Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that its revamped PlayStation Portable gaming unit, the PSP-3000, will go on sale in Japan on October 16 for ¥16,800 ($182), the same price as the current PSP model. However, the PSP-3000 features a number of improvements, including better performance, a greatly enhanced LCD display that improves video display and is more usable outdoors thanks to a glare-free design, plus a built-in microphone. The Japanese launch of the PSP-3000 will be buoyed by the release of Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and marks Sony’s latest move in its efforts to capture Japan’s portable gaming market from Nintendo. In recent months, the PSP has managed to outsell the Nintendo DS, spurred in part by the popularity of the game Monster Hunter Freedom 2G.
The news follows Sony’s announcement at the Leipzig Game Show that the PSP-3000 would go on sale in Europe October 15 for €199.
Other key specs of the PSP remain the same as previous editions: 64 MB of internal memory, integrated stereo speakers, 802.11b Wi-Fi wireless connectivity, Memory Stick Duo support, analog video output, and the read-only UMB drive.
North American pricing for the PSP is expected to start around $169, with the unit also available bundled with games for $199.
Sony is touting the new LCD as the key feature of the new PSP, although the integrated microphone—and available Skype application—is also catching some interest, giving the PSP some real-world utility rather than merely being a gaming platform.
