All Sony Japan PSP games going digital

Sony is rapidly laying claim to a number of pioneering steps in the world of digital distribution. It was the first console maker to simultaneously launch a major stand-alone release through retail and digital channels (Warhawk), the first to use its online storefront as a second release window for a AAA title (Burnout Paradise), and now the first to commit to simultaneous online and retail releases for an entire platform.

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan today announced that it would be launching its PlayStation Store for PSP on October 15, allowing handheld gamers with Wi-Fi access to download new games and other content directly to their systems. To help populate the store with the latest and greatest offerings, SCEJ declared that all upcoming titles it plans to release on the system's standard Universal Media Disc format would also be available in downloadable form upon release.

The first such offering, Destroy All Heroes 2, will be available to Japanese gamers on October 16, but it will later include anticipated titles like LocoRoco 2, Patapon 2, and Resistance: Retribution. These games will also be available through Sony's PlayStation Store services on the PC and PlayStation 3.

As of press time, a representative with Sony Computer Entertainment America had not returned GameSpot's request for info on the PSP store's international launch plans.