NGP/PSP2/PSVita

[Rii]

Until recently I hadn't paid Sony's new portable system any mind. But between 3DS - at least in its current incarnation - having flopped and NGP being apparently every bit as impressive a piece of hardware as the original PSP back in the dark ages of 2004, my interest has been piqued. And now they've announced Wipeout 2048 for the system. Goddamnit.

However I still can't believe that Sony is sticking with their retarded notion of placing both analogue sticks at the bottom of the device. I dislike the Playstation controllers for that reason and apparently NGP is actually worse in that respect. Quoth Eurogamer: "The NGP's own layout will never feel as comfortable as a DualShock – the size of the thing and the contortions it occasionally demands make sure of that".

But still: Wipeout.

[TheApologist]

A beloved chum gave me a PSP for frees, and that is a remarkably uncomfortable device. Invariably, my right arm is numb after half an hour or so playing. I gather my experience is pretty widely shared, so hopefully Sony will have taken ergonomics a bit more seriously this time. On the other hand, it still sold bucket loads, so probably not.

Either way, Persona 3 Portable is so good I will cheerfully risk the long term consequences of serious physical injury.

[Jams O'Donnell]

I love my PSP, but I'm really concerned about what Sony will end up charging for the NGP -- I suspect it'll be outrageous.

[20k]

I think i was the only person who actually didnt mind the controls on the old psp. So it doesnt really bother me with the new one so much.

Though, monster hunter required some pretty odd hand positioning if you wanted to turn the camera..

[smackybutts]

I love my PSP. It still gets regular amounts of playtime. I'm sure the PSV/NGP will be in my future, but I'll certainly be waiting for the price to drop some.

[Rii]

A beloved chum gave me a PSP for frees, and that is a remarkably uncomfortable device. Invariably, my right arm is numb after half an hour or so playing. I gather my experience is pretty widely shared, so hopefully Sony will have taken ergonomics a bit more seriously this time.

Yeah, well, apparently not. But then again this is the corporation that's maintained the same terrible controller design since 1997.

I love my PSP, but I'm really concerned about what Sony will end up charging for the NGP -- I suspect it'll be outrageous.

Sony has said that the system will be reasonably priced and that they'll be taking a loss on it at first. Exactly what that 'reasonable price' will turn out to be should be revealed at E3. There'll be at least two versions of the device, one with 3G and one without. In any case as a piece of hardware it'll almost certainly represent better value than 3DS. What I can't get over is that it'll apparently have better battery life than the 3DS too, despite being vastly more powerful.

No doubt Nintendo for their part are busily beavering away at a 3DS v2.0 but I suspect that E3 is too early to announce it. A price drop and/or bundle package announcement seems likely though, both to boost lacklustre sales and take the edge off of the unveiling of NGP.

[Delusibeta]

They are also the company that thought charging five hundred and ninety nine US dollars for the PS3 was a good idea.

Myself, I've always been a Nintendo man with my consoles, but I'm hanging back on this new generation of portables, largely because of me entering university and being somewhat pissed at Nintendo's rapid repackaging of the DS (even though my trustworthy and battered old DS Classic still works well). Oh, and TrackMania Nations dragging me towards PC gaming. I do like they fact that PSN purchases should be forwards compatible, although people with large collections of UMDs will probably be up a creek.

[Zorganist]

Turns out the 3G PSVita will retail in the US for the perfectly reasonable price of $299.99. Someone at Sony then did Magic Maths (TM) and decided that $299 converts to £270.

I'm still bewildered at how manufacturers come up those prices. It's not that hard to Google 'currency converter' and work it out the proper way. As opposed to the current industry standard of using a dart board to calculate international prices.

I'm still massively underwhelmed by the Vita anyway. If I need a new handheld, I think I'll plumb for the 3DS.

[Jams O'Donnell]

I'm actually quite pleased with the US price of $250 for the non-3G version. Not so sure how that translates to £235, of course, but if I can find one for under £200 I think I might pick one up.

[Vexing Vision]

Hmm, I'm reading 249$ - any idea if it's region locked and how much the European continental (you know, these silly €uros) it will be according to Sony's magic currency dart board?

[Zorganist]

Hmm, I'm reading 249$ - any idea if it's region locked and how much the European continental (you know, these silly €uros) it will be according to Sony's magic currency dart board?

This time they skipped the dart board altogether and just swapped around the currency signs. €249 for the Wi-Fi version and (I believe) €299 for the 3G version.

[Rii]

I'm still bewildered at how manufacturers come up those prices. It's not that hard to Google 'currency converter' and work it out the proper way. As opposed to the current industry standard of using a dart board to calculate international prices.

Well for one thing the UK prices have to include VAT do they not?

[Zorganist]

Well for one thing the UK prices have to include VAT do they not?

Yes, but the increase in price is way above what VAT would add to the cost. The 3G version of the PSV is $299, whihc converts to about £180, add 20% VAT, and you get £216, which is a lot less than they're actually selling it for. Really, pre-tax prices should be the same across all territories, but Europe always seems to end up with stupidly high prices compared to the US and Japan.

[Baris]

Man, I loved when they released the price. He had to tell us that it costs 249 dollars, and 249 euro. With a straight face. While being enthusiastic.

[Rii]

Yes, but the increase in price is way above what VAT would add to the cost. The 3G version of the PSV is $299, whihc converts to about £180, add 20% VAT, and you get £216, which is a lot less than they're actually selling it for. Really, pre-tax prices should be the same across all territories, but Europe always seems to end up with stupidly high prices compared to the US and Japan.

Right. I just meant that it's unreasonable to expect a straight currency conversion. No doubt there are a whole bunch of other complicated factors which come into play in determining prices also. And I've no doubt that higher profit margins are one of them.

For my part USD $299 is ~ AUD $280. We have 10% GST so that makes $308. I'd be very surprised if sticker price turns out to be under $350 and I wouldn't rule out $399.

[Vexing Vision]

Soooo... never having owned a more modern handheld than a Gameboy Advance, do these things come region locked? I don't mind encouraging some American friends to bring me unique presents from overseas.

[Tom OBedlam]

Not had a portable console since the gameboy colour, after which my hands hand grown too large to comfortably hold them for any extended period. The only one that I still occasionally play on is my gameboy brick :)

[Jams O'Donnell]

Soooo... never having owned a more modern handheld than a Gameboy Advance, do these things come region locked? I don't mind encouraging some American friends to bring me unique presents from overseas.

DS and PSP are not region locked, 3DS is region locked, and as far as I'm aware there's been no talk of region locking or the lack thereof on the PSV.

[Spacewalk]

And now they've announced Wipeout 2048 for the system. Goddamnit.

Dragon's Crown caught my eye too. It looks like it's going to be like Capcom's D&D arcade games and reading that it's probably going to similar made a bit of sex wee leak out. No, not because of the Amazon.

[wcaypahwat]

Have they sorted out a better R2/L2 solution?