Shots of Sony's PSP accessories: EyeToy, GPS, PSone support
Gamespot has some slides from Wednesday's PlayStation Business Briefing showing off the announced PSP peripherals, like the USB EyeToy, the PSP-290 GPS receiver, and the Memory Stick you're gonna load up classic PSone games on to. Alright, that last one doesn't really look that cool in the picture but trust us, it's pretty cool!
The EyeToy is due in September and the GPS receiver in October, so it would really have a nice ring to it if the PSone emulator and download service dropped in November. An even better release date would be "now" so we can play something besides ScummVM and GTA.
See also:
SCEA: PSP price drop to $199 on March 22nd; EyeToy, GPS, and PSone game-download support coming later
PS3 worldwide in November
[Via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James @ Mar 17th 2006 2:49PM
Out of sheer curiosity... how in the world is a PSP EyeToy going to work?
Wasn't the point of the PS2 EyeToy was the ability to use your hands to control a game without an actual control? And also, the lighting requirements for the PS2 EyeToy was a bit kooky, what's there to say that we won't see the same problems for the PSP?
How the PSP EyeToy works will be a really big point of intrigue. My guess is lots and lots of tounge action. :P
One_noc @ Mar 17th 2006 2:52PM
Not to nitpick, but can we please stop the 'There's nothing to play on the PSP!!!!' remarks? They were completely valid for a long time, but this month alone pretty much obliterates that point.
Syphon Filter
Daxter
Katamari
Both Mega Man games (so awesome)
and then the 'older' AAA titles on the psp:
Lumines
Wipeout Pure
Burnout Legends
Xmen Legends II
How much can you really complain about a systems lack of games when it has over 15 titles with above 80% on gamerankings. The DS has a whopping 17 at over 80%, and yet its praised like the second coming of Miyamoto.
Stop fronting and admit it. Whether they're games you like to play or not, the psp has a ton of high quality games at this point.
/End Rant
JodyAnthony @ Mar 17th 2006 2:56PM
I might actually pick up a psp, if only for the psone support. They need to drop it to $150, then it would give DS a run for its money.
oh well, i got my ds, and ive loved every second of it. even though animal crossing consumes my soul.
DG @ Mar 17th 2006 3:11PM
I thought the PSP was already a PS2 emulator?
polly @ Mar 17th 2006 3:27PM
Those peripherals look retarded. That is all.
Bill Baker @ Mar 17th 2006 3:51PM
once again common sense rears itself up in the face of unabashed fanboy bashing and is ignored as the rantings of a madman. people don't want to believe that something they think they're expected to hate has actual usefulness or even desireability- it deflates the e-penis to interject fact into a realm better occupied by speculation and outright misinformation.
#2 , I commend you for being standing alone against the tanks of internet idiocy, if only we had more of your gumption.
alex @ Mar 17th 2006 3:52PM
eye toy come on what else dance dance revolution mat for the psp and a light gun too.....lol
fawazr @ Mar 17th 2006 3:59PM
The argument isn't that there aren't any games for the psp. There have alwys been games for the psp. When it launched, there were games, and as One_noc pointed out with an exhaustive list, there are games this month. The problem is that Sony's approach to the PSP has made the gameplaying aspect a secondary selling point. Between their questionable ad campaign, this new array of peripheral devices (only one of which appears to have any direct effect on gameplay), and firmware updates that treat customers like criminals, it's hard to say that they've placed much focus on games. The criticism is that if Sony ever poured as much of their resources into PSP games as they do for UMD titles and DRM, the platform would be much better off.
John @ Mar 17th 2006 4:05PM
:-[ I think it's time to get rid of my DS, and save for a PSP. I can just imagine FF7 in my pocket...
JodyAnthony @ Mar 17th 2006 4:09PM
#6, what about me? i may have a ds and actually prefer it now, but the only reason i decided to get that instead of the psp was the price. I cant afford to spend $250 on a games device, i didnt even get the ds until the target $99 mistake, because that was the only time i could afford one.
I still think PSP and DS are two different markets, though. But the price reduction will definately end in more sales for sony. and I still think that if sony were to lower the price to $150, they would sell a lot more. sure they would take a bigger loss than they are now, but they would surely make up the difference in UMD and game sales.
That's not to say that one system is better than the other, or that the PSP isn't worth the $250 (or soon to be $199) but its still too steep for a handheld.
Dave @ Mar 17th 2006 4:12PM
I've made fun of the PSP lineup for a while, but this month's games do make me stand and pay attention. I may even consider buying another PSP (got rid of my launch PSP due to burnt pixels and lack of Castlevania) if SOTN and FF7 somehow make it on. I'm not going to shell out for a black unit though... I want to see a white one at $179. I really don't think that's unreasonable without the accessories.
mwahaha @ Mar 17th 2006 4:12PM
I agree with polly. Archive Server has no pizzazz. And from the looks of it, I'm going to need a 1 GB memory-whatever-the-hell-it's-called-duo thingy.
Still, FF7-9, Vagrant Story, even some sort of Gran Turismo on my PSP *Cough*Cough*. Ok, so all I really want are the Square games...
Armin @ Mar 17th 2006 4:33PM
That exactly what I need, eyetoy for my PSP so I look like a compelte idiot on the bus...
A compelte idiot...
Jago @ Mar 17th 2006 5:26PM
Sorry One_noc but that argument still stands...and as an owner of the PSP I will keep saying it.
HOWEVER...Daxter is indeed a sweet game and the REASON why it is a sweet game is because it was built from the ground up FOR The PSP.
- Syphon Filter: Played the multiplayer beta...fun game but still a port from the PS2
- Daxter: EXCELLENT game (and a "must have" title)
- Katamari: Haven't played (love the series) but not entirely original
- Both Mega Man games (so awesome): Fun games but still ports (with some small additions)
- Lumines: EXCELLENT game (I own it)
- Wipeout Pure: EXCELLENT game but not entirely original (same goes for MKDS)
- Burnout Legends: Fun game but has some MAJOR bugs (still a port)
- Xmen Legends II: an EXACT port of the PS2 title.
Now I'm not saying ports are a bad thing (they are inevitable) but there are FEW original titles for the PSP that are unique.
Oh yea...and enough with the freakin add-on accessories too. The eyetoy looks stupid...it will be just as successful as all the add-ons that the Game Boy and GBA have had (e-Reader, the camera & printer, etc.)
One_noc @ Mar 17th 2006 6:07PM
Jago:
I think you're confused about what a port actually is.
Lets look at the breakdown:
Syphon Filter: Uh... NOT a port. What makes you say this? Its an original story, and not a rehash of any of the previous Syphon Filter games. The ps2 one was Omega Strain. Not Dark Mirror.
Megaman: Remakes, not ports. A port is a translation of a modern game from one current console to another. If the game is over a decade old, it doesn't count as a port. And small additions? For maverick hunter X maybe, but I don't think anybody could possible call the additions to Mega Man Powered up 'small'.
Burnout Legends: I'm confused. Which game is this suppose to be a port of? I've played all the burnout console titles, and none of them have been Burnout Legends. Sure, Burnout Legends is a 'best-of', but its not a 'port'. Also, outside of falling through the ground a couple times, I've never experienced a major bug in Burnout Legends, and I've beaten it completely.
X-men legends II: Yep, that is a total port. But I still list it as a great game on the PSP, because that kind of hack and slash gameplay works better on a handheld in my opinion than on a console.
And as for the reason that Daxter is a sweet game, I'm going to argue against the fact that its sweet BECAUSE it was made from the ground up for the PSP. The reason it is sweet is because it has solid gameplay mechanics, great graphics, and a funny story. It would have been great on any console.
There have been lots of just for PSP games that haven't been that great. So a game being built from the ground up for the psp doesn't mean much (The Con?).
The usefulness of the peripherals is up for debate, but I got no problems with the lineup of games.
/My two cents.
C. Grant @ Mar 17th 2006 6:07PM
I have a PSP. I've had it for almost a year. There aren't that many good games. A bunch of new ones just came out within the past week. It isn't quite time to sing it's praises yet. For the past ~11 months it's been a much-used, much-enjoyed ScummVM system.
Once they are releasing a steady stream of original games, people will stop criticizing it. This month is a good start but it is just that: a start.
slow news day @ Mar 17th 2006 6:23PM
James, I was thinking the same thing.
Either it's simply a camera that happens to be called 'EyeToy'
or you use your head to control games
Jago @ Mar 17th 2006 6:23PM
THANK YOU Chris.
"Also, outside of falling through the ground a couple times, I've never experienced a major bug in Burnout Legends, and I've beaten it completely."
Umm...last time I Checked that was a pretty big problem. A CAR falling THROUGH the GROUND is not the same thing as say a character falling a small lip in a 3rd person game (a common occurence in 3rd person games.)...oh and it is a port btw. Same cars, same with tracks (with some new ones) with the same gameplay except it is just a little smaller. Don't get me wrong it is a great game for a portable but its hardly a system seller.
As for the other stuff...I tend to see remakes more of the same (ie ports) if there isn't really anything new. But we can agree to disagree I guess.
"X-men legends II: Yep, that is a total port. But I still list it as a great game on the PSP, because that kind of hack and slash gameplay works better on a handheld in my opinion than on a console."
That's the PSPs biggest problem with games like this...you are paying $250+ for a system that is ~20-30% less powerful then the PS2 to play PS2 games...and that makes sense how again?
Give me games that take advantage of the platform and the fact that it is a portable system (ie something that doesn't kill the battery life.)
To be fair the DS has titles like Burnout which are compilations plus some new additions (namely MKDS) BUT the KEY thing it has over Burnout is the online play. If more PSP games that weren't niche titles had online play it would be more popular.
Lumines, Wipeout, Ridge Racer and Burnout would have been PERFECT online games.
Agent X @ Mar 17th 2006 6:30PM
James asked, "Out of sheer curiosity... how in the world is a PSP EyeToy going to work?"
My guess is that it will have multiple functions. With the camera lens facing toward you, you could use it for video chat. This could be a standalone video communications application, or implemented in a window within a game, such as some of the recent PS2 online poker games have done.
Another idea is to turn the lens away from you (like you would use a traditional camera), and use it in conjunction with the environment around you. For an idea, take a look at this video clip:
http://www.gizmondoforums.com/videos/katapult_mix512K_Stream001.wmv
This is some sort of tech demo for the Gizmondo. Yeah, we know how most of you feel about Gizmondo already, but just stick with me here for a moment. It shows the player using the Gizmondo's camera to play an "augmented reality" game which looks like a cross between Rampart and the old "artillery duel" games. The difference here is that the land area where you place your castle is determined by actual, physical, real-world cards and their location on real-world objects. It looks seriously impressive, and I wouldn't mind seeing something like that expanded upon into a full-fledged game.
Think of it this way. With the PS2, the EyeToy is stationary, and it tracks the player's movement within a stationary environment. With the PSP, the EyeToy would be mobile, and the player would move the EyeToy around throughout the environment.
Jago @ Mar 17th 2006 6:39PM
@ Agent X:
Woh...I've never seen that before. It's rather nifty...interesting...
One_noc @ Mar 17th 2006 6:56PM
Jago:
Falling through the ground 3x in 40 hours of play is hardly something to freak out about. I experienced much worse bugs on the xbox version of Burnout Revenge on a regular basis. Still beat that game too though.
But yeah. Infrastructure play would ROCK. I think thats probably the thing that bugs me the most about my PSP. I like the games, I don't have a problem with the battery length, but I hate how few games have infrastructure support. Thats one of the reasons I'm so stoked about the new Syphon Filter.
It also bugs the hell out of me that the PSP has an infrared port that has never been used in any aspect. Why the hell put it in there, if they're never gonna use it? Grrr....
And as for the xmen legends thing. Its not worth buying the psp for xmen legends. But if you have one, thats a different story. Buying the PSP for a direct port is just silly, unless you don't have any major console. But in my case, I didn't play Xmen Legends II on the ps2/xbox, and I already owned a psp and thought it looked cool, so it was an entirely 'new' game for me on the psp. And I like that I can play it for 20 minutes on my lunch break and then go back to work. I played the first one of the xbox and couldn't finish it. Got bored sitting there on my couch. Those kinds of games just seem better in short doses.
Anyway, its true that this month is just the start of better things, but its a damn good start. And if you look at the upcoming games, it looks like its just going to continue. And as fellow PSP owners, thats always something to cheer about.
shaka @ Mar 17th 2006 7:16PM
the thing im looking forward to is the gps and the ps1 emulator, the eyetoy for ps2 was hot ,and the new eyetoy for ps3 will destroy the tv remote limited gimmick ,kool.
Jago @ Mar 17th 2006 7:44PM
I dunno about 3x...I've had it happen to be quite a few times and I can actually reproduce it almost everytime now when I get to a specific area. I've never experienced it with the console versions (I've only played Burnout 3 though) but if thats the case then EA/Criterion need to train their QA testers better. Stuff like this slipping through is a bit pathetic.
...and yea I wish more games had infrastructure mode b/c the whole reason why I bought a wifi router was for wifi gaming with my DS and PSP...but the DS has been getting all the love.
Jago @ Mar 17th 2006 7:45PM
"new eyetoy for ps3 will destroy the tv remote limited gimmick ,kool."
Great! Now what other things have you not tried that you think will destory something else that you haven't tried?
witbyt @ Mar 18th 2006 5:52AM
Wow...and people complained BIG TIME about the X360 camera.... At least that looked like the light at the end of the tunnel compared to where this looks like you just fell flat on your face in dog *well you know*...
Jamar @ Mar 18th 2006 7:35AM
I remember buying a DS over a PSP because of a sale a store near me had- A PSP for 1800RMB and a DS for 300RMB. Exchange rates are about 800RMB per $100US. Now the DS costs about the same as the PSP in China, and I would have chosen the PSP instead, but at the time, the only advantage the DS had was that it was so CHEAP. Now, if the PSP sold for that much, then everyone would be buying PSPs.
DCD @ Mar 19th 2006 8:59PM
A lot of people complain about the PSP having no games, but I've owned one for a long time (in NZ but imported it from Japan had it for over year now) and I have never had nothing to play on it.
I started off with Lumines and Wipeout, which i played both to death (Lumines way more). Then got Metal Gear Acid and loved that and played it through. Then onto Burnout Legends which I played a bit and got bored, but then multiplayer Lumines and metal gear tided me over until I got XML2, which was fantastic on a protable device, like one_noc said that game was great as a portable. I also played XML1 on my PS2 and only got halfway before I couldn't be bothered finishing it.
Now I'm playing Tales of Eternia and loving it. I'm planning on picking up Monster Hunter when that comes out here next month, and maybe Megaman or Syphon Filter since they sound great.
Since I've had my PSP I've not touched my Xbox, PS2 or Cube, except to play We Love Katamari and Paper Mario.
Jago @ Mar 20th 2006 4:41AM
Wow someone actually liked MGA? I fell ASLEEP playing that damn game...it was BORING!
Oh well...I guess I'm one of the few people who bought a PSP and feel I got jipped since very FEW games for the system are original or unique to the system.
Will @ May 14th 2006 4:38PM
what about socom? I dont see what other games is better to play online? I dont need any other game for my psp socom rules the same way CS rules the pc . what about mlb the show 06? what other game is better than that? especially while u play online u actually can see live score of baseball going as they happen. u guys are so cheap, a game is $39 or even $19 new and a 1gb memory duo pro is $39. i have a 2gb which i got for $59. so much video :D