has good at not doing this in the past.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
15 years ago

Sony has sold 50+ million PSPs with UMD drives, why the heck would they drop support for those consumers?

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
15 years ago

Ben, I'm not normally one to pick holes in the articles here, but Sony has sold more than 50 million PSPs since the unit launched. If we go by your statement that there are about 30 million people with UMD based PSPs that would mean that about two thirds of those 30 million have two PSPs. While I have no doubt that there are many with more than one PSP (I myself have two, although one of them should probably count for my wife) I think you're understating the ownership numbers for the PSP by millions.

The PSP is a perfect test-lab for experimenting with digital distribution because the games for the PSP are not so large that you can't distribute digitally. The PSP Minis are smaller still and make digital distribution much easier, and you have two SKUs one with UMD and one without. So Sony can test the waters, and transition from physical to digital without abandoning any users.


Last edited by TheHighlander on 9/11/2009 12:04:14 PM

Scarecrow
Scarecrow
15 years ago

Cool

Still getting the GO though

Sol
Sol
15 years ago

I don't mind UMD. Never have. Plus, I'm the type of collector that likes to have my cases lined up in alphabetical order, like a good bookshelf. You just can't do that with downloads.

tes37
tes37
15 years ago

I get made fun of a lot by people for keeping movies and games in alphabetical order. But I can go right to what I'm looking for with no problem.

BigBoss4ever
BigBoss4ever
15 years ago

i love to collect UMDs, like FF Crisis Core, FF Dissidia, GOW Chain of Olympus, FF Tactics Wars of Lions etc, going digital and formless is not the way for me. i enjoy looking at the box art, holding the manuals and looking at the characters on the cover other than playing the games, thats the integral part of the gaming for me.

Metal Head
Metal Head
15 years ago

How about allowing gamers to download all our playstation games on the new pspgo. I have no problem switching umd games at all. Classic PXstation games are perfect on the psp.

emmykat
emmykat
15 years ago

this is good news, i can't afford the Go so i gotta buy a 3000! good to know i won't be missing out on all the decent games…

monkeypunch2
monkeypunch2
15 years ago

I've had 2 UMD discs break. They would be better off with a game cartridge based on memory cards. San Disk has 32GB memory cards in the works if not out already. This is much larger than UMD capacity. Plus no one wants to lug around 12 UMD discs.

BTW I'm still pissed they don't have an app store or touch screen. PSPGo == fail.

satyadg
satyadg
15 years ago

UMD fails because its too costly to be a handheld games – sony is too serious with the handheld systems making everything on their own and adding up the cost.common this is a video games – a time pass system – why will anyone spend so much