Rumor: Sony to unveil PSPgo apps, small games at gamescom

[Marine Mike]

Rumor: Sony to unveil PSPgo apps, small games at gamescom
10:10 AM on 06.12.2009, Nick Chester 13 comments

While the lack of physical media for Sony’s PSPgo may be signaling the death-knell for the Universal Media Disc, it may be opening up new doors for developers.

Sources close to game development have told Destructoid that Sony is actively pushing developers to design smaller, “non-retail” games and applications for the PSP. These “non-retail” games and apps would come in priced considerably lower than the traditional retail UMDs and full games made available for download on the PlayStation Network.

We’re told Sony is currently eying a tiered pricing structure for this software, somewhere in the range of two and six dollars. Publishers and developers will also be able to offer free applications on the store as well.

More after the jump.

File sizes are said to be limited to 100 MB, but developers and publishers won’t be limited in other creative ways -- Sony is said to have specifically stated that “non-game apps” and 2D titles are more than welcome.


This new push -- along with an updated PlayStation Store to support the content -- is said to officially be revealed at gamescom, which takes place this August in Cologne, Germany. Developers are being told that games and apps would be available to users as early as Q4.


When we contacted Sony for a response, it couldn’t comment on the details we’d heard, but did reiterate its position on providing more content on the PlayStation Store in the future.


“We are making a concerted push towards expanding the content available on the Store,” Sony Computer Entertainment America’s Al de Leon told us, “particularly with the demand for digital content that will spike when the PSPgo launches this fall. This push includes new titles that are also launching on UMD, PSP catalog titles, PSone classics – double to nearly 60 titles -- and PSN exclusives.”


Additionally, de Leon reminded us of the recent price reduction of PSP development tools.


“The goal with this move,” he said, “is to support development of smaller titles from a broader range of developers and publishers. As part of this effort, we’re also streamlining the development process, including concept approval, licensing, and publishing.”


The idea of smaller, easier-to-develop titles and applications could be what the PSP needs to finally pick up some serious traction. Coupled with bigger budget titles, along with digital and movie content, could be the total portable package.

You know, besides that phone call thing…

[Goodintentions]

i already have an ipod touch for that kind of stuff sheesh why does everything have to be a DO IT ALL product .. i just want my game machines to be game machines ..

[garlad]

similar to iPhone apps?

[Marine Mike]

PSPgo To Get New App Store System

As you all know, the PSPgo (which is due out in October) won’t have a UMD drive - instead, all the games will be directly downloadable via the PlayStation Store, and whilst a deal for those of us with stacks of UMD-based games is still to be worked out, rumours are surfacing that the PSPgo will play host to an App Store-esque system covering much more than just games.

Apparently, Sony is actively pushing developers to produce games that wouldn’t normally fit in the scope of a normal retail title. We’ve known this since E3, of course, Tretton basically said so himself, but what’s new to us is that this will also extend to applications as opposed to just games. Naturally, Sony is looking towards the Apple AppStore for inspiration.

Destructoid is suggesting that file sizes will be capped at 100MB, with prices ranging from zero to $6, although the site doesn’t give sources. Despite a lack of a touch screen on the PSPgo, we’d be interested to see some iPhone-style tools that would suit the PlayStation Portable’s screen and (naturally) enhanced control options. This initiative is said to be officially revealed in Cologne, Germany, this August.

TSA will be there to cover everything unveiled at Europe’s biggest games conference.

Another article talking about the rumor.

[AranhaHunter]

We've had rumors that Sony will add a Music Store, a Comic Store and now a Small Games and Apps Store to PSN. I hope all the rumors are indeed true, and Comic Con would be a perfect place to unveil a Comic Store and the rest in GC in August...

Anyways, seems like Sony is going to try to compete with the app store/itunes in two ways, both using the Media Go as its media player and as a way to facilitate purchases.

1) With the PSP using the Playstation Store where you can currently buy games, themes and movies and if you believe the rumors you'll be able to buy music, comics and apps soon

2) With Sony Ericsson phones and with Sony walkmans using the PlayNow thing where you can currently buy music, ringtones, games, wallpapers, themes and soon movies.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if they can indeed challenge the app store, I'm interested in how the PSN is gonna evolve, it's been evolving a lot and if they can implement those rumored things to it within a year and have it launched in all major regions, the things could get interesting.

[zweet77]

Music store , streaming videos, and in game music please!!

[Marine Mike]

PSP devs given 'opportunity to look at non-gaming applications'
by Jem Alexander { Jun 25th 2009 at 12:00PM }

PlayStation's Al De Leon was sneaking around New York with a prototype of the new PSP Go and, when asked about possibility of developers producing non-game applications for the device (and, in turn, other versions of the PSP), stated that content "will mostly be games, but there's an opportunity to look at non-gaming applications." Speaking to CNET, he demonstrated the new device in a video, which you can see after the break.

With rumors pointing to a non-gaming section of the PSP Store set to be revealed at Gamescom Cologne in August, we could be seeing some interesting non-gaming additions to the PSP library soon.