Gaming UMD-less PSP on the way???

[gblock247]

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/6915...le_In_2009.html

Discuss?

 

[p1ngpong]

Seems like a bad idea to bring out a new UMD-less PSP, the thing isnt exactly a success, and to bring out a version not compatible with all the games already out isnt too smart. Plus sticking a big solid state drive in the thing would be a hackers dream. But it probably will come out considering all the games companies these days love to make stupid illogical moves!

 

[kobykaan]

Lol I ALREADY DON'T use my UMD

..... this isn't a real product or even a SONY thought/view/idea on a new next gen PSP ... It's some idiot from GameSutra's wet dream about what THEY would like the next PSP to be like!

It aint never going to happen!

as above why would they want to loose out on sales of a huge back catalogue of software in favour of an internal solid state drive that would probably push the price to probably triple what it is now if not more!

added to it would be reverse engineered and CFW enabled anyhow so would be pointless

sure the 3000 has not been hacked YET ..note the word YET! ... im sure its not that far away most if not all stuff can be hacked sooner or later ...look at DSi ...took them about 2 maby 3 weeks tops to get a flash card working on it .....

DAX and his team are no doubt working on it and will release it sometime soon maby not in the next month but hey they have REAL LIVES but they will do it

 

[AGENT209T]

nothing really there that drives me to say OH YEAH. i already don't use my UMD except for a bypass for CFW. but if its for real will watch and see.

 

[Ferrariman]

Why the fuck would Sony shoot themselves in the foot?

 

[Doomsday Forte]

Why the fuck would Sony shoot themselves in the foot?

Where were you during the 3000's shelf-life? *runs*

 

[Knarf]

nothing really there that drives me to say OH YEAH. i already don't use my UMD except for a bypass for CFW. but if its for real will watch and see.

You don't even need to. enable VHS menu in recovery and set the drive to M33.

Also I think this is good for the hackers, but a very bad idea for sony.

 

[theforbidden1]

i bought i PSP with the UMD drive broken

 

[AGENT209T]

You don't even need to. enable VHS menu in recovery and set the drive to M33.

LOL nice learn something new everyday ok i NOW do not use my UMD drive unless i have to thanks GoldenfrankO

 

[Raestloz]

Total lie is total lie, UMD was made exclusively for PSP, a UMD-less PSP means throwing all the effort researching and creating UMD and its tools

SONY will NEVER do such a thing, it's like creating a Blu-Ray-less PS3, which is a bullshit

 

[Jiggah]

Total lie is total lie, UMD was made exclusively for PSP, a UMD-less PSP means throwing all the effort researching and creating UMD and its tools

SONY will NEVER do such a thing, it's like creating a Blu-Ray-less PS3, which is a bullshit

This argument would be great except for the fact that UMD failed. At some point, the amount of money spent on research is lost, take a look at HD-DVD.

1.) We already know that Sony had an ISO loader in place.
2.) With the advent of the Playstation Store, which can be accessed on the PSP itself and from a computer, one can still get games.
3.) Unlike say the DSi removing the GBA slot, this doesn't really cut any of the older models out. All the models can play ISOs.

 

[Raestloz]

UMD did not fail, take a look at NDS cartridge, a total fail since flashcarts came out, but it's selling, so it didn't fail. Unlike HD-DVD which has a competitor (that is, Blu-Ray, and it apparently own HD-DVD) UMD has no competitor at all, it can't fail, if everybody is honest that is.

 

[Jiggah]

There is a huge difference. Even if NDS does have flash carts, it's hard to argue that regular NDS games aren't selling because they are selling like hotcakes. The PSP is a different story. Only a handful of games are selling (i.e. MHF) and that's not in the U.S.. I'm pretty sure the sales figure of PSP games in the U.S. is no where close to the NDS. On top of which Sony wanted to use it as a delievery system for media as well, which honestly failed (even without competition). Every gaming news site has already stated that UMD is a dead. The alternative is just plain faster and more reliable. Sony needs a way to pentrate the mass market, a UMD-less system could be the way. As I stated before, this in no way leaves any previous owners out, as all models are able to download and play the games. The point of "honesty" is also a major motivation to move to this method. At this point, there is no stopping people from ripping ISO directly off UMDs anymore. Adding in a UMD-less selection would be a move to a new encryption system, potentially something that can't be beaten (highly doubtful, but if it last even say 6 months there could be residual benefits there). This also allows Sony to put out another SKU that has a completely different motherboard structure.

Thus far the only con I can see is some sort of method of allowing the users to retrieve/purchase games. The way I see it is that even for those without some sort of internet connection, Sony could easily set up kiosks at stores that allow users to log into the system and retrieve/purchase already purchased games. Also, the recent controversy regarding the reselling of games would be hugely avoided by this move.

The comparison to Blu-Ray is way out there btw. Blu-Ray is almost certainly needed for most games due to sheer size of the games. If you look those games that are small they are also offered also as downloadable. There isn't any restriction of that type on the PSP. The most a UMD will be is probably about 2 gigs at the most. That's not to say that Sony will get rid of UMD entirely, but they can then limit the number of physical UMDs made, thus cutting cost. This was the same reason why they decided to release some games for direct download and also on Blu-Ray; it's cost efficient.

 

[godsakes]

This argument would be great except for the fact that UMD failed. At some point, the amount of money spent on research is lost, take a look at HD-DVD.

as a film format i'd agree the UMD is a failure, people just aren't willing to buy a 2nd copy of their favourite films to watch on the PSP.

but as a game format it's enabled far more sound/graphic rich games to be played on the PSP compared to the DS. Pity graphics and sounds don't always equal commerical success, but that's less about the failure of the UMD but rather the huge success nintendo have had targeting the casual market.

 

[WildWon]

But w/out the drive, what about GBA games and my 3-in-1?
Oh, wrong system.

I'm getting a used PSP Fat for xmas. I cannot wait. And not just for hax0rz sake. I'm going to hop on all kinds of websites and random game stores and get as many UMD movies as possible. I want a HUGE UMD library. That way, my storage space can go to emulators and homebrew. I want NES on one more device (Apparently computer, phone, DS and Wii aren't enough for me. I want SMB on another non NES system.)

But i WILL be using my UMD drive.

 

[Jiggah]

This argument would be great except for the fact that UMD failed. At some point, the amount of money spent on research is lost, take a look at HD-DVD.

as a film format i'd agree the UMD is a failure, people just aren't willing to buy a 2nd copy of their favourite films to watch on the PSP.

but as a game format it's enabled far more sound/graphic rich games to be played on the PSP compared to the DS. Pity graphics and sounds don't always equal commerical success

But you can do the same thing with better reliability at a lesser cost, at this point cutting cost is kind of important to Sony. Sony also owns the the Memory Stick brand if I'm not mistaken, so it's a win for them either way.

 

[godsakes]

But you can do the same thing with better reliability at a lesser cost, at this point cutting cost is kind of important to Sony. Sony also owns the the Memory Stick brand if I'm not mistaken, so it's a win for them either way.

can we really say PSP games can be manufactured cheaper as memory sticks over UMDs? I suspect not myself but i accept i could be wrong.

downloadable content is definately the future but the issue for the sony is how would it affect current relationships with the retailers? if sony announced all future PSP games are going to be downloadable, will it just result in all the shops dumping the PSPs and concentrating on promoting the DS?

 

[Jiggah]

But you can do the same thing with better reliability at a lesser cost, at this point cutting cost is kind of important to Sony. Sony also owns the the Memory Stick brand if I'm not mistaken, so it's a win for them either way.

can we really say PSP games can be manufactured cheaper as memory sticks over UMDs? I suspect not myself but i accept i could be wrong.

downloadable content is definately the future but the issue for the sony is how would it affect current relationships with the retailers? if sony announced all future PSP games are going to be downloadable, will it just result in all the shops dumping the PSPs and concentrating on promoting the DS?

As I've stated, it doesn't have to be all. Some current owners will still use UMD, this is no different then Sony releasing WarHawk on both Blu-Ray and as a downloadable. Memory Sticks, unlike UMD, can be used for other purposes, so their cost vs. reliability goes up.

 

[godsakes]

As I've stated, it doesn't have to be all. Some current owners will still use UMD, this is no different then Sony releasing WarHawk on both Blu-Ray and as a downloadable.
the difference is the current PS3 accepts the current media, if sony replaced it with a hard drive only version, rest assured the retailers would be a bit miffed if sony told them not to worry because old PS3 owners would still buy the blu ray games. The day will come when the console manufacturers do that but we're probably a few yrs from that day.

QUOTE(Jiggah @ Dec 8 2008, 06:41 PM) Memory Sticks, unlike UMD, can be used for other purposes, so their cost vs. reliability goes up.

well if sony was to go down that route, i would have thought it would a read only memory stick (well maybe a small portion of wirte memory for game saves) similar to the ND's carts

 

[WildWon]

can we really say PSP games can be manufactured cheaper as memory sticks over UMDs? I suspect not myself but i accept i could be wrong.

I don't think it has to do with putting a game on a medium to sell it. I think that they'd drop UMDs for full on d-loadable play. You hop on, you buy your game through the PSN, and that 600meg game goes directly to your PSP (or maybe even computer if they'd so choose, as a backup use... somehow setup for your acct only, as to not have free d-loads for everyone... but someone will hack it.... but i digest digress heh) and not having an actual physical copy.

I mean, that makes a LOT of sense to me. Thats where a lot of companies are going (with digital/direct download services).

Also, Memory Sticks sell a LOT more than UMDs do, and then the sales will only spike.