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Earlier today, many a UK gamers’ questions were answered, when SONY not only
announced the European release date of the PlayStation Portable (PSP), but also which pack
the UK will receive and how it’ll impact our wallets!
Retailing at a suggested £179 (249 Euros), the UK will receive only the PSP
Value Pack at launch. The PlayStation Portable Value Pack contains wealth of
accessories and entertainment content, including the PlayStation Portable system and a
slip case, a 32MB Memory Stick Duo, Battery Pack, Headphones with Remote Control, AC
Adaptor, Wrist Strap, screen-cloth and a video/music/game sampler Universal Media Disc
(UMD) – which is limited by only including non-interactive game demos.
A copy of Spider-Man 2, on UMD Video will
be available free of charge to early purchasers of PlayStation Portable, who register
their PlayStation Portable and order their Spider-Man
2 UMD Video through http://www.yourpsp.com, the
official SCEE web portal for PlayStation Portable.
While Europe may only be receiving the Value Pack, it is what it says it is –
a Value pack. In a similar move to what Nintendo
have achieved with the NintendoDS, the system will actually cost less than its’ Japanese and US counter-parts.
With the Value Pack directly converting passed the £200-mark from both regions and,
although some may feel it’s worth the extra expense for the Japanese model with the
SHARP developed screen, for the second time within a year the Japanese giants are proving
they can care about the UK games market and
its’ public.
The UMD bundled with the system is incredibly limited, and in no way is a
comparison to the stunning Metroid Prime: Hunters
– First Hunt demo bundled with the NintendoDS at launch, however coming bundled
with the Memory Stick Duo instantly dispels complaints about requiring a Memory Card to
play games, which I’m sure will be to many Nintendo fanboys’ disgust!
As  the situation currently stands, SONY have
taken quite a risk by delaying the launch so late in the year. Not only will the
NintendoDS have a six month head-start, but also, by the time of launch, the PSP could be
fighting for people’s pennies with not only the Xbox360, but also the rumoured Game Boy Evolution.
There’s no denying that SONYs’ little beauty seems like a bargain right now on
paper – but I doubt Nintendo and Microsoft received the press release unprepared. |
