PSP to Support MP3, DLC, Multiplay

Specific aspects of PSP Memory Stick functionality emerge from the darkness.

Initial specifications for the PSP detailed support for Sony's proprietary ATRAC music format exclusively. Constant badgering from all sectors of the market has led to Sony's recent allusions that the PSP will support playback of MP3s stored on Memory Stick.

This is an important concession. Much like Sony's PSX, which allows you to record TV, play games, listen to music and download content from the internet, the PSP is seen as a multimedia device. MP3 support facilitates uptake of the hardware by people who have amassed large MP3 collections.

More recently, Izumi Kawanishi, chief of the network system department at Sony Computer Entertainment, revealed in an interview with Japanese site Impress Game Watch on Friday that the PSP will support download of games onto Memory Stick. While there are no plans to use this as a replacement for games on UMD (Universal Media Disc - Sony's closed disc format for PSP), it will allow gamers to download demo's of games.

Also revealed was the development of several MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games) for the PSP. Game line-ups divulged at last month's Tokyo Game Show confirm that several companies have MMORPGs in development, but, again, more exciting details than simple confirmations are hard to come by.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games