Tag Archives: umd

Another day, another bit of rumored spec for the elusive PSP2. You love it though don’t you?

Of course you do, and today, there’s talk that the new device will allow the use of memory sticks and also rivals the processing power of Xbox 360.

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Analysts Michael Pachter and EEDAR’s Jesse Divnich predict that Sony’s next handheld will support UMD – or at least, would not be surprised if it did.

“I think it is possible and likely that the PSP-4000 will support UMD, and I think that Sony will support whichever formats make it the most money,” Pachter told Edge. “It’s an interesting dilemma. Without question, there is room for packaged products and the benefits of digital-only are probably more than offset by foregone sales of UMDs.

“I think that the next version will likely have both, with a disc drive that uses no power if the user is playing a downloaded game. The question is whether it’s too bulky, but my guess is that they can fit some flash in there, or equip the game with a 16Gb memory stick and consumers will be perfectly happy.”

On that front, Divnich feels that Sony would like to drop UMD but it might not be fiscally possible.

“Ultimately, businesses must meet the demand of consumers. If the PSPgo fails to latch on as a standard model for the PSP, Sony has no choice but to continue to support the UMD format,” said Divnich. “If Sony had their way, they would eradicate the UMD standard in favor of digital distribution. Sony’s primary goal with the UMD format was for it to catch on in other media players, unfortunately it didn’t.

“Sony has had horrible luck when it comes to creating media standards, and PSPgo is three years ahead of its time, the same way the PS3 was ahead of its time. Regardless of the success of the PSPgo, ten years from now when the industry is mostly digital, we will look back and single out Sony and its PSPgo as being the first console to push us in the digital direction.”

NIS America has announced that its currently taking preorders for Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman!: What Did I Do to Deserve This? on UMD.

However, the UMD release will only happen if the firm receives 1,000 orders by November 13 – otherwise production of the UMD will not happen.

Loads of PSP owners have requested a physical version of the title, so hopefully those same people with preorder it and make it happen.

More information can be found through The Examiner and RosenQueen.

SCEA has said that third party games are not required to be released via digital format.

Quite a few games released post PSPgo launch hit shelves on UMD and have yet to land on PSN. Because each lacks a digital version, Go users cannot play the titles. This is something that is all in the hands of the publisher, according to Sony.

“It’s up to individual third parties to decide if and when to publish their UMD releases on PSN,” SCEA’s Eric Lempel told Joystiq. “Most, if not all, are on board, as this is a revenue opportunity for them.”

Wile some companies, like Namco, do not have plans for upcoming games to be released digitally, in the past Sony has required all PS3 games to include Trophies – so it may decide to eventually do the same for Go users.

However, at this time, there are no plans to force the issue.

More through the link.

NIS America’s Nao Zook has posted over the US PS Blog news that the firm will be re-releasing some of its PSP titles to celebrate the launch of the PSPgo.

Here’s what’s coming for the handheld’s launch tomorrow:

• Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light
• Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
• Dragoneer’s Aria
• Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This?
• Mana Khemia: Student Alliance
• Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?

On top of this, the titles will be 50 percent off for one week starting tomorrow, and will range in price from $4.99 to $9.99.

Head on though the link now, and you can also participate in a poll being conducted for a UMD version of Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman.

So far, it’s a 60/40 split.

SCEA’s finally confirmed that there will be no UMD conversion program for those upgrading to the discless PSPgo next week.

“We were evaluating a UMD conversion program, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the program at this time,” a rep for the firm’s US arm told Kotaku.

End of. Come to Europe, Americans: You get free games.

SCEE’s Zeno Colaco has stated that some PSP Minis are to be transitioned to UMD or on PS3 in order for developers and publishers to access revenue from retail as well as the PS Store.

“The most successful Minis titles will probably transition to UMD,” Colaco told Develop. “I think that a package of multiple Minis games on a single UMD is a real possibility at a later stage, where even a studio or publisher will put a collection of their own games on a single disc. We’d be open to that.”

“These games won’t need to necessarily be built for the home console, and I think these games will find their true life and identity in those micro-bursts of play. But I do think there’s a possibility that Minis could find themselves on other consoles down the line.”

Minis go live on the PS Store October 1.

Sony bossman of product planning, Naoya Matsui, has stated that the company always planned to eventually release a UMD-free PSP once the digital distribution market matured.

“We’d planned to release a PSP model without a UMD drive since the very beginning,” Matsui told GameBusiness. “But if we’d simply released the hardware, there wouldn’t have been much for everyone to enjoy.

“We needed to prepare the right environment for it first – things like the transferal of content with the PS3 and PSN, and PC software to manage content like music and movies such as Media Go.

“We wanted to release it when the delivery of digital content was on par with the delivery of physical media. That’s what we’ve been working on these past two years. We’ll be selling the PSP Go alongside the existing PSP models, because it’s a product targeted at those people who are more accustomed to digital content.”

PSP Go is slated for release in the US and Europe on October 1, and in Japan come November.

More over on Develop.

Sony plans to make almost every PSP UMD game released after October 1 available for digital download.

Jeff Rubenstein said over on the US PS Blog that when third-party titles are released digitally would depend on the publisher, all first-party titles will hit PSN.

“It’s my understanding that just about everything hitting after October 1 will be available for download,” he wrote.

October 1 is when PSP Go hits the market.

More over on CVG.

Sony says that it will offer a digital replacement for UMD games if you buy a PSP Go. Some maybe even be for free.

“We’re in the midst of putting together a good will program”, John Koller told Gizmodo. “We’ll be unveiling that soon [because] we actually think there’s a significant group that will be upgrading from the 1000.

“In the past, we’ve seen a 20-25% trade-up factor, and I assume that’s going to be the case here. We’ve modeled that. So we’re looking at a good-will program—a short term good-will program that would continue for years afterward.”

Stipulations and specifics were not mentioned regarding the service since nothing solid has been decided.

More through the link.

Team 17 says that Sony is clever for its embracing of digital distribution with PSP Go!, and feels that UMD just never really took off.

Speaking with Develop, Martyn Brown commended Sony’s new handheld and feels that the company has made a wise choice with how game are played on it.

“I think it’s fair to say that the UMD as a media format never really got going,” said the studio head. “I think it’s clever for Sony to embrace digital distribution.

“I’m sure we’ll be supporting the new PSP with engaging digital titles in the future.”

More through the link.

SCEA’s confirmed last night’s rumour that Patapon 2 will be a digital-only release in America.

“We’re considering a digital-only format for the Patapon 2 release as a one time test case as we continue to explore consumer preferences for digital content,” SCEA comms boss Patrick Seybold said in a statement.

“The downloadable game will be available on May 5th at both retail and via the PlayStation Store. We remain focused on providing superior games and entertainment experiences in both the UMD and digital formats and are working closely with our partners to deliver the best PSP line up in our history.”

If you buy the game’s box at retail, you’re going to get a case and a download voucher.

The game’s already out in Europe.

Arstechnica’s rumouring that Patapon 2′s to be a UMD-less affair in the US.

That report claims retail cases will be empty, instead containing a download voucher.

There’s no official word from Sony as yet, although it’d be about as surprising as June following May were it true.

Sony says that UMD is critical to business “this year and beyond,” responding to rumors of an upcoming UMD-free PSP.

While not directly answering claims of the machine’ reality made by Acclaim’s David Perry, Sony’s John Koller did say that digital download were the future for PSP.

“We are making a concerted effort for digital distribution,” he said. “We’ve talked to developers about increasing their digital download content.”

The company wants to continue to support retail outlets, so allowing publishers to choose either UMD or the PSN digital download service as a way of releasing games is still a ways off.

“There is a delay right now because we want to ensure retail is respected and have their day in the sun,” Koller said.

“Retail has been concerned about the digital side of game purchases, but that conversation has changed in the past nine to 12 months.”

Update: Kotaku caught up with Perry today and he said he know someone who’s working on it. Take a look.

Acclaim boss Dave Perry has backed up a tweet earlier today on the lack of UMD support in the heavily-rumoured upcoming PSP revamp, saying he’s “certain” the disc’s out of the new design.

“I can’t reveal my sources, but you can be certain there’s no UMD, which means fully digital online device, and you know I know people,” the exec told GameDaily.

For the record, he’s right. Hit this for the latest on PSP-4000.

Thanks, Joystiq.

Rabid Final Fantasy fans take note; if you want some day-one hands-on time with Dissidia: Final Fantasy, come December 18, a Japanese PSN account will grant your wish.

According to a Japanese TGS listing (kindly translated by Siliconera), the Final Fantasy-themed, fan service-tacular fighter will be joining titles like Loco Roco 2 and Patapon 2 in the Japanese PlayStation Store on day one.

While pricing hasn’t been finalized, the two aforementioned Sony-published titles’ digital price tags sport slightly smaller numbers than their retail counterparts, so speculation says downloading Dissidia could also save your wallet some grief.

At this point, details of the game’s Western release haven’t been nailed down, so we can’t say whether or not the game’s localized release will be straddling the Internet en route to your PSP.

More through the link.

By Nathan Grayson

Sony confirmed at TGS today that all future SCEJ UMD titles are to be directly downloadable, CVG reports.

Destroy All Heroes 2 will be the first game released under the new policy, hitting Japanese stores as UMD and the PS Store as a download on October 15, the same day Japanese PSP owners get direct access to the outlet.

Other SCEJ titles heading to a memory card near you in the near future include:

• BLEACH SOUL CARNIVAL – October 23
• Secret Agent Clank – November 20
• PATAPON2 DonChaka – November 27
• LocoRoco2 – December 4
• ENKAKU SOUSA -23 days for the “Truth” – Winter 2008
• APE QUEST – TBC
• Gunshot and the Diamonds (working title) – Spring 2009
• RESISTANCE: Retribution – Spring 2009

Shopkeepers will be pleased. More through the link.

According to this Siliconera story, SCEE is to sell two collections of previously downloadable PS Store games for PSP on disc this October.

The Playtation Network Power Pack comes with fl0w, Beats, and Syphon Filter: Combat Ops. Go! Lemmings, Go! Sudoku, and Go! Puzzle are part of the PlayStation Network Collection: Puzzle Pack.

More through the link.