Hacking How dead is the PSP?

[Attacker3]

I've just found my PSP. I was very active in the hacking and modding scene, but now I'm wondering how active it is today. The PSP seems to be the only hackable portable system right now, so is it dead or is it alive? I'm very interested. I hope it's not on it's last breath. I really do.

 

[Nathan Drake]

It's dead. Real dead. At the least the hacking and modding scene for PSP is basically lifeless, and otherwise the Vita scene is more focused on basically turning it into a PSP in power and function. As a fun fact, the PSP is getting an actual new release, well, localization (two of them) here in the West in the next 12 months or so, but yeah, otherwise the PSP is not really an actively developed on console in pretty much any sense.

 

[Attacker3]

That's such a shame. It makes me sad to see such a good community die out like this. So, is the vita hacked yet? If it is then I want it.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Well, I just read that Sony killed the Vita. What is Sony doing. Are they developing a new system, or are they out on the portable scene? I just want a portable emulation device, with actual buttons. Do you guys have any suggestions?

 

[Nathan Drake]

That's such a shame. It makes me sad to see such a good community die out like this. So, is the vita hacked yet? If it is then I want it.

Ha. If only. Nah, the Vita has gotten exclusively PSP mode hacks so far, which are, uh, good if you really want a second analog for certain games, I guess. Otherwise it is kind of a waste for anybody that has a perfectly functional PSP, as those PSP mode hacks are locked in the PSP sandbox. There might be a Vita userland exploit coming soon-ish, but that is really up in the air and entirely uncertain. Even then, the entry point won't allow for full use of the Vita's features, and there is no guarantee that it will ever be developed enough to be worthwhile.

My recommendation for the Vita is to either buy it and sit on it, play some Vita games and use it as a Vita until the scene magics something up, or just hold off until something worthwhile happens. You can check wololo.net for the latest Vita hacking news.

And yeah, Sony declared the Vita a legacy system which means they do not intend on officially supporting it in any way, shape, or form anymore. Some third party content is still coming, but it's pretty much all weeaboo games (which are my cup of tea, but might not be yours).

As for a handheld with buttons, the Nvidia Shield comes to mind. There's the tablet which is stronger, but it uses a seperate controller. There's the Shield TV as well, but clearly that is not handheld. Although it's a few years old, I still don't think there is a stronger, open handheld gaming device with buttons.

 

[Attacker3]

Thanks for your post. I'll take a look at the Nvidia Shield, and have it as a backup once my PSP breaks on me. It sorta pisses me off how all these companies try and prevent the hacking of a system, even though it would bring in more sales. They don't have to actively announce it, but hey, if they want to ignore a big source of sales, then they can be my guest.

I should maybe start up a company. Call it something cool and easy to remember. Handheld, portable, and powerful enough to emulate Nintendo 64 games. It would be used specifically for emulation, and it would be opensource, so if you want to make a change to it, then you can. It would also be relatively cheap, and have around 60GB of space, with an option for external storage. Also it would be easy to repair. Now I have to find some geeks more powerful than I...

 

[Kayot]

My PSP is totally dead. I just started charging it. I wish these didn't kill their batteries when turned off.

Also, don't bother making a company that creates awesome and powerful handhelds. There's already one and it runs on Android. PPSSPP runs fine on my Blu (115$) and the N64 emulator works great with a Wiimote. In the next few years these phones will probably be powerful enough to run Wii games via Dolphin. Some already can.

 

[gamewitch]

I wouldn't say that ot is entirely dead, Japan is getting like ten or so releases. The US is getting one more. (Granted they both are localizations.) While the homebrew scene has slowed to a crawl it still is seeing the occasional release. Check out Wololo.net , it is where most of the PSP/Vita scene is.

 

[TecXero]

The PSP homebrew scene is still slowly kicking over on Wololo. There's even a newer CFW that's been worked on in the past year and a couple of updated emulators. Nothing like when DAX was around, but I'd say it's still enough to warrant looking into.

 

[Yuu Ho]

psp is now belongs to homebrew...

 

[mechagouki]

The PSP (or any older system) is as dead as you let it be. Have you played every good game on the system? Have you maxed out the storage (I believe people have successfully had 128GB working in it)?

I have 3 now; a 1000, a 3000 and a Go, as well as a Vita which lets you do the same stuff but on a beautiful 5" screen.

They make great emulator machines, and actually have a ton of really good games. I use mine more than any other system I own and will continue to do so.

Handheld N64 emulation worth having is still a ways off I think.

 

[blindseer]

I used my psp more as a portable ps1 then anything else, but yeah the psp scene is just about dead now. RIP

 

[zfreeman]

I had a recent build of PSP Retroarch that ran pretty well.

 

[Sagatsu]

Magellan dead

 

[migles]

well, psp was the console with most homebrew and cool stuff... with a true custom firmware, it was the wonders of homebrew....

however, after the psp, android become famous, since its open source and almost every phone has it now.. portable console homebrew become kinda irrelevant...
the psp had homebrew for lots of functions... there was homebrew games, calculators, tools, calendars, file managers, readers.. emulators, even chat like msn.. there was a bit of everything...

but now with android devices.. there is no great use of console homebrew, its still cool, but now an android phone can do everything that a portable can do.. whats left on consoles like psp is rom\iso loading... so that you can play the games designed for that system...

in the past i used my psp for lots of stuff, i even used it as a calculator in school, or to read e-books, music etc..
but now i only would use it to play pirated psp games.. but its still a great emulator anyway...
and i can just got a gamepad that attaches to the phone if i don' like to play using a touchscreen on the phone..

and as a developer side.. there is no really a reason to develop stuff for a console anymore.. of course you can still translate games and modify, but for homebrew there is no great reason, android is open source and much more easy to develop and share...
the only reason to develop to a console is the "trill" about unsigned\foreign code, its the feeling about you doing something that is kinda forbidden... and in case you don't have a buck to buy a cheap ass phone.. or because you just feel like to...

psp huge success was thankfully to being a portable device (that was kinda easily to hack and to develop to) and because android was not a thing...

 

[Yuu Ho]

The only new homebrew PSP games available in here, but you need to cleverly create it: http://www.chronocrash.com/forum/index.php?topic=2292.msg30923;topicseen#new

 

[Kippykip]

well, psp was the console with most homebrew and cool stuff... with a true custom firmware, it was the wonders of homebrew....

however, after the psp, android become famous, since its open source and almost every phone has it now.. portable console homebrew become kinda irrelevant...
the psp had homebrew for lots of functions... there was homebrew games, calculators, tools, calendars, file managers, readers.. emulators, even chat like msn.. there was a bit of everything...

but now with android devices.. there is no great use of console homebrew, its still cool, but now an android phone can do everything that a portable can do.. whats left on consoles like psp is rom\iso loading... so that you can play the games designed for that system...

in the past i used my psp for lots of stuff, i even used it as a calculator in school, or to read e-books, music etc..
but now i only would use it to play pirated psp games.. but its still a great emulator anyway...
and i can just got a gamepad that attaches to the phone if i don' like to play using a touchscreen on the phone..

and as a developer side.. there is no really a reason to develop stuff for a console anymore.. of course you can still translate games and modify, but for homebrew there is no great reason, android is open source and much more easy to develop and share...
the only reason to develop to a console is the "trill" about unsigned\foreign code, its the feeling about you doing something that is kinda forbidden... and in case you don't have a buck to buy a cheap ass phone.. or because you just feel like to...

psp huge success was thankfully to being a portable device (that was kinda easily to hack and to develop to) and because android was not a thing...

Only thing is touchscreens are crap for emulators/GOOD GAMES and physical bluetooth controls are a pain to set up.
I know that some people have made an android portable handheld with buttons but they're a bit underpowered when it comes to emulating some PS1 games.

Also another cool thing with the psp was that you could connect it to av output which is cool when going to hotels etc.

 

[migles]

Also another cool thing with the psp was that you could connect it to av output which is cool when going to hotels etc.

funny that now i realized something...
the 1000 had ir, which (unofficially) you could controll the tv
but the 2000+ had tv output...
why didn't sony thought keeping the IR thing so we could use the psp to automatically switch the tv to show psp channel\source\input

 

[kristianity77]

The PSP is dead in the sense that little to nothing is planned in the future for it outside of unofficial translations and such. But on the other hand, its still alive in many respects if you have games to play on it. Its a perfect system for going through all the old PS1 games, and there is a huge backlog of PSP titles to play if you haven't already. So its still relevant in a sense that there is literally years worth of games to play on it if you see fit. Some apps still work to this day and I still use them (like PSPRadio). The emus don't get updated any more but having said that, there are a few emulators that are nigh on perfect anyway. Anything Gameboy, Master System, Gamegear, Genesis, Neo Geo will run perfectly on it at full speed. Whilst emus for SNES and GBA aren't so bad minus a few speed issues (personally though I don't use these - its either got to be close to perfect or it's just not worth it for me).

 

[Deleted member 333767]

PSP scene itself is dead. But theres pretty kewl stuff happening inside the PSP emulator on the PS Vita. It's been a while since i dusted off my PSV and had a play!

 

[yuyuyup]

Hopefully one day, CarlKenner will continue working on bringing PPSSPP to the Oculus Rift DK2 like he's done with Dolphin VR.