PSPgone: Sony Japan confirms slide-console as canned

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has confirmed that it's ceased production of PSPgo, a day after rumours of the handheld's demise.

Sony told Japanese website AV Watch - via Kotaku - that production of PSPgo has been stopped in order for the company "to concentrate on NGP".

Sony said that the UMD-based PSP-3000 will "continue to be sold, and we will keep focusing our attention on it from here on out."

An earlier report from Japanese website Phileweb - translated by Andriasang - said that all future sales of the hardware would be limited to current stock, whilst a notice on the Japanese PlayStation.com store read "shipment ended".

While Sony's UK online store, shows the black PSPgo to be 'temporarily unavilable", the white console is currently still available for next day delivery.

Following speculation of the PSPgo's demise, Sony issued a statement yesterday that neither confirmed nor denied the rumours:

“It is a very exciting time for PlayStation portable devices. Before the end of the year we are launching NGP, our next generation portable device, which we believe will revolutionise portable gaming. In the meantime, the current generation of PSPs continue to be in demand, especially since the introduction of our value for money, Essentials range of games and we will continue to meet that demand.”

PSPgo launched towards the end of 2009 and proved unpopular with some retailers due to its lack of a physical media drive.

All software titles for the device are downloadable, cutting the retailers out of the software supply chain.

Sony’s NGP, the successor to PSP, is launching towards the end of 2011.

Thanks to Blerk for the headline.

Thanks, Eurogamer.