Pre-E3 rumour roundup: PSP
What does Sony's handheld have up its sleeve?
With the DS E3 predictions explored, it's time to turn to the rumour strewn PSP and attempt to pick some of the more likely E3 announcements out of what's a tangled nest of speculation.
Sony to debut a redesigned PSP?Chances: Very High
We expect this to be Sony's big news of E3. The redesign won't be too radical though (no two sticks for example, and nothing like this fanboy effort, right). Slimmer, lighter with much better battery life and internal storage (we'd expect GBs more), it will set up PSP as a more fully-featured portable media machine. As one Sony Europe exec told us, "The technology behind PSP is still top-end and so that doesn't need to be addressed. It's all about showing the power off to its best." The infamous UMD format will remain though. Most recently, Sony America exec John Koller gave us some fighting talk in its defence, galvanising opinion that when the redesign surfaces, Sony will stick with its oft-defended disc.
Chances: High
Another of the PSP's frequently reflaring rumours. Recently the prolific PSP software hacker, Dark_Alex, made a sudden and mysterious departure from his informal post as firmware hyperlord after his discovery of code in the latest PSP software upgrade that hinted at a games download service. If Sony does announce such a service, it ought to include music and movies as well as games. An iTunes-style PSP service could be the shot in the arm the console needs to chase the competition. Fingers crossed for this one.
Global VoIP functionality will be shown off
Chances: Low
Ever since the whole PSP phone debacle was silenced by Sony's announcement of a partnership with BT to turn the current PSP hardware into a fully functional VoIP device, things have gone eerily quiet. At the time, the service was announced as hitting the UK first with other territories under BT's reach following shortly after. In order to follow through on this announcement, however, we think it would make sense for Sony to have a global strategy, as well as a hardware package (mic and camera) to back it up. E3 would be the perfect opportunity to announce both. Grand Turismo will arrive out of nowhere
Chances: Low
PSP owners have been lucky in that they have been typically granted the franchises they called out for most. God of War, Tekken, Grand Theft Auto and Metal Gear Solid have all mad the jump from PlayStation 2, sating the appetites of gamers who adopted the PSP on the strength of its older brother's living room lineup. Only Grand Turismo has not made an appearance, and many would like to see Sony make a move on this before the series loses its pull. Still, this is probably an unlikely reveal for the PSP – and arguably, on a handheld platform blessed with plenty of great pick-up-and-play racing games already, the loss of an infamously in-depth and potentially ill-suited driving simulation isn't that lamentable.
Chances: Medium
With some clever coding on the server side, Sony's handheld platform would seem suited to a massively multiplayer role-playing game, and some developers have been open about discussing the possibility. Admittedly, the PSP already lays claim to more hardcore experiences than casual ones, but we would still like to see an MMO on its gorgeous screen. Perhaps something more arcade-like than quest-like, such as a GTA-style MMO or even something a bit more leftfield like an MMO street racer.
Right, our crystal ball has sucked dry an eight-pack of AA batteries and it's time to turn our attention to the main event. E3 is sure to yield some big news this week, so be sure to check back frequently to see which of our predictions came true. Don't forget to add your thoughts in the comments below, or on our new forum.