Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Sony NGP news: optional 3G, physical game cards, 4-5 hrs battery

By
Sony NGP (Next Generation Portable)
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony unveiled its NGP (Next Generation Portable) yesterday, but left many questions unanswered. While the device appears to be a solid successor to the PSP, we don’t yet know how many original games it will have, what it will cost, how it will use 3G, or what kind of battery life the dual quad-core device will get. Historically, small questions like these have meant the difference between a successful handheld game player and a failure. Below are a few things we’ve learned.

Physical game cards

We knew the NGP had some form of flash card storage, but Sony seemed to imply that all games would be downloaded via Wi-Fi or 3G directly onto the device. Not so, clarifies Andy House, president of Sony’s European branch. In a blog post, he discusses the device and reveals that games will be sold in stores and on a PlayStation Store online. This means you can still go to GameStop to get a game, but it also means that the device might only be able to hold one game per flash card. Most games are the size of PS3 games, which range from 1-25 (or so) gigabytes in size, though most clock in under 10GB. Flash cards begin getting mighty expensive when they get up toward 32+ gigabytes. We’ll have to wait to see how Sony handles this storage issue.

Recommended Videos

3G or not to 3G

We also know that the NGP will have 3G, but Andy House told Eurogamer that there will be multiple NGP models and only one of them will have 3G. It is presumed that other models may vary in storage size and will probably be Wi-Fi-only.

“The first thing to clarify, which I’m not sure the presentation did a perfect job of doing today, is that all of the devices will have Wi-Fi capability; a separate SKU will have 3G,” said House. “So the user gets a choice. Wi-Fi is available wherever, which clearly is the most important aspect of connectivity and that connected experience; 3G will be a subset of that.”

House said that Sony is “working hard” on carrier partnerships for 3G access, but could not confirm how exactly it will work. Will the connection be free, like Amazon’s Kindle, and a portion of each game sale would go to the carrier? If that is the case, how would carriers be compensated for online multiplayer? A monthly fee seems like a must. Traditionally, Sony has had a difficult time obtaining support from wireless carriers in the United States–AT&T (GSM) is probably the closest thing it has to a friend here. Will the NGP have GSM 3G access? Will it include support for CDMA? And what about 4G? Wouldn’t a hardcore device like NGP benefit from a cutting edge 4G connection over HSPA or LTE?

Pricing, battery life

Sony hasn’t revealed any info on battery life and pricing, but Ars Technica pulled together a number of articles and quotes, pointing toward battery life that is about equal to the original PSP. Another source said it would be around 4-5 hours–fairly low for a handheld game machine. Hopefully the final unit will attain those stats.

Though the system will be released in at least one territory by the end of 2011, price is another mystery. The Nintendo 3DS is Nintendo’s most expensive gaming system to date at $250. It’s estimated that the NGP will cost at least as much, but likely much more. $250 was the original price of the PSP, but at the time it was $100 more expensive than the $150 Nintendo DS. The only thing we do know: executives have confirmed that it won’t be as expensive as the $600 PS3 was when it launched.

Gameplay video

Topics
Jeffrey Van Camp
Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Hades 2 shows the Steam Deck’s biggest advantage over the Nintendo Switch
A Steam Deck sits next to a Switch OLED.

It's always an exciting week when the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time surprise releases on a Monday. That's what happened on May 6 when Hades 2 surprise launched into early access. Players are already diving into the surprisingly robust roguelike, testing their might in its new biomes. I've been enjoying it myself from the comfort of my couch -- and not on my Nintendo Switch, where I played the first Hades. Instead, I'm curled up with my Steam Deck.

The PC-only launch means that Hades 2 is a Steam Deck "exclusive" for the time being (or at least exclusive to portable PCs like it and the Asus ROG Ally). It'll likely come to Nintendo's system -- or its predecessor -- once it hits 1.0, but developer Supergiant doesn't expect its game to leave early access until at least the end of 2024. Until then, you'll need a device like the Steam Deck to play it on the go. That's a reminder that Valve has beaten the Switch at its own game, and Nintendo will have to get creative again with its next system to regain its throne.
Early access on the go
Based on my time with it so far, Hades 2 is a phenomenal match for the Steam Deck. It's already Verified for the platform, and for good reason. It looks fantastic (especially on an OLED screen) and runs smoothly. I've already taken it on the go and found that it's not a huge drain on the Steam Deck's battery. At this point, I don't imagine I'll need to play it any other way.

Read more
Before you play Homeworld 3, try this VR game as a primer
Two fleets fight in Homeworld: Vast Reaches.

Homeworld 3 launches next week, but there's a game Homeworld fans who own a Meta Quest 2 or 3 should check out right now. Homeworld: Vast Reaches, which came to Meta's VR headsets on May 2, is a prequel set between the events of the first two Homeworld games. This VR game offers up the core Homeworld experience in a novel niche of the video game medium.

It's not as deep or complex as Homeworld 3 looks, but it doesn't need to be. Vast Reaches immerses players in the franchise's universe once again and reacquaints them with the basics of its real-time strategy combat ahead of a highly anticipated new entry on PC. As such, checking out Vast Reaches should make this last week of waiting for Homeworld 3 a little less painful.
Homeworld, but in VR
Homeworld: Vast Reaches was developed by FarBridge, who has previously worked on VR games like Walkabout Mini Golf, Dragon Fight VR, and Jar Wars. Made with Gearbox Entertainment's support and blessing, it boils Homeworld down to its core elements and rebuilds it in VR. Players control a new Fleet Command connected to Karan S'jet's Mothership, which is the conceit behind how players view battles.

Read more
Nintendo confirms that Switch 2 and a June Direct are coming
A Nintendo Switch Red and Blue system.

Nintendo has finally confirmed two important things that people were speculating about. First off, we learned that another Nintendo Direct showcase will be taking place this June. More importantly, Nintendo finally confirmed that it is working on a Nintendo Switch successor and said we'd learn more about it within this fiscal year.

This all came from a statement by President Shuntaro Furukawa on Nintendo's corporate X (formerly Twitter) account. "We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015," the post confirms. "We will be holding a Nintendo Direct this June regarding the Nintendo Switch software lineup for the latter half of 2024, but please be aware that there will be no mention of the Nintendo Switch successor during that presentation."

Read more