Sony PSP

Sony names US PSP launch date, price
By Tony Smith
Published Friday 4th February 2005 12:00 GMT

Sony has at last come clean and said when it will ship the PlayStation Portable in the North America. Yes, 24 March will be PSP Day.

There's still no official word on the European debut, but the day after, the 25th, has in the past been singled out for attention in documents sent by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to local distributors and retailers. That said, company insiders appear to be anticipating a delay, possibly into April.

In the US, the PSP will retail for $250 - $100 more than the Nintendo DS, but then Sony is pitching the handheld as more than a games console, and is targeting an older, more affluent customer-base.

The Sony price also includes a copy of Spiderman 2 on the PSP's Universal Media Disc (UMD) optical medium, along with a number of accessories, including earphones, remote control, carry case and a 32MB Memory Stick. This Value Pack may well be joined by a standalone PSP at a lower price point later in the year, though Sony's keeping quiet about its plans for the product.

The electronics giant says that 24 titles will be released in the two weeks following the launch, including FIFA 2005, Metal Gear Acid, Need for Speed Rivals and Twisted Metal: Head On.

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I saw my first PlayStation Portable in the wild at the pub on Friday night and I've been really tempted to get one. Amazon.co.uk already has them available for pre-order with the price in Pounds coming in at a little more than $250 dollars though (we seem to pay more for everything here).

*sigh* Yet another toy to add to my shopping list for when I get my next job.

PSP Review (with loads of close up pics.)