Sony’s PSPgo Hits Store Shelves

By Geoff Duncan October 1, 2009

Sony has been playing up its new handheld gaming rig for a while now, but today is when the SKUs hit the shelves: Sony’s PSPgo portable gaming system is on sale at North American retailers for a suggested price of $249.99. The PSPgo features a 3.8-inch display that slides up to reveal gaming controls, 802.11b Wi-Fi (for connecting to available networks and the PlayStation Network), and Bluetooth wireless networking (for handling headsets or Dualshock controllers).

What’s missing? Sony’s little-loved UMD disc drive, which helps the PSPgo be over 40 percent smaller than its predecessors. Sony plans to make up for it by offering full-length portable game titles via the PlayStation Network. Sony is, of course, offering a plethora of new gaming content on the PlayStation Network to support the launch, including Gran Turismo, Motorstorm Arctic Edge, and PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe. Overall, Sony claims more than 225 full-game titles are available for the PSPgo via the PlayStation Network, along with more than 16,000 other content items like movies, TV shows, PSOne games, and comics. The units even come with a Rock Band Unplugged Lite voucher, just to get people started on the path of buying into game franchises.

The PSPGo features 16 GB of onboard flash memory, along with Memory Stick micro card support so users can sideload titles, photos, and other media. Users will be able to leverage the Bluetooth capabilities to listen to music via a compatible Bluetooth device, as well as tap into Internet radio and use headsets with VoIP services like Skype. The PSPgo also includes Web browsing capability, so enabling users to access online video and other services.

PSPgo1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

An open question is whether Sony can succeed with the PSPgo again the likes of the iPod touch and the Nintendo DSi: Nintendo has always seemed to have the edge amongst casual gamers (and the DS family has always outsold the PSP line), and Apple has captured significant mindshare with the iPod touch…whic starts out at a lower price point than the PSPgo. On the other hand, for the time being Sony arguably has the edge in terms of game content, and for folks looking for a portable gaming experience, the content is about all that matters.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

PlayStation has a secret weapon up its sleeve: the Hero Project

Three colorful PS5s float together in a line.

The video game industry is changing. As financial growth stagnates, companies like PlayStation have experimented with ways to adapt as markets and trends change. Where it was once able to rely on its first-party blockbusters to build and maintain an audience, it is looking more likely that it will need to invest in new strategies to prepare for the ways the industry is shifting. We see this with a bigger push into live-service and mobile games, but there's another initiative that isn't going to pay dividends in the near future but could set the groundwork for future success: the Hero Project.

Sony's Hero Project isn't a widely publicized or highlighted initiative -- even by PlayStation. Still, it's something every PlayStation owner should be aware of. It has the potential to be its secret weapon in the long run.
The world needs heroes
PlayStation's Hero Project is currently in its fourth iteration. Beginning in 2016, it kicked off with three rounds of the China Hero Project and has currently expanded to include the India Hero Project. The goal of these initiatives is to allow game developers from said countries to pitch their games directly to a special PlayStation committee. If accepted, Sony will then offer the team support with finances, technologies, marketing, and occasionally publishing.

Gaming

How to start the Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16

Rising Tide DLC

Final Fantasy 16's base adventure is already a long and winding tale full of intrigue, but that doesn't mean there isn't more story to be told in its world. Like the Echoes of the Fallen DLC before it, The Rising Tide DLC serves as an additional journey for Clive and company to undertake, providing players the opportunity to discover various all-new enemies, locations, and characters. This fresh content even includes Leviathan as a new Eikon for Clive to encounter, making it a must-play for completionists hoping to experience everything in the game. If you're wondering how to start The Rising Tide DLC, look no further — we'll tell you how to do so below.
How to start The Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16
To access The Rising Tide DLC in Final Fantasy 16, you'll first need to be sure you've purchased and downloaded the content. You can buy The Rising Tide as a standalone DLC for $15 or as part of the Expansion Pass, which also includes the Echoes of the Fallen DLC, for $25.

Once you've purchased and downloaded the DLC, however, there's more you'll need to do before you can start tackling the new content in The Rising Tide. For starters, you'll need to have unlocked Origin as a destination on the world map, which requires you to be at the end of the main campaign. You'll also have to complete the two sidequests, "Where There's a Will" and "Priceless," for Joshua and Jill, respectively. After clearing those quests, you can finally head to Clive's quarters at the Hideaway and check the missives table. There, you'll find an unmarked letter that lets you begin a new quest called “The Rising Tide."

Gaming

The best cozy games

Riding in a boat with Kapp'n in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

In a world where so many games send you on missions with tense action and high stakes, sometimes it's nice to just sit back and relax a bit. That's where the cozy genre comes in with calming exploration, crafting, and decorating that give you a sense of purpose without all of the stress that comes from more action-oriented games. If that's what you're after, look no further, as we've compiled a list of what we consider to be the best cozy games you can play right now.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons