Sony has been on a winning streak of managing the world’s best game studios that make the world’s best video games.
Google’s Android is, to many tech enthusiasts such as myself, the world’s best smartphone and tablet OS. I’ve got an Evo, and that device is absolutely amazing, particularly the OS, and the apps, they are really, really amazing – except the games are mediocre).
Combining the two has been a long time fantasy, and apparently, according to Engadget, that’s actually happening.
Wow.
One worrisome quote I see:
“Games will be graphically in the range of PSX or PSP games, meaning true 3D gaming is headed to Android”
I don’t believe that is right. The PSP is already over five years old, so for a new successor device, it’s reasonable to expect a major improvement, just like any other 5+ year console generation jump. I’m not expecting PS3 level 3D or anything, but merely achieving par with the old first-gen PSP would be a disappointment.
Overall, very exciting. Can’t wait to hear more.
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Written by: Darrin
- Contributing Editor
#1 by Fatalveli on August 11th, 2010 [ 840 Points ]
I dont see this as a successor to the original PSP, more like a PSPGO redesign. I still think (hope) there will be an official successor to the standard PSP in the future. But some very neat ideas are being thrown around with this new device, if the info is confirmed.
#2 by premiersoupir on August 11th, 2010 [ 6217 Points ]
would be awesome if the ps phone actually happened — been rumored for *years* and has never materialized, obviously.
#3 by Luke on August 11th, 2010
Darrin you still have to consider the fact that this is a phone type thingy. You can’t expect graphics that are going to blow you out of the water. I am sure that if this thing does see the light of day it’s going to blow everyone away.
I am taking this news as a stab at Apple. I remember one of the conferences they compared themselves to the NDS, PSP and some other gaming device.
Now SONY & Google are coming for them. Google just invested in an iPhone game developer: http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/11/google-ventures-invests-in-iphone-game-developer-ngmoco/
#4 by Gibb on August 12th, 2010 [ 2930 Points ]
First.. I’m surprised of this news and all giddy and stuff.. can’t wait to see this product.
Second, it remains to be seen which hardware is going to be used, but the video below shows you what you can expect from Android on a 1GHz ARM-8 board:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5D03ZLwuNc
What would totally surprise me is a new CPU/GPU platform that runs existing PSP games or Android OS running on Sony gaming hardware =)
#5 by Paranoimia on August 12th, 2010
The problem I see is not that the hardware is comparable with PSP, but what that means for battery life on the phone.
I’ve no problem with it being PSP standard graphics, as they are more than adequate for a handheld device – still better than anything else out there. Even the 3DS (which I like the look of, and want) didn’t look quite as good as the PSP in the E3 videos.
But if you put that kind of gaming power in a mobile device, the battery life will suffer. PSP only lasts around 6 hours, and if such games are available on a phone, well… what use is a phone that only lasts 6 hours if you’re out for 12 hours a day?
Smartphones have never interested me (I only want to make/receive calls, and have stuck with my SE K750i), but this definitely does. Depending on features, gaming ability and battery life, it may well be my first smartphone.
#6 by Ben on August 12th, 2010
I would like to see the hardware specs for something that can output better graphics than a PSP (which are in line with a PS1 and can run several PS2 games).
Something like that would cost you more than the nominal $200 w/ contract price.
To expect more than PSP graphics is absurd.
As of now, no phone has the hardware to optimally run PSP games at PSP level, (Processor, Graphics Processor, Memory, Storage, or Battery Life).
This sounds like a true pipe dream or it will flop because of slow loading times, and short battery life (something a true gamer will immediately become frustrated with).
#7 by Darrin on August 12th, 2010 [ 15187 Points ]
The high end Android handsets already have far more CPU/RAM power than a PSP. My Evo has 512 MB vs the original PSP’s 32 MB. Existing phone hardware may lag in terms of GPU, and it obviously lacks dedicated gaming controls (d-pad, analog nub, face buttons).
Today’s top Android handsets are also way more expensive than a PSP and are heavily subsidized through service contracts. With that same pricing model, delivering far better performance should be easy.
#8 by Darrin on August 12th, 2010 [ 15187 Points ]
Also, in terms of hardware performance, PSP is much closer to a PS2 than a PS1. Strictly, as a gamer, I’d guesstimate that PSP has 80% of the power of a PS2.