Sony announces PSP successor NGP
Next Generation Portable set for release this holiday
Sony has finally announced the successor to PlayStation Portable: NGP.
The handheld, which is an abbreviation for Next Generation Portable, sports a 5-inch OLED screen, two analogue stick, front and rear touch pads, an electronic compass, GPS, and 3G connectivity.
Contrary to rumour, NGP isn't a sliding device; rather, it builds on the original PSP candy bar design - what Sony deems the "Super Oval design." To note, the analogue sticks aren't flushed nubs as with the current PSP; instead, as PlayStation.Blog reports, they are fully raised analogue sticks.
What's interesting is that the OLED display is a capacitive touchscreen, essentially meaning that it's a high quality touchscreen. Combined with use of the rear-facing touch pad, Sony promises tactile control in games.
For example, tapping the back of the device can instruct a character to jump, whereas rolling your fingers could climb a wall.
Games currently in development for NGP include new iterations of franchises Hot Shots Golf, Resistance, Uncharted, Killzone, Little Big Planet, and WipEout.
Along with the ability to download games digitally via wi-fi, NGP also accepts flash media cards pre-loaded with games. As such, games will be sold at retail stores in tandem with digital releases. It's unclear if Sony will maintain pricing parity.
NGP will be available this holiday season; final name, release date, and pricing to be announced at a future date.
