Hacking the PSP Blog

PS3 Stores Up PSP with PS1 Games

Ever since Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai showed the world the original Ridge Racer (make that "Riiiiidge Racer!!!!") from the PS1 running on PSP, handheld gamers have been eagerly awaiting final details of the classic game emulation feature due on PSP. At SCE's Gamers Day, the company finally revealed one big missing piece of the puzzle, which was how those PS1 games would get on PSP's Memory Stick.

The answer to that is surprisingly easy: The PSP can get its games from PlayStation Store debuting on PS3 this November. Instead of building a separate network specifically for PSP or trying to connect PSP up to Sony Corporation's Connect service (both of which were previously assumed prior to SCE's announcement that the PlayStation Store would be ready for the PS3 launch), Sony Computer Entertainment has simplified the process by working inside the PlayStation family. Log onto the PlayStation Store, find your games, buy them, download them, and enjoy them. The PS1 games you buy on the system will be playable both on your PSP and eventually on your PS3 console -- the same compacted file runs on both machines with the right emulation.

For now, this feature seems restricted to PS3, as there is no version of PlayStation Store on PSP. It is possible and highly likely that the PlayStation Store will also be integrated into the PSP in a future PSP firmware update (technically, the store looks to simply be a heavily modified and closed-network website.) That being said, it is unknown exactly when or if that future update is planned -- we assume that if it was ready on PSP, SCE would have done double-announcement duty by telling the press that the PlayStation Store was launching on both PS3 and PSP this November, but the company made no mention of PSP utilizing the feature at the event or prior PlayStation showcases. For now, the console looks to be the means of digital distribution until the PSP gets its hook-up into that same network.

A number of PlayStation 1 games, such as Jet Moto, Twisted Metal, and Syphon Filter were listed on the PlayStation Store already, although the demo store was set up purely for demonstration only and there's no promise that these specific titles will be available for PSP when PS3 launches, if ever. (Frankly, we have no clue how Jet Moto will be brought to PSP ... that game took all 10 fingers and some toes to control, so we don't know how it will cope without some of the needed buttons.) Pricing on the PlayStation Store is expected to not tip over $15 for downloads, so pricing for these game downloads may be in that range (SCE was not clear if it was only referring to PS3 downloadable games in determining that price.)

Update -- 10/20/2006: Speaking to SCE Marketing Vice President Peter Dille, GameDaily BIZ was able to confirm that a "PSP downloads site" was up and running to distribute PSP games without the use of PS3, although this stops short of confirming that the full PlayStation Store will be on PSP as soon as the next PSP update releases.

We plan on taking our PSP shopping as soon as PS3 launches and the PlayStation Store goes up, so we'll give you impressions of PS1 gaming on PSP as soon as the games are available.

Nix
October 20, 2006

Source: IGN

PSP Update Due

At SCE's Gamers Day, Sony showed off a number of cool functions of the PlayStation 3 system. Many of those functions used an advanced version of the XMB Menu, the same menu PSP uses for its functions. Some of the cool features include a Friends List feature for online play and a fully-featured PlayStation Store. All good things, and all things that the PlayStation Portable could benefit from greatly. Unfortunately, further details are not available on whether PSP will make use of these fabulous new PlayStation features, but we were told at the event to expect an update for the PlayStation firmware in the near future, possibly around the time of the launch of PS3. Exactly what features would be added in that next version, again, have not been unveiled, but we would guess that integration of the awesome new Remote Play feature is bound to be a big addition.

The PlayStation Store and the PlayStation Friends List seem like features that could be added to PSP, and in fact SCE hinted several times that this was its plan (we're also eager to know if PSP games will utilize all of the PlayStation network features beyond just Friends Lists, as online games on this handheld have been undeservedly few and far between.) Having portable access to your PlayStation 3's online world would be good for both systems, so it seems to be just a matter of time now ... we hope. Look for details on the future PSP update as soon as we can extract details from SCE on its plans.

Nix
October 20, 2006

Source: IGN

PSP and PS3 Play Together

Sony Computer Entertainment Gamers Day was not one for those who considered themselves mostly portable games -- the event was used to exclusively show off PlayStation 3 features and games -- but there was one intriguing development for PSP at the event. In a demonstration at the beginning of the event, SCE showed off a PS3 feature called Remote Play, an instant-access ability for the PS3 to be able to send its media out to a PlayStation Portable.

How it works on the PSP side has not been made fully clear (the PSP demonstrated likely was utilizing an update of the PSP software not yet released to the public, although it's possible that the LocationFree feature added in PSP v2.5 was running the functionality), but on the PS3's side, all you had to do was select the menu option under Network and your PSP was free to connect to it. In demonstration, SCEA President Kaz Hirai demonstrated by playing half of a high-def, 1080p trailer for Casino Royale on his PS3 and the gigantic projection screen, then pausing the trailer, switching on his PSP, and playing the rest of the trailer right there on the handheld (complete with playback controls.)

The effect was very cool, but also, the promise this offers PSP is staggering. You are now no longer limited to the size of your Memory Stick for content; instead, whatever you keep on your PS3 can be played on your PSP. That goes for photos, for music, and for videos -- the PSP has full access to the PS3's XMB menu. Clips do not need to be recompressed, so you can use your PS3 as a repository for all your video content, and you can then watch that anywhere in the house. There was not a demonstration of Blu-Ray or DVD video, so we're not sure how robust the feature is on that end, but the trailer that was shown streaming from the PS3 was originally stored at full 1080p. (Quality may still be an issue, as we were not able to get a good view of the video being played to see if it has the same video streaming look as LocationFree Player or if the PS3/PSP connectivity makes for any better an image.) At first, this feature will only be available to connect to through an ad-hoc connection (meaning you can stream video down the hall of the house, about anywhere that your wireless connection can reach), but later updates of the software should allow IP streaming of Remote Play so you can use PSP to get your PS3 content anywhere in the world. Conversely, by the way, PSP can wirelessly connect to PS3 in much the same way and stream its media to the console without hooking in a wire.

Remote Play was not available for demo outside of SCE's event (developer units do not seem to have the ability built in), so we're not sure when we'll be able to see the feature at play next. Look for an update as soon as we're able to test out Remote Play fully.

Nix
October 20, 2006

Source: IGN