Sony Readies The PSP Comeback

UPDATE: Assassin’s Creed and (gasp!) Hannah Montana PSP Bundles? Rock Band UNPLUGGED? Must write another news article!

If PSP owners need anything right now, it’s hope. When I posted our first “Portable Offerings” feature yesterday highlighting this week’s DS releases, my intent was to whip around and simultaneously publish our first PSP release list. It didn’t take long: there weren’t any PSP releases this week. Admittedly, some quality titles have been slowly trickling our way, but in order for the handheld to truly succeed, consumers need to be almost overwhelmed with choice on a weekly basis.

With the introduction of the PSP-3000 model and its anti-piracy innards, publishers have begun slowly placing their hope into the PSP once again. But any good leader must lead by example, and Sony has just issued a press release that demonstrates they’re ready.

How’s this for a motivational speech:

“There are a lot of big claims in the gaming industry but we’re confident when we say that 2009 is going to be an exciting year for PSP. Our fans have demanded big PSP titles and this year, we’re going to deliver again and again. PSP gamers are going to get one big franchise after another.”

-Mark Hardy, European Marketing Director, SCEE

The press release goes on to promise three huge 1st party titles in 2009: LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm: Arctic Edge (glorious trailer below), and a new Buzz! trivia title. More reassuring is that none of these will be ports, but are being designed from the ground up as original, made-for-PSP titles.

But, Sony MUST also continue to foster the production of games like Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero, Patapon, LocoRoco, and other ORIGINAL titles that play to the system’s strengths.

As we write this, even more PSP-related press releases are being sent down the wire, so stay tuned portable gamers!