Register Hardware

Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/07/psp_direct_game_downloads/

Sony ponders direct-to-PSP downloads

By James Sherwood
Published Friday 7th December 2007 12:35 GMT

A Sony executive has hinted that mobile gamers may soon be able to download content directly to a PlayStation Portable.

Playstation_store_main
Sony's PlayStation Store: designed for PC access only

Sony Computer Entertainment America's director of network operations, Eric Lempel, has been quoted (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2007/12/04/the-psp-online-store-a-glimpse-towards-the-future-the-biggest-interview-about-it-anywhere/) as stating that “clearly that’s something we’re thinking about”, when questioned about the possibility of allowing gamers to download games and other content direct to a PSP.

Games can currently be downloaded from PlayStation Store (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/21/sony_psp_playstation_store/) for the PSP, but it has to be done via a PC. Content must then transferred over to the handled console, making it a pretty laborious process by comparison to a PSP-based service.

Lempel reportedly admitted that it was initially easier to create the service to be based around the PC. However, he added that a different type of navigation and browsing system must first be created if gamers are to access the content directly from a PSP.

The executive also believes that undisclosed “technical challenges” need to be addressed, in order to make sure content’s delivered securely.

While it’s good news that there may be an additional PSP-based game delivery platform on the way, let’s just hope that Sony doesn’t later claim that its exec’s words were taken out of context (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/22/sony_psp_phone_denial/).