Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) boss David Reeves has squashed reports that a successor to the PlayStation Portable is in development.
“No, there are currently no plans for a PSP2," he told MCV. "I go to Tokyo quite a lot and no one has referred to it – I think they have their hands full at the moment.”
The plan, apparently, is to focus on hardware upgrades in much the same way Nintendo has released and re-released the DS. “We just launched the PSP-3000 so we are still focused on this generation of the platform,” said Reeves.
Given a relative dearth of high profile releases and continuing piracy problems, some commentators have claimed that the PSP’s end is in sight. Reeves disagrees, naturally. He pointed out that hardware sales were on a par with those of the PlayStation 2 at a similar time in its life: "The PSP is as successful in numbers as PS2 – it tracks its numbers in a cumulative basis."
But he admitted that "its weakness, however, is its software. And that’s because developers, when it comes to placing their bets, have to choose PS3 and 360, then Wii, then DS, maybe even PS2 before PSP."
"It’s the same at our internal studios, where the focus has been on PS3. They’ve also focused a lot on PS2 as well because we have to get the SingStars out for that format. So PSP games will come – they just take a while longer.”
Perhaps you could start by getting some of those Japanese PSP titles shipped over here, Dave. Dissidia: Final Fantasy? Patapon 2? Tenchu 4?