14 DAY TRIAL // Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is aiming to boost the popularity of the PlayStation Portable by creating a free service that is set to link the PSP to the PlayStation Store, a part of the PlayStation Network, so that users can download any type of content, from games to movies, without taking the extra step of connecting the device to a PlayStation 3 console or to a PC. The service is set to be unveiled later in the fall and at the moment there are no plans to offer it outside Japan.
With the launch of the new free access option Sony is thinking of using the PlayStation Store as an alternative means of delivering games to the handheld. Mainichi Issyo Portable, which is a sequel to Mainichi Issyo for the PlayStation 3, will be the first game to be launched via the new service.
Another initiative from Sony Japan is aimed at providing players with a way of entering multiplayer matches on the Internet through their PlayStation 3 using the ad-hoc mode. The most popular PSP title to date, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G from Capcom, will be the first game to offer the option, but there are more to come.
The new service is designed to work with all the PSP versions released so far. The PSP-1000, PSP-2000 and the upcoming PSP-3000 models in Japan will receive a software update that will enable connectivity to the new service once it is launched.
All of this is part of an effort made by Sony to promote the PSP over the Nintendo DS, especially as the PSP-3000, a device with updated hardware, such as a better screen and integrated microphone, is set to launch shortly. Given the special nature of the Japanese videogame market, it's unlikely that the new service will make it to Europe or North America.