Another day, another rumor about the next version of Sony's PSP. Today's fuel for the fire: the possibly imaginary device will be released this Christmas.
UK website Pocket Gamer cites "an insider source... a developer working on the new hardware" who says that Sony's next portable platform will feature a touch screen that slides away to reveal a full set of game control buttons, including two analog sticks. How that would even be physically possible is beyond me. The screen slides over the sticks? We're talking about a serious feat of mechanical engineering here.
This isn't the first time the sliding-screen model has been rumored, however. VG247 said it back in February. That same month, fresh off the DICE conference, game designer David Perry said he'd heard that what he called the 'PSP 2' had no Universal Media Disc drive.
Pocket Gamer takes things further today, however, by saying that not only will this new hardware be revealed in June at E3, but that it'll be on store shelves before Christmas.
That all seems a bit much, doesn't it? These rumors just won't stop, which would indicate that something is definitely going on. I said at the beginning of this year that I thought Sony, up against a wall with the current model of PSP, would at least talk about the existence of a new portable machine this year -- something that is either a radical redesign of the existing PSP platform, or a brand new platform altogether. But releasing it this year? That would be a surprise, especially if, as Perry suggested, it ditches the UMD drive.
All eyes will be on Sony this year at E3, looking for its reaction to DSi and iPhone. Should make for an action-packed round of press conferences, at the very least.
Image: Wired.com
See Also:- Anonymous Sony Sources Bicker Over 'PSP 2'
