Earlier I wrote about the PLAYSTATION 3 and what it should have in it’s firmware. This time, I am going to cover the PSP and what would improve the PSP in the market.
1. PLAYSTATION Network Support & Native PLAYSTATION Store
After reading an article on PlayStation LifeStyle in regards to PSN Support, I agree completly with PS Lifestyle. By doing so, the PLAYSTATION Network can expand beyond the PS3 and be available to PSP owners. There are quite a few games on the market with online support but wouldn’t you want PSN support instead? That why, you can use a single ID without any bullshit or loopholes to go through.
You would have the advantage of being able to use the PSN functions like Voice Chat, Messaging, Friends List, Block List, Account Management etc. I don’t give a crap about having trophies for PSP games, I can live without that but it would be pretty impressive if you are on the PS3 XMB and you can see your friend playing a PSP game! On the friends list, you would see a friend playing a game only instead of having a PS3 controller icon, it has the PSP Game Name but has a PSP icon instead!
The PSP has a good relationship with the PS3 with Remote Play and the PS3’s PLAYSTATION Store so it would make sense to grow PSN member numbers and strengthen the bond of the PSP & PS3 by implementing PSN support for the PSP. The Nintendo DS has a chatroom called Pitcochat bundled with the DS so implementing the PSN on PSP would give the Portable console some social gaming network.
It was announced at GDC 2008 that the PSP would get it’s own native PS Store and thank god but it is needed ASAP! It would be such a great addition so the PSN can get stronger allowing access to the PS Store without a PS3 or PC which would be great news for those PSP owners who have Macs!
2.Homebrew
PSP has a platoon of homebrew applications for the console….if you hack it that is and whilst most people use Custom Firmware for illegal purposes, there is some really interesting applications some programmers create for the PSP. SCEI should release an API for PSP so for talent who create PSP homebrew for the market which have custom firmware installed, they can share the homebrew applications with the official firmware so everyone’s happy.
3. Improved Music Player
I use the PSP for music a lot as I can’t find the justification to buy another MP3 player like an iPod. Sadly, the playback is mediocre and doesn’t give you much to experiement with. Sony could improve the music player on PSP by adding an equaliser for messing around with different music genres, add virtual surround sound like for example Windows Media Player has SRSWow and adding OGG support. Simple additions like this would make the music player better than most MP3 players on the market.
4. Multiplayer for PSone Games
Now everyone knows that they can download PlayStation Classics onto the PSP and PS3. Sadly when playing on a PSP, you can’t have the multiplayer functions which really sucks! I heard of a homebrew application which allows PSone Classic to have multiplayer on PSP and I would strongly suggest Sony to think about adding this if possible to the PSP’s capabilities.
That is pretty much all I can think off. The PSP is a great handheld which has been selling loads of units thanks to the recent PSP-2000 revision and a great selection of games being released but it really lacks that gaming community and if they added PLAYSTATION Network to the PSP, I think it would be a real gem to have.
I plan to purchase the new model psp-3000 when it gets released this fall. I have never owned one but I have borrowed a friends from time to time. All of your suggestions listed sound pretty good to me but I really don’t know how to compare since I have never had the opportunity to tinker with one for very long.