Sony unveiled plans today for a new hand-held gaming system, calling it the "Walkman of the 21st century."
The announcement was made at E3, the influential Electronic Entertainment Expo held annually in Los Angeles.
The PSP portable entertainment platform, scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2004, will have the same technology as that built into the PlayStation 2, according to Sony.
The PSP system will use a smaller game disc, less than half the size of a standard CD-ROM in terms of physical appearance. Called a Universal Media Disc, the new format comprises a 60-millimetre optical disk (1.8 GB) in a cartridge.
Video quality will be equivalent to DVD video at a low data rate, according to Sony, with 3D rendering.
There was no word on pricing.
Sony also announced that starting this June 3 it would bundle its online network adaptor — needed for online play — with the PlayStation 2 platform. The package will retail for the existing price of $299 Cdn.
Sony Computer Entertainment America has already sold 600,000 of the adaptors in North America. PlayStation, the leader in the console field, boasts North American sales of more than 19 million PlayStation 2 consoles.
Canada accounts for eight to 10 per cent of the market but already is showing signs of heavy online gaming use.
"Canada, in particular, has a pretty large install base of broadband technology in the household so the adaptation rate in Canada is probably one of the highest in the world," Ian Jackson, director of Sony Computer Entertainment Canada, said today from Los Angeles.
Sony also announced plans to release EyeToy, a USB camera that will allow consumers to interact onscreen with the PlayStation 2 via a dozen new game titles.
"You will actually be projected onto the television via the EyeToy and a connection port attached to the PlayStation 2," said Jackson. "It puts you right into the game with these dedicated pieces of software."
It will retail in Canada for $59.99 starting this fall.
Sony will also launch in September a USB headset for online gaming, retailing at $44.99. A headset, which comes with the start-up package for the rival Xbox Live, had previously been restricted to the popular SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs game for the PlayStation 2.
Another new product in an internal hard disc drive (40 GB) that will hook into the PlayStation 2 for use with Square Enix's online game Final Fantasy XI. The hard drive will give gamers increased storage to save their progress, something that is currently restricted to Xbox.
There is no price yet but it is slated for release in the first quarter of 2004. Down the line, the hard drive can be used for other titles.
Also Electronic Arts announced Tuesday that all of its online sports 1994 titles would be exclusive for PlayStation 2.
Story here
The announcement was made at E3, the influential Electronic Entertainment Expo held annually in Los Angeles.
The PSP portable entertainment platform, scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2004, will have the same technology as that built into the PlayStation 2, according to Sony.
The PSP system will use a smaller game disc, less than half the size of a standard CD-ROM in terms of physical appearance. Called a Universal Media Disc, the new format comprises a 60-millimetre optical disk (1.8 GB) in a cartridge.
Video quality will be equivalent to DVD video at a low data rate, according to Sony, with 3D rendering.
There was no word on pricing.
Sony also announced that starting this June 3 it would bundle its online network adaptor — needed for online play — with the PlayStation 2 platform. The package will retail for the existing price of $299 Cdn.
Sony Computer Entertainment America has already sold 600,000 of the adaptors in North America. PlayStation, the leader in the console field, boasts North American sales of more than 19 million PlayStation 2 consoles.
Canada accounts for eight to 10 per cent of the market but already is showing signs of heavy online gaming use.
"Canada, in particular, has a pretty large install base of broadband technology in the household so the adaptation rate in Canada is probably one of the highest in the world," Ian Jackson, director of Sony Computer Entertainment Canada, said today from Los Angeles.
Sony also announced plans to release EyeToy, a USB camera that will allow consumers to interact onscreen with the PlayStation 2 via a dozen new game titles.
"You will actually be projected onto the television via the EyeToy and a connection port attached to the PlayStation 2," said Jackson. "It puts you right into the game with these dedicated pieces of software."
It will retail in Canada for $59.99 starting this fall.
Sony will also launch in September a USB headset for online gaming, retailing at $44.99. A headset, which comes with the start-up package for the rival Xbox Live, had previously been restricted to the popular SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs game for the PlayStation 2.
Another new product in an internal hard disc drive (40 GB) that will hook into the PlayStation 2 for use with Square Enix's online game Final Fantasy XI. The hard drive will give gamers increased storage to save their progress, something that is currently restricted to Xbox.
There is no price yet but it is slated for release in the first quarter of 2004. Down the line, the hard drive can be used for other titles.
Also Electronic Arts announced Tuesday that all of its online sports 1994 titles would be exclusive for PlayStation 2.
Story here
