Hacking the PSP Blog

Rumor: Sony Germany going after PSP/PS2 mods and downgrades

According to a report on PSPUpdates, Sony Germany is beginning to take legal action against site offering modding services for the PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation 2 by requesting the removal of any related product or service. Word has it that they're also targeting sites hosting custom firmwares, downagraders, and other modification software. There's no word yet if this will be isolated to Germany or if it is the beginning of a much broader effort.

Via PSPUpdates

SGD '07: PSP online store planned for Fall 2007

The Sony Gamers Day event certainly offered a lot of PSP news, and the long since rumor of an online store was finally brought back into the fold. SCEA president Jack Tretton briefly mentioned the possibility of an online store for the PSP, followed by a quick comment that it should have premiered awhile ago. No other details except he hoped "to have it out there by the fall." We know Sony has the upcoming Station Launcher for movie downloads so it was only a matter of time before their libraries opened up wider to incorporate games as well. No official word on if Station Launcher will also offer games, or if the games division will have a new service altogether. Lets just hope the powers that be are heeding Jack's word and diligently working on making this a reality sooner rather than later. We want not just PS1 reiterations, but PS2 classics as well, so get cracking!

Peter Vrabel
May 17, 2007

Source: PSP Fanboy

Sony expects further game losses

Sony expects its games division to continue to make a loss in the financial year ending March 2008.

Senior vice president Takao Yuhara has forecast an operating loss of around JPY 50 billion (EUR 305 m), reports Reuters.

However the figure is an improvement on the losses for the previous financial year, where the company's games division suffered a JPY 232 billion (EUR 1.4 bn) loss due to the launch of the PlayStation 3.

Despite the financial hit in the games division, Sony still expects operating profits of JPY 440 billion (EUR 2.6 bn) for the financial year ending March 2008.

Matt Martin
May 17, 2007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Sony Reveals PS3 Slate, PSN Stats, PSP 'Refresh'

Sony has been talking in depth at its San Diego Gamers Day this week, and Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian has put some of the key announcements in perspective as part of his NPD game sales preview for April.

Sebastian noted in his commentary: "This week, we attended Sony’s Gamers Day in San Diego, where the company provided details on several titles in development for the PS3 and PSP as well as an update on the PlayStation Network (PSN)."

"Sony expects 90 third-party PS3 titles to launch this year, along with 15 exclusive first- and third-party titles. We note that several titles generated interest at the event, including Heavenly Sword, Little Big Planet, SOCOM, and [the newly announced] Pain."

In addition the analyst has extracted specific data on the company's PlayStation Network digital download efforts for the PlayStation 3, revealing: "Sony indicated that there are now 1.5M users of PSN including 775k users in North America, and more than 6 million content downloads to-date."

He went on: "We believe a successful online gaming effort increases the shelf life of video game software, provides an additional revenue stream for publishers, and broadens the overall usability of consoles. In addition, Sony’s online community “Home” is in beta and expected to launch in fall 2007."

Finally, there was news on Sony's handheld gaming device: "The company also indicated that 140 titles would launch on the PSP, while a video download service and hardware refresh are expected later this year." No further specifics on this 'hardware refresh', presumably an incremental PSP upgrade, have yet been officially released by the company.

Gamasutra Staff
May 17, 2007

Source: Gamasutra