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Rumored PSP-4000 details: Wait, do we really need ANOTHER one? photo

The PSP-3000 was only released last year, but Sony is intent on beating a dead horse by announcing yet another new model for the disappointing handheld. After years of promises and only a handful of developers interested in the system, the PSP's new model has officially entered the realm of farce.

The PSP-4000 is allegedly going to get a "complete aesthetic overhaul," meaning that this one will look radically different from the others. Because of course, that's been the PSP's problem all along, right? The way it looked?

The biggest change here is the sliding front screen, meaning it will closely resemble famous concept image that some thought heralded a PSP successor system (pictured). 

These ridiculous console revamps must be making Sony money, which is why they're just remaking the same machine instead of putting some games out for the bloody thing. That's kind of sad considering a new PSP game worth playing only appears once every six months. I honestly can't believe we're getting another PSP remake, but it seems that no matter how cynical you are in this industry, a game company will find a way to make you feel naive. 

Still, my PSP is looking rather the worse for wear ...


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34 comments | showing # 1 to 34

Corican's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 08:44
Corican
As you rightly said; they should just get their act together and release some good games, not keep re-doing the same console.

It makes me mad when such a massive company makes dumb ass mistakes constantly.
zombiekiller13's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 08:50
zombiekiller13
This generation is plagued by too many versions of one console. They are all doing it...Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft. Wonder if we're witnessing the second video game crash?

I doubt it...the one in the 80's was due to the market being flooded with all sorts of different consoles and shovelware...wait a second...
linuxguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 08:50
linuxguy
I don't think they'll announce another one.
maybe a psp2
elsteveo's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 08:54
elsteveo
It does look pretty neat though.
iNerd's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 08:59
iNerd
The PSP is not in itself a bad system, infact in many ways its far better than the DS. The problem with it is more the software released for it and its image. Why are people so keen to promote the DS over the PSP and yet in the same breath bash the Wii with the 360? The 360 is more of a 'classic' setup in its controls and output where as the wii has a new gimmic. The same is true of the DS and PSP and yet the response is almost universally different.

I have a DS and PSP so I wouldnt buy a new one of either but I can still appreciate them.
Aertyr's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:04
Aertyr
I've been skeptical about the PSP from day one, but it seems every day there is another game coming out for it that I painfully want. If that design is anything like the real one, count me in.
Charlie X's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:14
Charlie X
One per six months? So far one per year if that. Silent Hill Origins was pants and now I'm just hoping for Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce to be good. I have a Japanese import PSP which is as good as a paperweight compared to the ones my flatmates have managed to get use out of by trading them in for DS'.
jorgedc's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:17
jorgedc
Always complain about Sony systems, games, eh? admit it, sony psp and ps3, even ps2 destroy any competitor of his time. PERIOD.

Insted to waste all that time and energy(or fat?) to try make sony look a "bad" product, maybe you should use that time make
some exercice and try score a girl or man as you prefer, you need it seriously, you look desperate.

Regards.
atastysammich's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:29
atastysammich
If this does turn out to be true, it's too late for me to get on board. I just bought Nerf Armor for my 2000, so it's not going anywhere.
Ogu's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:39
Ogu
Not all that surprising. Sony has done a complete design overhaul for its two previous consoles, it figures they'd do one for the PSP. You'd be impressed at how much new design can influence potential clients, and I really think it's a good decision from sony if they do it: It gets attention from possible users, that attention generates interest in developers.
akathatoneguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:50
akathatoneguy
@jorgedc-

Cotton? Is that you???
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 09:54
Jim Sterling
"maybe you should use that time make
some exercice and try score a girl or man as you prefer"

I don't think my wife would like that.
Valentia X's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:00
Valentia X
They need better marketing. The PSP is good for more than games, and maybe it's just my neck of the woods, but it seems that all they do is show it as a handheld console when it's pretty useful for other things- I've talked total strangers into getting one purely for the fact that their kids can use them on planes and watch movies, let alone limited net access on top of having games that their crotch dropped hellspawn can play to quieten them down.

Eh.
pascuz46's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:04
pascuz46
Whatever there is still alot of life left in the PSP, developers can do alot on that handheld. Just look at God Of War and how great it looked. Although I guess developers think its profitable developing for it.
Luke Barnard's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:13
Luke Barnard
i didnt know flat screen TVs were portable.
ErigBurger's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:14
ErigBurger
JIM STOP BEING SUCH AN XBOT JEEZ! YOU LOOK DESPERATE. AND BEING A STUPID SONY FANBOY TROLL DOESN'T MAKE ME LOOK DESPERATE AT ALL. HA HA I WIN!

Oh trolls. When will you ever stop being dumb?
Zero Atma's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:20
Zero Atma
For those who think the DS is "gimmicky," just because it has a touch screen, remember that it also has a standard d-pad, four buttons, and two shoulder buttons. Many games (not all, but many) can be played without ever taking the stylus out.
That being said, I think the PSP has done poorly in part because Sony failed to make a decisive marketing strategy. Is it a game system or a multimedia system? They also tried to use it to promote a ludicrous proprietary data format, including UMD movies, which would be fine (the DS carts are also proprietary), except why pay MORE for UMD media on which you get LESS (smaller screen, limited extras) compared to DVD? The price point didn't help, and neither did the battery life. But I think the poorly focused marketing and media format were the big blunders.
The DS was less expensive, played only games, and had the GBA slot, and that backward compatibility helped a lot.

All this being said, the PSP has been great for homebrew, and I think that's prompted the various changes Sony has made. The firmware updates rarely contain anything SO good to prompt an update, they yet are put out frequently, and newer games require newer firmware. Why? To try to stop the hackers. I think this is prompting the new hardware versions as well, though I don't know why, it's not stopping people from hacking their systems, not for very long anyway.
whormongr's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:39
whormongr
@Zero Atma I do agree with you on everything you sid, though don't discount the library as a pretty big fault in it- I personally like the psp a lot better than the ds, but the ds gets more play since I have plain and simple run out of games to play on the psp
Bulkmailer's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:40
Bulkmailer
I'll stick with my GBA Micro 20TH Anniversary Edition thank you very much. I just got it Friday and this thing is adorable! Yay!
Mattchewie's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 10:57
Mattchewie
I think we all know these new rev's are to help stave off piracy. New screens, built in microphones and such are just present cause sony knows we would never buy a new PSP just to ensure "better security".

I hope their efforts work cause I'm sure if game companies can make some cheddar off their titles we would be seeing more games.


Personally I say just come out with the PSP2 with a second analog stick, move a cart system and just leave the PSP1 in the past.
Ikey Heyman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 11:56
Ikey Heyman
kind of makes me think of the GBASP. I don't mind it at all. but I just got my PSP this christmas, so...pass.

like zombiekiller13 said too, all these console revamps are really getting out of hand. they should just save all the new ideas for the next system, so we'd get a huge, good revamp, instead of tiny little updates we still have to pay full price for.
Holyetheline's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 12:36
Holyetheline
I remember when those concept pictures first popped up a long time ago. Nice design. I hope Sony's version is really close to that one.
comtruise's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 12:39
comtruise
Ughhh... I just got my PSP-3000 last December.
Johnny Justice's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 15:16
Johnny Justice
I'm really getting sick of that concept image. It hurts my hands to look at it.
DinnertimeNinja's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 15:22
DinnertimeNinja
Sony's finally following the Nintendo handheld model.

Release what SEEMS like a great system so that you buy it, then blindside them with an even better version of it that's JUST good enough to make you think about upgrading.

I've still got my PSP Fatty and should I come into some free cash, I was considering getting the 3000. Thanks for making my decision easier, Sony.

Though if the 400 is anything at all like that concept sketch up there (minus the placement of the shoulder buttons) then it will be a must buy for me.
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 15:54
Syn
According to PSP Hacks.com the PSP has moved over 50 million units world-wide (this includes all 3 models) and also, 200 Million UMDs have been sold as well.
How many of those PSPs have been hacked? Who knows
How many of those UMDs have been made into ISOs and spread to the masses? Again, who knows?

But the PSP isn't doing SO bad I suppose.
PEICanada7's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 15:59
PEICanada7
"Sony's finally following the Nintendo handheld model."

Yes Nintendo does release new redesigns of it hardware, but not one a year. If anything Sony is being more like Apple, who release a new iPod every year. People freaked out over the new DSi, but at least its been a few years since the DS Lite came out. Not just one year like the last one in the PSP-3000, and the one before that in 2007 with the PSP-2000. A new one every year is just absurd, and its nothing like Nintendo handheld model!
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 16:51
Necros
Since when does Sony try to outdo Nintendo at releasing new models? I know the DSi isn't the largest update, compared to the DS to the DS Lite or the GBA to the GBA SP to the GB Micro, but jeez Sony, this is your fourth release and your first major update. Maybe just move on to PSP2 at this point?
TheToiletDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 17:01
TheToiletDuck
for fucks sake please give it a second analog nub
ChronosWing's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 17:14
ChronosWing
Hmm, If this is true, and it looks somewhat like that concept image, I think I will be getting myself a second psp for just playing umd games on, as my psp-2000 is a homebrew/psx emulator.
ajaxender's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 17:15
ajaxender
FUUUUUUUUUUUUU- IT ACTUALLY HAS A SCREEN LIKE THAT!!! SO MUCH WANTING!

But of course, lets not forget part of their reasoning to do this AGAIN is to prevent hacking and homebrew... which, apart from music, is all i use mine for. I dont think i could do without my gba/gbc/snes/genesis/psx combo.
akathatoneguy's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 21:28
akathatoneguy
@ Jim-

I reread that comment a couple of times and have come to the conclusion that he was hitting on you. You should let him down gently, lest he become Cotton v 2.0
retroNutZ's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/23/2009 23:46
retroNutZ
This wont save you PSP. Pirates have already stolen your heart and no fancy remodel can take that back. Its time to accept this PSP, besides no one can stop the juggernaut that is Nintendo, well maybe Apple...
wanderingpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/24/2009 06:58
wanderingpixel
I think it looks great. I love the way the screen slides and such. But I agree that what the PSP really needs are some good games.
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