PSP2 losing UMD drive?

Buy/Already own UMDs. Make backups with your old PSP. Boom.

at least there's no xbox portable....SONY PWNS!

second thumbstick!!!!!!! finally i have been waiting for them to do that for so looong, now i will have no camera troubles on the PSP!

as long as i can buy games in the stores i'm happy

xrtlop: if games comes in memory sticks (like cartridges for nintendo), will you buy it? I mean, not Digital format, but actually selling game in memory stick. I think that's what sony will do. I mean, flash memories is cheaper to make compare to umd, it's quieter, it runs faster the size is smaller and the capacity is higher.

With the use of another set of face buttons with the added analog stick, who knows how future psp games will be... prob good because so many game features can be added without the lame face buttons being used to look around :D

The touch-sensitive pad has always sounded difficult to use, although that may just be me. In any case, if they eliminate the UMD, I almost certainly won't get this system.

Congratulations, Sony. Way to alienate your user-base.

I do think we've possibly become a bit spoiled in terms of backwards compatibility, and the UMD format could indeed be considered a failure, but I also think Sony is unecesarily punishing loyal fans AND if they go the PSP Go right then they are indeed making, in my opinion anyway, an equally dumb decision as just keeping the UMD, but at least then my current game collection would still be playable on currently serviced hardware.

I'd be fine with the death of UMD if only there was a way to rip them to a file format. Like a big binary file with some DRM on it, so perhaps after UMD essentially disappears from the market completely, Sony can ease back on their fears of piracy and finally put out some converter software. I'd even be fine if they required something like a secure connection to Sony's website for verification and/or to tie a license to a user account a la iTunes. I'd even accept a small fee like $3-5 to perform the conversion, or essentially a licensing fee.

sure is cOLD in here

That is true about disc failures, but I've lost a lot of information due to bad sd cards and usb devices. Not sure what has the highest failure rate... disc readers, or memory cards.

I dunno about the PSP but I like seeing cartridges making a comeback in the form of memory sticks. Yes, discs are still cheaper, but it's always the disc readers that kill a console (yes, lots of 360's red-ringed but a good portion of those failures were also the result of disc reader issues), my PS2 is currently plagued by the disc reading issues, and I *believe* sticks transfer data faster anyway (not 100% sure on that; I've been told that's not always the case).

i think when it comes to new products the biggest things that consumers look for is the ability to use the older products on the newer ones. who's gonna have a 3000 PSP and then buy the new PSP and then have all of those UIMD's just floating around? Not i. lol

Memory sticks are the way to go for sure. I saw this coming. Look how successful the DS is and it uses memory cartridges so very similar to that. Flash memory is becoming more and more mainstream now and cheaper. It will increase battery power, and game start up time. Plus it will give us a physical game to buy. The PSP go didn't do well b/c it had NO physical media only downloads, this Will

Nice, games on memory sticks! I like that a lot actually, good choice Sony. Also 1GB of Ram, the PSP2 might actually be better than the Xbox 360 haha I hope they make it like the PSP-3000, touch screen so you can play touch screen games (some games can pull off touch screen better than with physical controls) but without losing the physical controls like the Dpad and the other buttons of course.

They should design the PSP2 around the PS3 controler. with the correct size duel analog sticks.....this would be badass!

The only I dont get is that PSP is great and all but there isnt that many great games on it as much of the DS which makes me wonder what makes a PSP a game to go fun on the go

I apologize if I've been living under a rock, but what's this about a PSP2? Has there been any other news about it? The only upcoming handheld that I heard about was the 3DS and the only PSP2 that I know of is Phantasy Star Portable 2.

I could live with memory stick games, as long as its something tangible with a box and whatnot. I bought a go because I hated carrying around umds when I had a launch psp, but I think I ended up hating the lack of a physical game copy more.

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okay nice...but what about price and release date?

@amari24 Ummm.... you're kidding right? Have you ever heard of Sony Ericson?? Wow. Sorry man but get a clue.

Some people seem to not actually be reading the article. It says there won't be an UMD drive, but that games will *instead* come on memory sticks. Not that they will be downloadable only like the PSP Go.

I have a 3000, and I like the UMDs just fine. Games have always been about putting in discs, paks, whatever. And the 'go' has smaller buttons than the 3000 or older models, which I think stinks because the buttons on the 3000 are small enough! If the PSP2 or whatever they call it, is another 'go' model with a few additional features, then I'll hold off on a purchase. Besides, I have a 3DS to buy first...

Sounds really unnatural, 1gb ram for a portable yet 512 for a Xbox way bigger in size. No umd drive makes me wanna say some pretty inappropriate things but i guess life goes on.

say goodbye to the psp brand. its the final nail in the coffin for the psp. how well did the pspgo with umd-less sold?

I like a physical product in my opinion

I hope the failure rate of games on memory sticks wont be sky high. I never had a good experience with memory sticks.

@mrboone01 But it's still just a memory card in a different casing There's lots of different types

Looks like they didn't learn their lesson from the Go. No UMD = no buy.

PSP2: FAIL

Great, UMD makes the battery discharge faster, so that's a good. But I'm sure you can use the UMD-USB converter (the one you can use with the PSP-GO) to play old PSP games on the PSP2 (backward compatible, anyone :) ?).

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No UMD? Perhaps I won't bother, I like UMD's, they are very strong and pretty hard to lose, although they do have less space than a stick... As long as it's not download only, then we don't get pre-owned/offers on games unless Sony says so.

@Sirbobislost DS uses cartridges ( unless you're pirating ), not memory sticks. Memory sticks would be like the Memory Stick Duo's the PSP currently uses for storage.

I'm guessing when they say "memory sticks" it'll be something like the what the DS uses

@lock445 Wouldn't count it as "news" as it leans more on the rumors instead of confirmed information. @muzza93 If this rumor really is correct, then I would assume so.

So.. Every new game that u buy is now on a memory stick? Ur not forced to download, u just buy games from shops as usual but they come on a memory stick? Is that right?

@buying1999 I had to re-do this message all over again due to some GameSpot related problem again, so it's not going to be as full of information now. Thanks GameSpot.. again, I really love how it always bugs here, anyway. 1. UMD and Memory Sticks - What does it matter which you buy it on, seriously? 2. Click me Or copy-paste me: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6217068.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B3 [quote="Source above"] Company reps said the technology on display was built into the HDTV itself, meaning it would work with preexisting PS3 games and consoles. However, more importantly for gamers, Sony reps said the company is aiming to integrate the 3D technology into the PS3 hardware itself starting in 2011 and 2012. If that plan comes to fruition, those PS3s could turn as part of a presentation given to media and investors today. [/quote] 3. PlayStation Move has been in research back in 2001 - way before there were even talks of the Wii. Now, seriously.. What does it matter? We've come so far by "copying" and improving on already made hardware. PS Move to Wii, Kinect to PS Eye (in a way.) Hardware improves as years pass. Xbox 360 controller button positions by the PlayStation controller, XABY buttons by SNES, analog sticks by Atari 2600, dual-analog since PS1. Do you or do you not agree that cellphones for example are very identical compared to each others - yet we don't call them copies of each others? Some of them are bought just due to their brand for higher prices. Even they - improve on feats made by the competition. Also, I do wonder why the excessive amount of "ROFL" and "PS3HDWii" makes it sound like you're a bit immature in addition to your "1999" nickname part. I don't have anything against the people your age, but you could act a little more mature. No offence.

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So basically, they're moving to the same media type that pirates have already been using on the PSP since the beginning (memory sticks). Kinda funny when they have to catch up to pirate technology. lol

UMD does not mean no physical media, I don't see why people keep thinking that it means that...It just means no UMD...

Ok the title really scared me... I thought it would be another PSP Go bull**** of downloadable-only games... What's proposed here makes perfect sense. I definitely would buy that.

@buying1999 Whats the difference between buying their UMDs, and buying their memory sticks?

This is not news worth reporting.

I hope they upgrade the UMD drives, just like it's been with PS1-PS3 until now: CD, DVD, Blu-Ray. As some people have said, they should keep the same form but create a new media disc that would surpass the UMD in any way; if they're going to target the younger audience as well, then they should also add a cover for the reading surface because kids tend to be careless with these mini discs.

I hope it's not just a Download-only game system.

Based on the info it is going to be a battery eater , 1GB of ram? and HD screen? wth?

i swear it is like people never read anything. Some of u guys get really angry on RUMORS. It says they are using a new media format so it is not really a psp go2. i will be mad as well if the get rid of umd cause that means i can not play persona 3p on the psp2. but again this is still a rumor. i am still excited to see how powerful it is and the games.