"This is the Walkman of the 21st century," was one of the most captivating phases uttered at this year's E3 games convention in LA. The man behind the quote was Ken Kutaragi, the president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment and the father of the PlayStation. The product poised to usurp one of the most enduring symbols of 80s pop culture is Sony's newly announced piece of gaming hardware the PlayStation Portable.
Not that we can tell you much about what the PSP looks like since, with a release date of 2004, and therefore another E3 before then, the announcement was more of a PR exercise than a product launch. So while the aesthetic specifics have not been decided yet, Sony has been keen to promote the technology behind the new handheld. The PSP will play games using Sony's Universal Media Device, a 60mm optical disc that can hold 1.8GB of data, and will also include a 4.5in LCD backlit screen, a USB-port and be able to read Mpeg4 files.
"Just as PlayStation and PlayStation 2 revolutionized in-home computer entertainment, we aim to become a new driving force in the portable entertainment platform arena," said Mr Kutaragi. "The world of PlayStation encompasses hundreds of millions of users worldwide, most of whom view computer entertainment as part of their everyday lives. We look forward to extending the experience through a portable entertainment platform, and are excited about the possibilities and impact PSP will have on the market. Along with game applications, PSP will have a huge potential for delivering other forms of entertainment as well as live entertainment through the network, anywhere, anytime."
Sony's PSP announcement certainly succeeded in stealing the limelight from Nokia, which was also promoting a new handheld, the N-Gage, in a somewhat downbeat and lacklustre showcase. The release date and price for the N-Gage had been kept under wraps for some time, but Nokia finally announced that it would get a worldwide release on October 7, and then proceeded to stun the crowd by slapping on a $299 (£184) price tag (no European price has been quoted yet).
The hefty cost of the N-Gage was not completely unexpected since the device also includes a phone, MP3 player, radio and internet access. However, the price is still almost three times that of the GBP-SP at £90. Although Nintendo has aimed its new handheld at a slightly older audience than they have for previous GameBoys (by utilising a slinky, stylish design and advertising space in most of the men's mags) the N-Gage is clearly going to be ruling out a younger audience by its price alone.
But of course, what people really go to E3 to see are the games, and there were plenty on show to delight the industry and gaming enthusiasts lucky enough to get tickets. Halo 2 and Half-Life 2, the two titles we reported on last week, were definite show stoppers, with other highlights including Resident Evil 4, Doom III, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Grand Turismo 4. The footage from Half-Life 2 in particular has been one of the most popular downloads at IGN and as soon as you get a chance to see it you will find a game that is nothing short of jaw-dropping, with immersive environments and great gameplay physics that seem to have turned even the most jaded of games hacks into hyperactive babbling toddlers.
Top 10 games - all platforms (compiled by the Electronic and Leisure Software Publishing Association)
1) The Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker (GC) Nintendo - £39.99
2) Midnight Club II (PS2) Take 2 - £39.99
3) Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (PS2, Xbox PC) Ubi Soft - £37.99
4) The Sims (PS2, PC, XB, GC) Electronic Arts- £37.99
5) Championship Manager 4 (PC) Eidos - £29.99
6) Fifa 2003 (PS2, XB, GBA, PL)) Electronic Arts - £34.99
7) X-Men 2: Wolverine's Revenge (PS2,XB, GC, GBA) Activision- £37.99
8) Burnout 2: Point of Impact (XB, GC, PS2) Acclaim - £39.99
9) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2) Take 2 - £32.99
10) Dancing Stage Party Edition (PL) £19.99
The Getaway (PS2) Sony - £25.99
