Sony Hiring Testers For New 'Game Machine', Begin Speculating Now

[DoctorFinger]

It's never too early to engage in a little old fashioned rampant speculation. This time it's an online job listing in Japan which has kicked up the rumor mill.

This week, the flames of speculation were further fanned by a job listing on the official Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Web site for an "evaluator/assessor" for a "new game machine." According to a GameSpot translation by a fluent Japanese speaker, the new machine is "part of the PlayStation or PSP series and their peripherals."

The speculation goes thusly: it's too early for Sony to be actively testing the successor to the PS3, so logically it must be the mythical PSP2.

What does this prove? Exactly nothing. Sony can deny that they're working on the next PSP all they want, but everyone knows that some amount of development is being done on it. This however would be the best indicator that development is at an advanced enough stage that Sony is looking for people to test early versions of the hardware. That is, it would be if we could be sure this job listing is for something remotely familiar, and not for an all new product.

Sources - Gamespot; 1UP.

[bean]

Where do they go with the PSP2 though? I guess they could supe it up from having about PS2-level graphics to something a little better than the Wii, but that just seems too small a jump to get people to pay another $200 for it (they'll probably try to sell them for even more than that at launch).

I can see why they would want to make one that is less hackable as it seems most PSP owners get it hacked in order to play movie files more easily but as a result they can also easily pirate games. That makes sense for Sony to improve, but that actually offers less value to the customer.

They might also be going with a system where you download all games (either from a store kiosk or a PS3) as this would make the batteries run a LOT longer and give engineers quite a bit of space on the system for things like improved memory (or a second analog stick).

Thing I'd want on it most: clamshell design.

[Gorvi]

Probably a PSP2, though there's a rumor floating around out there that it's the PSP-4000 model with a complete hardware redesign, though still the same specs.

And a big no thanks to download only games, that would be a huge failure. Make it an option, sure, but there's no way a console is going to make it on that alone.

[DoctorFinger]

I'd bet that the next PSP will allow you to DL most (if not all) games, but most will also be available at retail.

As for features, I'd hope they include a second analog stick but the rest depends on how ambitious Sony is feeling. I wouldn't be shocked to see them try to position it as the 'iPhone killer'. I think it would be a mistake, but I could see Sony trying it.

[Dukefrukem]

PS4! They already have it secretly developed.

[Telefrog]

Sony N-Gage!

[H.Bogard]

Duh, you guys have it all wrong:

http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...tupid_piece_of

[carnage11]

PS4.....they want to just forget about the PS3 already.

The PS4 will be two PS2s taped together. They'll call it......the PS2x2=4.

Now you can play DOUBLE the games!

[biosc1]

You have it all wrong.

Neural gameplay control is the wave of the future (future...future...future).

This new gameplay device will be a combination of a PS3 and a Virtual Boy. Leaving you sick to your stomach and empty in the wallet...with added Sony DRM rootkit installed into your BRAINZ!

...in all seriousness...PSP2. It's about time and they will hopefully learn from their mistakes and, perhaps, fix the screen issue that they had with their last iteration. Plus, dual analog sticks.

[total]

Originally Posted by biosc1

Plus, dual analog sticks.

I'd be content with one functional one. ZING! Seriously tho I hate the fucking nub.

[carnage11]

I just had a thought.....could it be a slim line PS3?

[Narradisall]

PS5!

Imagine a PS2 and PS3 taped together!

All the technology of the PS3 with all the games of the PS2!

[Purple Santa]

Originally Posted by carnage11

I just had a thought.....could it be a slim line PS3?

This would make to much sense. Probably to soon for a slimline but damn that would sell.

[MagGnome]

Either a PSP2 or a slimline PS3. Either one would be interesting to see.

[violent]

It would be horrible for them to start trying to sell a PS3 Slim if they haven't even mastered the art of selling the regular PS3. Granted, lower price will help but not enough to compensate for the used resources in designing and manufacturing that could be used for say, game development. My money is on PSP2.

[ElektroDragon]

Mark my words. We are about to see the PSWii!

[Dukefrukem]

Originally Posted by ElektroDragon

Mark my words. We are about to see the PSWii!

ahhhhhhh. you're right!!!

[Heretic Machine]

There are two problems with launching a PSP2: First of all, I might not be interested once they get finished locking that shit down, a big part of what I enjoy about my PSP is how open it is once hacked; secondly, the DSi just launched in Japan back in November, and will be launching here soon, and going up against the DS at launch is what fucked them over to begin with.

If I were them, I'd be working on making the PSP cheaper, so that they can undercut the price of a DSi. Pro-tip: Cheap shit sells like hotcakes (take a look at the Wii and DS).

[Ancalagon]

Originally Posted by Heretic Machine

There are two problems with launching a PSP2: First of all, I might not be interested once they get finished locking that shit down, a big part of what I enjoy about my PSP is how open it is once hacked; secondly, the DSi just launched in Japan back in November, and will be launching here soon, and going up against the DS at launch is what fucked them over to begin with.

If I were them, I'd be working on making the PSP cheaper, so that they can undercut the price of a DSi. Pro-tip: Cheap shit sells like hotcakes (take a look at the Wii and DS).

I'd say cheap launches help more than price reductions though - look at the Wii vs the reduced price XBox. The XBox is now the cheapest console on the market, yet it still cant match the Wii's sales.

[boratika]

It could just be a PS3 revision along the line of the Zephyr and Jasper 360s. That is superficially identical, just tweaked internals.