The Sony PSP2 is Here, Codename: NGP

Published at 11:25 AM on January 27, 2011

By Bo Moore

At a press conference in Tokyo last night, Sony officially unveiled its new handheld device. The second iteration of the Playstation Portable, the new device features dual analog sticks, a capacitive OLED touch screen, and a processor that rivals the PS3. Developmental codename? The Next Generation Portable, or NGP.

Rumors have been floating around for years about the exact specs of the device, but not until last night were the myths separated from reality. The NGP is larger than the PSP, featuring a five-inch, 16:9 display. However, the device is lighter than last generation’s, thanks to the lack of a weighty UMD drive. Other features include built in 3G and GPS, in addition to WiFi capabilities, as well as SIXAXIS tilt controls. A camera lies on both the front and back of the device, allowing for both picture taking and face-to-face communication.

Here is a handy guide to give you an idea of the new device’s actual size, courtesy of Kotaku:

Hands-on reports say the two-thumbstick layout creates a gameplay experience very similar to the PS3. Furthermore, a second touch pad on the back of the device opens up a world of possibilities for future games. One game, Little Deviants, lets the player tap the rear of the device to control the terrain. Dragging a finger around would essentially “poke through” the device, coming up under the ground on screen making changes. Other possibilities include new ways of button mapping and additional controls for games to come.

Other launch titles include Uncharted, Killzone, WipeOut, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet, Hustle Kings, and Hot Shots Golf. No word yet on pricing or a U.S. release date, but the new device is due out in Japan at the end of 2011.

Full system specs:

• CPU: ARM® Cortex™-A9 core (4 core)
• GPU: SGX543MP4+
• External Dimensions: Approx. 182.0 × 18.6 × 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
• Rear touch pad: Multi touch pad (capacitive type)
• Cameras: Front camera, Rear camera
• Sound: Built-in stereo speakers, Built-in microphone
• Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), Three-axis electronic compass
• Location: Built-in GPS, Wi-Fi location service support
• Keys / Switches: PS button, Power button, Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left), Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square), Shoulder buttons (Right/Left), Right stick, Left stick, START button, SELECT button, Volume buttons
• Wireless communications: Mobile network connectivity (3G), IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1)(Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode), Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR （A2DP/AVRCP/HSP）