14 DAY TRIAL // Through firmware update 2.41, the cleaned up version of the disastrous 2.40, Sony finally introduced Trophies to the PlayStation 3, bringing a reward system to its console that is on par with the Achievements system available on the Xbox 360. There might be some time before we really see all the games for that platform offering Trophies; the upside is that once it does so, Sony might decide to extend the Trophies system to the PlayStation Portable.
Sony made the announcement regarding the issue but while presenting Buzz! Master Quiz for the handheld gaming device, producer Emerson Escobar stated that "We've implemented a new medal system for bronze, silver, and gold. You basically have to get bronze to move onto the next batch of questions". Before that, he said, "We've also implemented a trophy system. Let's say you answer a question within one second, you get a lightning finger trophy. If you answer a question within half a second, you get a supersonic trophy". It might just be a one game trophy concept which is not specific to the handheld itself, but it also might be that the PSP is getting the Trophies, too.
And, in PSP related news, it seems that there's a chance that the UMD format will be replaced by a real hard drive. After all, Sony announced that the new video download service for the PlayStation 3 would also feature an option to move content to the PlayStation Portable and movies do take up some space, which the PSP sorely lacks at this moment. Again, there's no confirmation from Sony on the hard drive issues, but Jack Tretton said that this is "the trend moving forward".
If the PlayStation Portable gets hard drives and Trophy support, we might really see a resurgence of the Sony made gaming platform.