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Japanese PSPs tuning into TV September 20

  • By Hirohiko Niizumi, GameSpot
  • Posted Jul 17, 2007 8:03 am PT

New version of Sony's portable will get television tuner add-on, additional colors, limited edition Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII bundle across the Pacific.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

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TOKYO--Sony Computer Entertainment held its "PlayStation Premiere 2007" press conference in Japan today, giving the Japanese media a chance to check out the new PlayStation Portable that was announced at the E3 Media & Business Summit.

Aside from updating the press with all the details unveiled last week in Santa Monica, Sony made a number of new announcements that apparently pertain only to the Japanese market. There, the new PSP model (PSP-2000) will be coming out on September 20 at the price of 19,800 yen (around $162).

In Japan, SCE will release a TV tuner (PSP-S310), which users can attach to the new PSP via its USB port. The peripheral weighs in at only 17 grams and is very portable, but is compatible only with the new PSP model. Also, since it's a 1seg digital TV tuner (ISDB-T broadcasting format), its use is limited to the Japan airwaves. The TV tuner will be released at the same time as the new PSP, and will retail for 6,980 yen (about $57), about the same as a low-end USB TV tuner for a PC.

The new PSP equipped with a TV tuner.

The new PSP equipped with a TV tuner.

At E3, Sony announced that two new PSP colors--ice silver, and ceramic white--will be available alongside the traditional piano-black finish in the US later this year. Japan will be getting an additional set of three light-colored models that SCE calls its "Bloom Series": rose pink, lavender purple, and felicia blue.

Japan is also getting an exclusive, limited-edition model of the new PSP. For the 10th anniversary of the Final Fantasy VII franchise, Square Enix is collaborating with SCE to release a Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII limited edition bundle, which includes a special silver PSP (pictured at top) featuring distinctly colored buttons, logos, and a serial number. The limited edition set also includes the Crisis Core PSP game and a keychain shaped like the sword of the game's hero, Zack.

The limited edition Crisis Core PSP bundle is coming out on the same day as the game, September 13, allowing Japanese FFVII fans to get their hands on the new PSP a week before its official release. The Crisis Core PSP will be limited to a production of 77,777 units and will sell for 25,890 yen (about $212).

367 Comments

  • superjon6

    Posted Jun 12, 2008 6:45 pm GMT

    Yah, why does Japan always get stuff before North America, or stuff that North America doesn't get?

  • Grave_of_Guns

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 10:42 am GMT

    ....Why oh why must we NA gamers suffer by the hands of Japan exclusive bundles such as this--and what the hell? A TV tuner for the PSP..who the hell thought that up--seems retarded.

  • M1ndux

    Posted Mar 7, 2008 2:09 pm GMT

    now why the hell u need a TV tuner for? god they find new ways to make money with the same product

  • diznikkaduc

    Posted Mar 6, 2008 7:47 pm GMT

    japan get all the good stuff, if only the bundle wasn't limited =/

  • Machsonic

    Posted Feb 28, 2008 1:48 pm GMT

    A PSP tuner? now really. really!

  • fightingfish73

    Posted Feb 28, 2008 12:50 pm GMT

    T.V. Tuner? Sounds a lot like the Sega Game Gear. :-)

  • acidrain1976

    Posted Feb 28, 2008 8:02 am GMT

    The PSP rocks, but a TV tuner? C'mon... TV sucks. Now PSP owners can be advertised to on the go? F-that. I'll stick to playing games, thanks.

  • Testament

    Posted Dec 25, 2007 11:23 am GMT

    F the TV tuner, call me when the PSP PHONE comes out. And cant sony make a ditachable mp3 player on the opposite side as the battery, dont get me wrong, i luv the PSP, but carry it around for music is kinda bulky still. We have the technology to make an ditachable mp3 as small as the psp battery, so why not. JUst my two cent; love it or hate it

  • Zsaber24

    Posted Dec 21, 2007 7:02 pm GMT

    damnit y does japan always get the good stuf like for example we didnt get kingdome hearts fimal mix and we might not get birth by sleep or 358/5 days that is so gay but it looks cool and i want one

  • hellpolice

    Posted Dec 16, 2007 9:59 pm GMT

    Aww man! I wish they release this bundle here in America too!

  • aero4

    Posted Nov 27, 2007 12:02 pm GMT

    I wish that Final Fantasy VII PSP came out in the U.S.

  • -jecht-

    Posted Oct 4, 2007 9:31 pm GMT

    i might just move...... if only we were that lucky

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 8:09 am GMT

    Crisis core rocks ... ask me ... i'm playing it

  • Jalannom

    Posted Sep 24, 2007 12:52 am GMT

    I dont need to know how it sucks to be a gamer in US is.

  • nieuwuss

    Posted Sep 20, 2007 2:16 pm GMT

    yeah i'm thinking of moving to japan

  • NandoSupes

    Posted Sep 20, 2007 7:54 am GMT

    thats a sweet bundle,how come we don't get that good here in the US? lol.

  • EmoChild999555

    Posted Sep 17, 2007 7:29 am GMT

    sooooooooooooooo cooooolllllllllllll i love final fantasy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    final fantasy rocksssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Xeno-Rufus

    Posted Sep 12, 2007 8:40 am GMT

    I have to agree with someone down there. I really hope North America gets some of these as well.

  • PPPPPPSSSSS3333

    Posted Sep 11, 2007 8:14 am GMT

    does anybody know when crisis core is cumming out in the UK ?
    [][][][][][][][]FF7[][][][][][][][][][]

  • FusionHunterX

    Posted Aug 20, 2007 4:17 pm GMT

    That's pretty cool. Seeing how I'm stationed in Japan, for specifically, Okinawa, and since I was already looking forward to buying the slimmer PSP, I might get it. But one thing that kinda bugs me is that they are making a TV tuner for the PSP...when they have another peripheral that they have apparently forgotten about. Does anyone remember the frickin' PSP Camera? How can they make an update for something that doesn't exist? It's not that much of a big deal, but it just doesn't make any sense.

  • PPPPPPSSSSS3333

    Posted Aug 17, 2007 5:04 am GMT

    i cant wait but i woudnt fly to japan what i would do is buy of ebay there is already 1 there but they would be alot more money. [][][][][][]FF7[][][][][][][]

  • KronikKilla

    Posted Aug 14, 2007 5:08 pm GMT

    We do get a limited edition. Its the Star Wars: Battlefront Limited Edition. They intorduced it during the Sony Press confrence from E3.

  • DaylightX

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 4:43 am GMT

    @ GameProXtreme: You serious? That bundle on Play-Asia is still under the "(Soon) Announced - Preorders opening soon" status (it is at the time of this message anyway). How did you manage to get it? And 400 bucks (I'm assuming thats USD)? That's way over the top even for limited edition stuff on an import site. The suggest pricing on the official site to Crisis Core bundle is 25,890 Yen, which is roughly 216.80 USD.

  • GameProXtreme

    Posted Aug 7, 2007 4:10 pm GMT

    OMG i just preordered the crisis core bundle at Play-Asia.com and it was 400 bucks wow. talk about rip off.. O well im a major FF fan and its kinda worth it i think? you also get a customized buster sword strap, and custom earphone whoopy@!! and i heard the bundles not coming out in US so better get yours fast if your rich i might order another one and put it on ebay. there making 77,777 its funny because if it was ff9 it would be 99,999 maybe. guess what? theres like a million jap. ppl over there and 77,777's not enuf.. anything thats limited in japan never comes to the US anyways but playing crisis core in japanese will be tought for me tho. and jap psp can also have custom firmware so im going to upgrade to m33 with the no umd mode for iso's yipee!

  • Bavoke

    Posted Aug 3, 2007 6:08 am GMT

    i want that too XD
    Bavoke 8)

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Aug 2, 2007 5:29 am GMT

    I live with a japanese house.. I thinking about get him to get me two. One for me and other one for ebay

  • rogue_zero_one

    Posted Jul 30, 2007 4:37 pm GMT

    only in Japan? BOOOOOOO!
    hope North America will have it's own 77,000 Crisis Core bundles
    if not oh well, i'm still getting the game seperately (when i pick up my slim PSP that is)

  • ewjim

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 9:37 am GMT

    Wy only Japanese people get that much EXCLUSIVES?!

  • zeqs

    Posted Jul 26, 2007 5:22 pm GMT

    nice.. i wonder when cc:FF wud be released here tho.. its unfair, too, that japan gets all the fun with special edition stuff!! we only get bundles... T.T tnx sony_freak for the link.. eheheheheh..

  • Sony_FreaK

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 10:04 am GMT

    Damn you guys are scratching your necks for a psp with a design of FF on the back. So for you FF fiends I was so nice to look up a site for you guys:
    http://store.videogamecentral.com/pspimce.html go there probabally when the psp comes out you can buy it when you start up the PSP use english instead of Japanese. And that should work because thats how people with the white psp do. Ok, you go all that and just wait for the FF7: Crisis core to come out in America cost more but thats what you want right............The FreaK

  • The_Warhammer

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 7:47 am GMT

    I might as well learn Japenese,fly to Japan and then buy the PSP there and then come back here. But not sure there will be any FFVII PSP in North America since there gonna like sold out the next second.

  • mingfu

    Posted Jul 23, 2007 4:45 pm GMT

    I hope it ships to the U.S. I'm sick of waiting!!!

  • pinoyboy20

    Posted Jul 22, 2007 9:50 pm GMT

    Square and Sony know that people in the US would buy a PSPs just for the limited-edition FF7 logos on it. I'm sure they won't pass up making money on that when they port it over to the US and also kind of sure they'll give us our own limited-edition PSP as well ^^, but then again thats just wishful thinking.

  • comrade_gamer

    Posted Jul 22, 2007 3:06 pm GMT

    AWWW Mann this really ticks me off i'm going to buy that new psp when it comes out but i'd be willing to spare a $50 or 2 to get that but only if it was released in america and sephiroth was always a better vilain than darth vader

  • dragonbattousai

    Posted Jul 22, 2007 12:40 am GMT

    I hope I can get my hands ont he Limited Edition Bundle, I would love to be pimping it with my PSP with Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth on it and be adored by many asking where I freakin got it.

  • mingfu

    Posted Jul 21, 2007 5:02 pm GMT

    love crisis core!!!! and the new psp!!!!!!!!!

  • Altanore

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 8:22 pm GMT

    Who the hell cares about japan

  • Jehuty08

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 4:04 pm GMT

    yeah I just Want Crisis Core

  • edhc44

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 3:37 pm GMT

    I don't care much for the limited PSP edition, how about a Crisis Core US realise date?

  • bin-hiding

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 1:21 pm GMT

    man what a bad one.... what about those of us in the States that would like to get one of those FF Special edition PSP's, i dont have any connections that could hook me up with one straight from Japan (unless gamespot editors and crew would like to hook it up) lol ... as for the US star wars version, dont care for it at all, but anyways, they should just stop making market specific items and just have ALL versions available in ALL areas

  • jammiem05

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 1:18 pm GMT

    What about us American fans?!!!! we loved FFVII too!!!

  • l1laznboie8

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 10:41 am GMT

    so this FFVII PSP is only going to be released in Japan? D:

  • TLsoldier

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 8:49 am GMT

    i hear there is a star wars psp coming for the us

  • Slimm457

    Posted Jul 20, 2007 8:44 am GMT

    people, people...patience is a virtue

  • alextrox69

    Posted Jul 19, 2007 8:08 pm GMT

    ok??? so what about the us?

  • Spelly-93

    Posted Jul 19, 2007 6:50 pm GMT

    cool

  • SopranosFan

    Posted Jul 19, 2007 2:08 pm GMT

    Number of games rated 8 and higher on this website PSP has 62 and the DS has 33. So that is almost a ratio of 2:1 of high rated games on the PSP to the DS. The same results on Game Informer and I would be willing to bet similar in any publication. That is 1 good game per week for the next 14 months or so.

  • MidnightFalcon

    Posted Jul 19, 2007 1:51 pm GMT

    Staley, all they are are saying is that there is a lack of good games on the psp. To compare the DS and the PSP is really just stupid. DS = games.
    PSP=music, movies, online, whatever. Personally, I choose the DS; but I considered buying a PSP. In defense of the DS on the "Seriously stop the PSP has no games thing. It has more high scoring games than its competitors (not to mention the multiple high scores on DS are from different versions of the same game), " comment - we all know that isn't true. Calm down buddy, gaming shouldn't be like this.

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