Sony looking to make PSP PSN more like Virtual Console

by Majed Athab { Mar 3rd 2009 at 5:30PM }

In hopes of bolstering its PSP PSN download scene, Sony plans to expand its digital catalog to include non-PlayStation console titles. "In general, there's a lot of discussion about [publishers'] back catalogs that will finally find its way to PlayStation Network in the back half of this year," said SCEA's John Koller to MTV Multiplayer. That would include both the promise of more PSOne titles (as North America seriously needs to catch up to Japan in that regard) and pre-PSOne retro titles.

Despite becoming more Virtual Console-ish, this expansion of the PSP side of PSN will also offer more portable versions of PS3 downloadable titles, such as PixelJunk Monsters and the already released Super Stardust Portable. Koller says that Sony's studios are preparing more internally developed download-only titles. This strong focus on digital distribution makes us wonder if the whole "dropping UMD" rumors are true.

Tags: backlog, digital-distribution, john-koller, psn, psone, retro

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

dabamf @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:34PM

I started playing through FFVII again just the other day...just made it out of Midgar. What an amazing game.

Lee @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:37PM

I'm just onto the 'last disc ' on my psp version. was fun in 98 and still brilliant in 2009.

Insight @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:43PM

I wish the rest of the game felt like Midgar. I love the game, don't get me wrong. Certainly not my favorite FF game (doesn't match up to IX IMO), but it was pretty damn good. The inconsistent art style and pretty two dimensional characters are what set it back for me.

DVersion @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:14PM

See, I never beat it, i picked it up before but only got half way through disc one then I got in on my psp when the ps1 emulator came out and managed to get half-way through disc 2. I just was not compelled to play through it, it might be because most events have been spoiled for me already or the characters are just a bit to bland for my liking. anyway, i've been stuck there for a few years now and even though I see it on my psp I just can't convince myself to press that 'x' button and start it up again.

Josh @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:18PM

I played a little past disc 1 on PC back somewhere around 1999-2001.

I would still like to finish it...

Scooter @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:27PM

My second disc won't read. What happens to Aeris after she got stabbed by Sephriroth? Is she OK?

Cosmo @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:32PM

"My second disc won't read. What happens to Aeris after she got stabbed by Sephriroth? Is she OK?"

She became a videogame legend.

dabamf @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:40PM

I have two working copies of the game on PS1, which is the version that I play; I'm thinking that I'll sell one of the copies on Amazon if I can.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:50PM

i tried to play through it again a couple years ago on my PSP. i traded my copy back in the day for Kingdom Hearts and i finally found another copy one day in eBgames, bought it, and ripped it to a PSP format (was running custom firmware at the time). i still love the story but the graphics just made it really hard to stay interested in. after i got a bout halfway through the second disc though my file got corrupted and i just never picked it up again.

i really wish they would remake it honestly. even if they did a PSP version, that would be more bearable then those god awful PSOne graphics lol (remember when those graphics looked "almost real"?)

dabamf @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:54PM

I really like the PS1 graphics. They don't hurt my experience by being a bit dated.

rokobungi @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:58PM

I got to the last section of the game (after defeating a weapon anyways) and saved and then discovered I couldn't get out of the area. I was running out of potions and stuff and I believe I was level 37-40 with all the characters every random encounter would kill me.. I got fed up since I didn't have another save.. never played it since.

vidGuy @ Mar 3rd 2009 7:34PM

Losers. I totally beat FFVII a few times. Of course it helped that I was past level 60 on all characters.

Wait, that's way too much time on a videogame. **Calls self a loser**

Ramza Beoulve @ Mar 3rd 2009 10:48PM

After I finished Crisis Core, I was compelled to replay FF7. I still thought it was fantastic. Then I started to play FF8, which I skipped the first time around. FF8 sucked.

More on topic though, I wish Sony could get on the ball with this. I tried playing via remote play and had a lot of issues with it.

lasersanchez @ Mar 4th 2009 11:24AM

To the above commenter: 8 > 7

daniel-kun @ Mar 5th 2009 5:40AM

I already finished this last year or maybe even the year before on my PSP and it was just as awesome as it was on the first day I played it!

dabamf @ Mar 5th 2009 11:56AM

@daniel-kun

I agree, this game is quite timeless! My comment, though, is not as I've gone from 3 solid star rating back down to 2! FF7 haters, what can you do, lol!

BxGT @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:46PM

That blue psp looks awesome, i am still waiting on gran turismo mobile so i can buy my psp.

baconaholic @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:53PM

Wasn't it the first game they announced?

BxGT @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:54PM

Yea, back in 05.

sony boy @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:55PM

i bet you that game won't come out until the psp is almost dead(Not saying it's dead right now!!)

Think about it, IF GT5 for the ps3 is being released around 2010, then the so called "psp launch title" will be released around 2011!!

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:55PM

that was the main reason i bought a PSP too. i eventually found other great titles but i was heartbroken after i bought it and had to settle for Ape Escape at launch. i wasn't nearly as "gaming connected" as i am now so i just figured GTM got delayed a month or so.....boy was i wrong.

Codex @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:52PM

This would be nice if hey actually made a fucking effort to add more ps1 games

Euro / aus / nz store

terrible

Crash 1
Crash 2..oh wait, we're retarded so let's publish crash 3, and tell everyone to fuck off if they mention 2

As i found out when emailing sony asking them wtf they were doing

meanwhile japan creams its-self daily at the massive selection of ps1 titles

am i the only one who feels a bit fucked around here

sony boy @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:56PM

i'm with you man, SOny is fucking slow and lazy.

Hyams @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:57PM

Crash 3 > Crash 2 anyway.

Kyle @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:26PM

I don't know if I could contain my wallet if they had a huuuuuge selection of PSone titles on the PSN.

That's the thing, they know so many people are willing to just hand over their money for some clasic PSone action, which makes the fact that they aren't pulling therir fingers out ever so mind-boggling.

Vidikron @ Mar 3rd 2009 7:00PM

"Euro / aus / nz store"

May as well include the US store in there, we really don't have many more titles than the rest of you. It seems like everyone outside the Asian stores gets screwed.

Codex @ Mar 3rd 2009 7:09PM

The thing that fucks me off is that the psone ports are done by a company owned by activision, now i emailed activision to find out and they denied it, and sony denies doing it as well

retards :@

LokeSTL @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:52PM

It's about friggin' time. Hopefully Sony will follow through with this. Let's not have another feature given to us, then taken away from us like PS2 BC.

MrEverdred01 @ Mar 3rd 2009 5:59PM

What type of non-Playstation consoles do you guys think they'd have? SNES? Original Xbox? I doubt Nintendo and Microsoft would want to help Sony. Maybe a bunch of Sega and Atari stuff! Phil Harrison works at Atari now. Maybe he could help them set something up. Then I could play Custer's Revenge on my PSP.

Cosmo @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:04PM

Sony should work with the homebrew community and offer some of their programs on their store so all can enjoy them, not just those running custom firmware. It'll be a good PR boost I think.

Lord of the Patapons (slycooper_rocker) @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:07PM

makes perfect sense since psp is great with PS1 and pre-PS1 console emus.

TheEngineer @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:09PM

EDIT: Nothing to see here. Move along.

Roto13 @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:14PM

Wow, an overused Onion video satirizing something this article has nothing to do with. It's almost as though you're a random fanboy idiot who saw the word "Sony" and instinctively went on the attack.

Almost.

Cosmo @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:19PM

Its Sprinkes, what did you expect?

I Al2x I @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:24PM

Holy shit, I'm an avid Sony lover, but damn was that video a riot. Jesus the "Sony Rep" was the best.

vidGuy @ Mar 3rd 2009 7:37PM

I'm typing on a laptop hooked up to a Sony HDTV and still found that hilarious.

KinjiroSSD @ Mar 4th 2009 5:44PM

Heh, thats pretty funny.

Mr Khan @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:11PM

A wise strategy. The past has so much goodness to yield, and they could share the Virtual Console's library in all cases but Nintendo games themselves (which have been somewhat anemic on Virtual Console of late anyway)

Roto13 @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:12PM

As long as they don't get into a big thing with Nintendo and they both end up cock blocking each other by buying exclusives. Though neither company (definitely not Sony and I don't think Nintendo) are buying exclusives this generation.

Cosmo @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:22PM

Who can Sony go to for non-Playstation console titles? Not Nintendo, maybe Sega but they provide their classic games for Nintendo's Virtual Console. Sony has enough awesome PS1 games they need to put on PSN and focus on that IMO.

Now if the PSP2 can be compatible with PS2 games like the PSP is with PS1 titles. Heaven.

TM @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:27PM

Sony to Nintendo: Can I put your retro games up on PSN?

Nintendo to Sony: In your dreams, brother.

Sony to Microsoft: Can I put your retro games up on PSN?

Microsoft to Sony: eat sh*t.

Sony to itself: worth a shot, though....

KinjiroSSD @ Mar 4th 2009 5:52PM

Because Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are the only publishers that exist. Publishers hold the rights not the platform they were released on.

koehler83 @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:29PM

FFVII released on PSN, or any Squaresoft title for that matter, seems like a pipedream to me at this point. Getting Square Enix to support Sony platforms right now seems like pulling teeth. I feel like they care more about the west's money than their own roots. The only quality games coming out of the company these days are from Tetsuya Nomura, and at least 3 if not 4 out of 5 western players dislike his style.

Anyway.. Even if Square Enix continues to be a dick of a company toward Sony, they still have a good PS1 library that should be available on PSN from A-Z.

Cosmo @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:38PM

What about Final Fantasy Dissadia and Crisis Core for the PSP?

sakeya @ Mar 4th 2009 1:24PM

not to mention agito xiii, and the already released final fantasy tactics (cloud AND baltheir ftw)

Jacksons @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:38PM

Crash Team Racing for the USA. What's the hold-up? Just do it already!

dabamf @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:48PM

Amen to that! That was the greatest cart racer ever. Yes I said it. +1 good sir.

Prince King (PSN-StaticShock) @ Mar 3rd 2009 6:47PM

i hope everything goes according to plan. i been wanting a PSP for the longest. Im gonna wait til the next oneoff topic- im dont know if i should get Killzone 2. i played the demo (using CoD4 control style) and it was decent. it didnt leave any kinda real impression on me. i know people love the game but what is good about it?yay PS3