Is the PSP Getting Old?

Kris Erickson • Sep 23, 2010 • Comments ()

much publicized comments about the 10-year lifecycle notwithstanding, Sony executives are starting to murmur that the PSP hardware might be getting past its prime. Launched in Japan in 2004, the PSP is now a *gasp* 6 year old device. Sure, the hardware has gone through some cosmetic changes, but by and large the same chips still run the show. And our faithful PSP-1000 (pictured below) still works wonderfully, even with the few battle scars its accumulated along the way. Nevertheless, it might be time to start thinking about sending the old boy into retirement. Here's what Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida had to say about grandpa in a recent interview:

"[A]fter five or six years, and releasing many games, there's no denying that people start to see that [PSP] is getting a bit old. In terms of looking at new technology, it's always the case that as soon as we look at a new platform or new tech, our R&D teams start looking at what's new in the general space. So yes, we have been looking at new technologies and looking at the options that we have. It's not the right time for me to say anything about it."

Yoshida's comments are very telling, considering recent rumors that Sony is working on everything from a mobile phone gaming hybrid to a full-fledged PSP 2 with touch controls. It is certainly true that what's new in the general space include touch controls (almost as standard), downloadable apps, augmented reality, and soon -- full 3D displays without the need for glasses. If we were forced to put money on it, we'd say that Nintendo's recent announcement actually threw Sony for a loop, and they have gone back to the drawing board after seeing what their competitor is up to with the 3DS.