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Sony Debuts New PSP To Compete With Rival Nintendo
Posted on redorbit.com: Wednesday, 3 June 2009, 10:45 CDT
Sony unveiled its PlayStation handled game device, called the PSP Go, on Tuesday during the second day of E3, the largest U.S. video games conference, Reuters reported.
A day after rival console-maker Microsoft charmed audiences with its "Natal" - groundbreaking technology utilizing full-body motion-capture for gamers - Sony and Nintendo vied for the spotlight during the first full day of the show, which is expected to draw some 40,000 game enthusiasts.
Executives said Sony's PSP Go will hit North American and European shelves October 1 for about $249, before going on sale in Japan November 1. It will be half the size of Sony's current PSP 3000 and 40 percent lighter.
Sony hopes to push at least 15 million units of the PSP or PlayStation Portable in the financial year to March, up from 14.1 million units a year earlier. PSP competes with Nintendo's DS.
The new PSP Go is about the size of a smartphone and sports a large screen that slides up to reveal two clusters of controller buttons. It also has Wi-Fi capability and 16 gigabytes of memory for storing pictures, music and games.
Sony is looking to regain a loss of market share this year to its rival Nintendo, according to analysts.
Nintendo's Wii has been a sensation due to its family-friendly play and fitness-style games. The company announced it sold more than 15 million units of its blockbuster "Wii Fit" fitness game, and plans an update -- the Wii Fit Plus -- later this year.
Additionally, Nintendo’s gaming consoles and hand-held devices have outsold its rivals' products in past months. Since its release in the United States on April 5, Nintendo’s DSi sold roughly 800,000 units in the month, far outpacing Sony's PSP handheld.
Research group NPD said even though sales fell by half to 340,000 units alongside a dive in consumer spending, Nintendo's core "Wii" console was also the top-selling platform in April.
"PSP Go represents a new evolution of PSP, specifically designed for the digital lifestyle," said Kaz Harai, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment.