Sony NGP or PSP2 could hurt Nintendo

Sony has unveiled details of its new hand-held gaming system, codenamed the Next Generation Portable, or NGP, which will be launched later this year, sending gamers into a frenzy of excitement.
 
The new device, which will replace the PSP console, was revealed at an event in Tokyo where Sony also announced that they are to make many of their games available on Android powered smartphones for the first time - a move that could have serious ramifications for Apple's iPhone.
 
The 'PSP2'  console has an array of innovative features including touchpads on the rear of the device, which indicates 3D gameplay will become a possibility. The 5in touchscreen has an organic light emitting display and boasts five times as many pixels as the original PSP screen.
 
It also comes with motion sensors, a gyroscope and an accelerometer to offer tilt sensitivity. On top of that, the NGP will be the first portable gaming system to feature two analogue controllers, something Sony says will allow for a wider range of gaming genres.
 
There will also be a 'Live Area' where users can see what other gamers are doing and keep up to date with news from developers. A location-based service called Near will also let users connect, communicate and compete with fellow console-owners in the vicinity.
 
The launch caused mayhem on Twitter, with gamers rushing to pass judgment on the new device. Most comments were positive, and many predicted that it would blow its rival, the Nintendo 3DS out of the water.
 
Nintendo's new offering is due out in the spring, and boasts a 3D screen and social functionality, but it is far less powerful than the NGP - although the price at which the new Sony handset retails will be crucial.
 
While Sony seems intent on cornering the portable games market with the NGP, it has also tipped its cap to the less dedicated gamer who does not want to buy a special console. The company also unveiled plans for a 'PlayStation Suite', which will bring PlayStation games to smartphones running on the Google Android operating system.
 
Sony will also run a "PlayStation Certified" license program for hardware manufacturers to ensure handsets have the specifications required to run PlayStation quality titles.
 
Neither venture will affect plans for a PlayStation handset, called Xperia, which is to launch in April. And the idea could complete a kind of pincer movement against Nintendo, with Sony squeezing their rival from above through the NGP and from below with the Xperia and by bringing Playstation games to smartphones.
 
Apple could also suffer as a result of the Playstation Suite concept, as it will make Android phones more attractive than iPhones to those who want as much gaming functionality as possible on their handsets. ·