PSM unveils two-thumbstick, 8GB PSP?

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 30, 2006 4:53 pm PT

Source: Posts on Joystiq and Evil Avatar citing an article in the October issue of PSM. The official story: Sony had not responded to requests for comment as of press time. What we heard: This week's big rumor comes courtesy of a series of blogs, such as Evil Avatar and Joystiq. Both sites...

Source: Posts on Joystiq and Evil Avatar citing an article in the October issue of PSM.

The official story: Sony had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

What we heard: This week's big rumor comes courtesy of a series of blogs, such as Evil Avatar and Joystiq. Both sites reported that the latest edition of PSM--which touts itself as America's only "independent" PlayStation Magazine--had rock-solid news of a PlayStation Portable redesign.

According to both sites, the October issue of PSM contained an article announcing that a new PSP will ship in March 2007, have eight gigs of built-in flash memory, sport a slimmer form factor, include a built-in camera, and have two--count 'em--two thumbsticks!

Though news of such developments sounded like the answer to many frustrated PSP owners' prayers, it turns out it was premature. GameSpot's supersecret investigative unit took extreme measures and went out and actually bought a copy of PSM.

On page 34 (pictured) of the magazine is the article, titled "The Next PSP Comes Together," that many sites cited as gospel. However, the piece is actually largely speculative. It says that a new, camera-equipped PSP is "expected" next March, but doesn't give a source. It mentions "numerous reports in the semiconductor press" regarding Sony buying large amounts of 8GB flash-memory units--presumably the same reports mentioned in Rumor Control back in February. Nowhere does it say that the new PSP will have 8GB of memory, only that such a move is "likely." The addition of two thumbsticks is mentioned in a clearly marked "if we retooled the PSP" subsection listing changes the PSM editors would like to see in a PSP 2.0. However, the article itself says such an addition is unlikely.

The PSM article does cite "PSP developers who have been briefed on Sony's plans" as saying that the handheld will have "a high degree of connectivity" with the PlayStation 3--something Sony has stated publicly on numerous occasions. Also, "sources familiar with its development" confirmed the new PSP would be "thinner and lighter" than the current model. However, that’s all the article said was set in stone, and PSM is upfront about the rest being speculative--not that such distinctions make a difference in the blogosphere.

Bogus or not bogus?: Bogus.

282 Comments

  • Darkvador1726

    Posted Sep 8, 2006 3:11 am PT

    Hi EveryOne !
    i saved 350 $ to Upgrade My PC to a recent new model , but one of my friend suggested the PSP instead of it . i didn't buy the PS2 , since i hated it , cause when i heard it gonna come out and the PS is going to be outdated i couldnot believe it ! ( 14 years old at the time ! ) ....
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    i tryed my friend's PSP , ( Fired Up , Outrun , ... ) not a bad gaming device , i liked it , u know , all the games that i've missed now on a portable new device , yes i know the price is a little to high, but i think it's woth it's price , But now that i read this article .... u know , now i hesitate , so what do u suggest me to do ?
    Buy it ? will a new model come ? ( my onpinion i do not think yntil 2008 and they didn't say anything at E3 , and a #2 thunmstick would make the 1.5 PSP to be useless , since they will be games that would not be compatible with it , just like the PS2 , when u have to plug a DualShock Gamepads to be able to play for example Smackdown ! , so i think it's a little to early for a new one . but ... ) , is that why the Price of the PSP is going to drop on 22 March 2007 to ?
    upgrading the PC ?
    i do not want to buy a ps2 cause the release date of the ps3 is near and i think it's too late , it will be outdated soon .
    and please do not compare the DS and the PSP , OF course that the PSP is Better => Bigger Screen , More PowerFull , MP3 , Video , Internet , ... , and never forget that the PSP , """" IT'S A SONY """"" . a sony device beeing compared to a Nintendo one , ) LOL u must be joking !
    and who said that the PSP has not good games ? Burnout , Monster Hunter, Metalgear solid , DBZ Budokai , Tekken Dark Ressurection , Syphon Philter , Tennis World Tour , Crisis Core : FFVII , Winning Eleven 9 , Outrun , NFS Rivals , Twisted Metal .... So any suggestion ? should i buy it ? wait ? upgrade the PC ? ( the only thing that i do with it is gaming Of Course ) i'm comfused so help !
    Thx In advance

  • Darkvador1726

    Posted Sep 8, 2006 3:10 am PT

    Hi EveryOne !
    i saved 350 $ to Upgrade My PC to a recent new model , but one of my friend suggested the PSP instead of it . i didn't buy the PS2 , since i hated it , cause when i heard it gonna come out and the PS is going to be outdated i couldnot believe it ! ( 14 years old at the time ! ) ....
    ---------------------------------------------------------
    i tryed my friend's PSP , ( Fired Up , Outrun , ... ) not a bad gaming device , i liked it , u know , all the games that i've missed now on a portable new device , yes i know the price is a little to high, but i think it's woth it's price , But now that i read this article .... u know , now i hesitate , so what do u suggest me to do ?
    Buy it ? will a new model come ? ( my onpinion i do not think yntil 2008 and they didn't say anything at E3 , and a #2 thunmstick would make the 1.5 PSP to be useless , since they will be games that would not be compatible with it , just like the PS2 , when u have to plug a DualShock Gamepads to be able to play for example Smackdown ! , so i think it's a little to early for a new one . but ... ) , is that why the Price of the PSP is going to drop on 22 March 2007 to ?
    upgrading the PC ?
    i do not want to buy a ps2 cause the release date of the ps3 is near and i think it's too late , it will be outdated soon .
    and please do not compare the DS and the PSP , OF course that the PSP is Better => Bigger Screen , More PowerFull , MP3 , Video , Internet , ... , and never forget that the PSP , """" IT'S A SONY """"" . a sony device beeing compared to a Nintendo one , ) LOL u must be joking !
    and who said that the PSP has not good games ? Burnout , Monster Hunter, Metalgear solid , DBZ Budokai , Tekken Dark Ressurection , Syphon Philter , Tennis World Tour , Crisis Core : FFVII , Winning Eleven 9 , Outrun , NFS Rivals , Twisted Metal .... So any suggestion ? should i buy it ? wait ? upgrade the PC ? ( the only thing that i do with it is gaming Of Course ) i'm comfused so help !
    Thx In advance

  • ReaperXxxx

    Posted Sep 6, 2006 2:17 pm PT

    If Sony came out with a new and improved PSP so soon afer the initial release I would never buy another Sony product. The fact that the PSP should have had a 2nd analog stick and at least 4Gb of built-in storage is besides the point. To get value out of this portable system it will need at least a 4 year shelf-life.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Sep 5, 2006 5:53 am PT

    8 gigs of internal flash memory? that would only raise the price about $200.

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 8:00 pm PT

    thank you gamespot! ..... just a definitive answer saying if its bogus or not ......

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 7:52 pm PT

    thank you gamespot! ..... just a definitive answer saying if its bogus or not ......

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 6:55 pm PT

    thank you gamespot! ..... just a definitive answer saying if its bogus or not ......

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 6:48 pm PT

    thank you gamespot! ..... just a definitive answer saying if its bogus or not ......

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Sep 4, 2006 6:48 pm PT

    thank you gamespot! ..... just a definitive answer saying if its bogus or not ......

  • -L-U-I-S-

    Posted Sep 3, 2006 4:40 pm PT

    Damn, if its true it would be great. But what about its format, will they keep the UMD format if this new PSP is made? Or will Sony change the format?

  • Khoo1992

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 9:03 am PT

    bad news for psp owners

  • Khoo1992

    Posted Sep 2, 2006 9:02 am PT

    bad news for PSP owners

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 3:03 pm PT

    *eyes pop out of head*

  • PiMacleod_basic

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 2:15 pm PT

    Currently, it costs $200+. SO, this new theoretical model would cost, what, $250...maybe $300? At the least?

    It sounds like the upgrade the PSP needs to try to compete with the DS properly, but 1) I think it's too late, and 2) it'd be too expensive still. Handheld gaming should not cost that much, and for all those emulator-lovers...since when should emulation cost me over $200? That's what you're suggesting when you talk about how 'cool' it is that your PSP can do that. If you're THAT into the old school games, then you probably already have the emulators on your computer/laptop, and you probably should have never sold your old NES/SNES/Genesis/etc. For those of you that still have those systems, can't you just wait until you get HOME to play the old games?

    Sorry -- I apologize, I ranted there for a bit. It just boggles my mind...I have a great job, with great pay, and have been gaming for over 20 years easy...but I just cannot see paying that much cash for stuff we should already have at home, and using it as an excuse to justify the cost of the machine.

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 4:24 am PT

    If this becomes reality then current PSP owners will be owned badly

  • awia

    Posted Sep 1, 2006 3:42 am PT

    Well, I bought a PSP first, but sorry sony, Nintendo kicked your #$% in the handheld war. IF they gave the PSP 2 thumbsticks, it would actually be able to compete with the DS

  • Dark_Knight6

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:17 pm PT

    so there gonna add two tumbsticks and screw over everyoen with the origonal. Nice job copieing nintendo, sony!

  • Ace2000x4

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 8:53 pm PT

    nobody said that they will be putting a hard drive on the new psp, they said flash memory which is very small and can fit on a small device. but i see them doing this like 2 to 3 years from now when the PSP 2 comes out, and thats if the DS dose not kill it, i really hope sony gets on Developers a**ses to make good games, cuz there a very small amout of good games out there.

  • thisisjosh

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 8:37 pm PT

    some comments are just retarded. if they redisigned it, i would buy it.

  • Alpha2

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 8:27 pm PT

    I swear some people will beleive anything. An internal drive AND a slot load and it's some how thinner? BS.

    I read the article and while the idiots at PSM keep saying they'd love to have two thumbsticks they fail to realize it's a stupid idea even when they mention the way it would split the development by forcing a second control scheme and simultaneously screwing over the 12 million or whatever number of current PSP owners. Also adding a second thumbstick still dosn't make the PSP equal to a playstation because you're still missing two shoulder buttons. even if you added the thumbstick people would just start complaininf about the missing shoulder buttons which is equally as retarded as demanding the thumbstick!

  • mkurts

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    Of course its bogus.

    PSM magazine is well known for its false and crappy content.

    This is no exception.

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 7:26 pm PT

    I dont care if it was lighter or smaller what i want is more memory and two thumbs

  • monkkito

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 6:10 pm PT

    I already have a psp, but hardly ever use it. Having 2 analog stick would be so sweet i would buy a new and give rid of my other one. I guess the camara would be nice, but im all about the 2 analog sticks!

  • mena11

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 4:59 pm PT

    Just the 8 GB memory would make get me one of those )

  • Slaveways

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 4:13 pm PT

    not necesarily bogus...

  • Koroshiya-San

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 4:10 pm PT

    Even if the controllers were to be improved, that still wouldn't make me buy a PSP.. who needs controls when there are no(few) games worth playing.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 3:22 pm PT

    those improvements would help alot

  • xbox_gamer1

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:27 pm PT

    That better not be true I'll be so F*****g PIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 1000NINTENDO

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:24 pm PT

    I THINK THAT SONY JUST WANTS TO B LIKE NINTENDO CAS THE DS IS MAKEING MORE DAMM MONEY SO F***K SONY U LONG LIVE NINTENDO

  • Tw0_Fac3_226

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 2:03 pm PT

    isnt that convenient that they are re-releasing the PSP just like they did with the ps2. theyre just trying to get people to buy their stuff again so the can show the larger #'s and say "look how many units of this we sold" its a ploy just to make them seem like theyre outselling everyone else.

  • WolfSkill5544

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 1:12 pm PT

    I would still buy it though.

  • mezonesxbox

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:57 pm PT

    I TOTALLY BELEIVE IT!! SONY LIKES SCREWING ITS CUStomers

    remember the PS2 yeah That thing had like 7 different versions and some had improvements from previous ones and made people angry. SOme had the built in IR receiver, some didn't. Others were cooler, or others had better DVD drivers.... SOny doesnt care about us

  • kells77

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:45 pm PT

    WOW, and id anyone realy beleve it really. it is beyond bogus

  • Timstuff

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:06 pm PT

    No way is Sony going to release a two-thumbstick version of the PSP, because that would be a major alienation to everyone who already owns the single stick version. Although it would be very wise to release an hard-drive equipped PSP in the future, 8 gigabytes is rather measly, especially when there are memory stick duos coming out that cost that much (granted they cost $300, but still). I think that the HDD-equipped PSP should have at least 15 gigabytes of storage, although 20-30 would be even better, if Sony wants to start invading iPod's territory. Also, PSP needs iTunes and music playlist support, dangit!

  • rock790

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 12:03 pm PT

    Why the heck did they overlook the need for two thumb sticks in the first place. To me this si the #1 reason that the PSP is failing. You can't correctly translate PS2 games to one analogue stick.

  • Seymour47

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 11:20 am PT

    standcm12
    "if this happens, then i can get my $250 back from best buy wityh my warrenty they said if a new on comes out before the 2 yr warrenty is up i can trade my old one in for a full refund of $250. so hopefully this comes out before next june!"

    Really? I wouldn't expect a deal like that from a evil corporation like Best Buy. If it's true that's outstanding. Although, I'm sure they would find some way around it.

  • speculative

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:52 am PT

    As far as moving from 1 thumbstick to 2: You do all remember when the Playstation 1 moved from regular controllers to Dual-Shock controllers, right?

  • aspro73

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:41 am PT

    Yeah, if Sony is going to leak anything it will be to OPM (since they pseudo sponser it) not the horrid PSM.

    It would be cool though, I'm still waiting for a better design before I get one.

  • 4lic

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:41 am PT

    psp was in need of two thumbsticks
    now i can buy it and be happy

  • standcm12

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:35 am PT

    if this happens, then i can get my $250 back from best buy wityh my warrenty they said if a new on comes out before the 2 yr warrenty is up i can trade my old one in for a full refund of $250. so hopefully this comes out before next june!

  • ocdog45

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:33 am PT

    i'm tired of sony steeling my money. everytime its the same old thing. i like my PSP. and now your telling me your gonna have a better one. (there doing this becasue not all the ps1 games are compatable with the psp system)
    my question isthe PRICE!

  • HACHET_MAN1

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 10:27 am PT

    WELL IT LOOKS LIKE I GETIN ANOTHER PSP

  • Gaming_Prince

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:58 am PT

    I wouldn't set near a remaked psp because although i have one myself, i am regretting it. Also, just because there's a remodled system... if the games don't change? what's the point. A physical transformation can only go so far.

  • RhythmMan

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:53 am PT

    If Sony were to incorporate those improvements I would buy a PSP! right now it's an awkward system for shooters, has little memory (256mb is weak) and a camera would be easy to add into the system.

    [My cell phone has more features than the current PSP]

    Also, 8gb of flash is becoming very cheap, wait until you see prices drop this holiday season. Shouldn't effect the price of a new PSP much.

    DO IT SONY...listen to what the people want. "If you build it...they will buy"

  • classic_rocker

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:50 am PT

    hey if it happens it would make psp worth it. the major problem is memory. even if it is bogus maby top sony execs get psm and will get a clue

  • moocow21

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:49 am PT

    Sony better not start to get as bad as Nintendo and release 2-3 versions of one system.... I think the PSP is fine as it is - although two thumbsticks would be nice, I don't think that a redesign is needed (wait for PSP2).

  • kinglink2

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:24 am PT

    The problem with how sony uses the touch screen and motion sensing is they have shoved it in at the last minute, as an after thought, the DS is built around it, as the Wii is too.

  • miggidy24

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:22 am PT

    I would finally jump on the PSP bandwagon if they redesigned it to include two analog sticks alone!

    Seriously, the lack of an additional analog stick IS the reason why I bought a Nintendo DS Lite instead....

  • LonelyPrince

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:10 am PT

    If Sony really does re-design the PSP, they wouldn't help it much. PSP needs higher quality games to make it a better system, not a new look.

  • XJRockcrawler

    Posted Aug 31, 2006 9:03 am PT

    No way am I gonna get another PSP, it should've came with 2 analog sticks in the first place.

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