14 DAY TRIAL // Handheld gaming is currently one of the biggest markets for the gaming industry, as a lot of people are constantly on the go and don't have the time to spend playing video games in their own home. This is why two Japanese devices, Nintendo's DS and Sony's PlayStation Portable, have been so popular, as they offer a great experience while still being lightweight and portable.
Seeing how Nintendo has just launched the new iteration of its handheld, the DSi, a lot of people began to speculate on how Sony would behave, with a big number of rumors about the next portable console from the Japanese electronics manufacturer. Whether it was about the PSP2, which would be something completely new, or about the PSP-4000, which would be just an exterior revamp, we heard a lot of rumors so far.
Now, Pocket Gamer has taken the stage, citing as source a developer who is working for games for the future console, saying that the next PSP will sport the already mentioned sliding screen with various portions sensitive to touch and, most importantly, will have dual thumbsticks, a feature heavily demanded by a lot of gamers.
These sources have also claimed a release window, saying that the next PSP would be on store shelves just in time for Christmas, during the winter holiday season. If so, Sony will certainly announce the upcoming device during one of the big gaming conferences, like E3 or the European Game Developers Conference.
Sadly, until such a thing happens, we can only hope that Sony is indeed working on a fresh version of its PSP and that it will generate a surge in the popularity of the device that has lagged behind the DS for quite some time, as it wasn't supported by a lot of titles in the past.