No UMD Conversion For ‘go

SCEA confirms what we were beginning to suspect.

Published 25/09/2009 at 15:30.
By Greg A [Watchful].

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Got a bunch of UMD-based PSP games in the bottom of your cupboard? Planning to upgrade your current PSP for one of the new-fangled PSPgos? Then you are going to be disappointed. You will not be able to transfer your games from your UMDs to your ‘go as Sony had suggested you would at E3.

An SCEA spokesman has told Kotaku, “We were evaluating a UMD conversion program, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the program at this time”.

So there you have it. One less reason to upgrade from your still-going-strong PSP-1/2/3000. Of course this news has less impact on those new to the PSP platform who will be picking up a ‘go when they are released next month.

Sony really are banking on attracting a raft of new PlayStation Portable customers to the ‘go but we have yet to see much of an advertising push to raise its profile outside of the existing gamer community. Continuing reports of retailers deciding not to stock it will not help it into the view of potential customers.

Add to the mix Sony’s TGS announcement that they are dropping the price of the PSP-3000 by 15% in Japan (and only Japan) as well as the fact that downloadable games will be sold at “pricing parity” with their UMD brethren and surely the ‘go is becoming an even less desirable proposition.

Even the Cable Converter we saw yesterday almost seems designed to put people off upgrading. Sure you could use it to attach your Go!Explore GPS receiver but if you wanted to use that for a long trip in the car there is no way you could then plug in the Car Adaptor as the PSPgo’s solitary multi-function connector is occupied. That’s on top of destroying the big selling point of the ‘go; that it is smaller and lighter than existing PSPs.

Now some of you may well just point out that I have not exactly been a staunch supporter of the PSPgo even from the days when it was still just a rumour but it is sounding increasingly like an experiment. One that has not got enough backing to make it a success. Is there any evidence to the contrary?

Comments

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mynameisblair | 25/09/2009 15:34
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4205 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009

Oh well, wont be buying one anyway.
- cam the man | 25/09/2009 20:36
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  your not the only one.
CircleOfFire | 25/09/2009 15:36
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243 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009

My long standing issue with comments like this is that Sony aren’t forcing people to buy it, it’s not replacing the 3000. I want one as it’ll fit my usage pattern much better and that’s it.
- jimmy-google | 25/09/2009 15:57
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  2697 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
  
  I’ve got my pre-ordered – the main reason being that its not pratical to take my current PSP around with all the UMDs. Yes i can buy future games as digital downloads but the UMD issue remains whether I use the current PSP or upgrade to the Go. I’m quite happy getting 4 games with it and although its costing me £200 I can’t see a price drop until they stop the free game offers. The price of PSN cards is saving me 20% off downloads too.
  - hazelam | 27/09/2009 08:49
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    5852 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
    
    you know you’ll still be able to download all the titles on your current psp.
    save yourself some money and buy a few games online.
    you could buy a 16 gig memory stick too probably.
    and still have change.
- paxpacis | 25/09/2009 16:10
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  628 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  I will be upgrading from my (jap) launch psp to this.. and The UMD games I still have will be sold with the old psp… For me it will also fit my usage pattern much better.. So I do not care much about the extra’s or the non-extra’s..
- sarky | 25/09/2009 16:58
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  completely agree
jimmy-google | 25/09/2009 15:42
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2697 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009

Firstly: Sony has said that a conversion system isn’t possible but that’s only half the story as they are still working on a trade in system were you can trade your UMD for a digital copy.
There was never going to be a way that would work that would allow someone to simply copy their UMD game to their pspgo. What would stop someon simply buying a game copying it and taking it back or renting a game and copying it. Its no suprise Sony have said they simply can’t do it.
- Watchful | 25/09/2009 16:11
  Team TSA: Writer
  2679 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
  
  Of course there was never going to be a way for someone to simply copy their game. But this is about Sony’s transfer/trade-in system that they have been talking about for existing owners since announcing the PSPgo at E3. I suspect the reasons are more legal than technical but as it stands there is just no way to take your existing library of PSP games with you if you upgrade to a PSPgo.
  
  The quote from SCEA says “at this time” but it is probably a safe bet that it will never happen.
  - jimmy-google | 25/09/2009 16:20
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    The rest of the quote (that was missed in the article) says:
    
    “We are looking into programs for owners who have previously purchased UMD titles and want to exchange them for digital versions,” Sony Computer Entertainment’s Brian Keltner told Kotaku at the time. “It’s something we are still hammering out the details. As soon as we have solid plans in place we will make an announcement.”
  - Watchful | 25/09/2009 18:13
    Team TSA: Writer
    2679 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
    
    That’s Kotaku repeating what they were told at E3 back in May. It is not what Sony have said this week. That why it was “missed” in my article. It’s old news.
    
    From the Kotaku post, the paragraph preceding the part you’ve quoted is “At this year’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles, Sony Computer Entertainment officials said that they hoped to have a plan in place to allow UMD games to be transferred over to the PSPgo by the launch of the system.”
    
    Here’s the original article from June 4th with that quote from Brian Keltner in it: http://kotaku.com/5279557/sony-is-working-on-a-umd-solution-for-psp-go
  - benny boy | 25/09/2009 18:15
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    You kinda missed out half the quote there. It also says after the bit about converting them,
    
    “”We are looking into programs for owners who have previously purchased UMD titles and want to exchange them for digital versions,” Sony Computer Entertainment’s Brian Keltner told Kotaku at the time. “It’s something we are still hammering out the details. As soon as we have solid plans in place we will make an announcement.”
  - benny boy | 25/09/2009 18:16
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    Sorry. God, I’m so tired.
  - hazelam | 27/09/2009 08:51
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    mind you that’s scea talking, if they ever do have a trade program going it will never apply to europe.
    and i just don’t see scee ever bothering with something like that, scee do the bare minimum so something like this just won’t be in their nature.
G_The_Enemy14 | 25/09/2009 15:44
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942 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009

PSP Go is a no-go for me
- Dexter17 | 25/09/2009 16:08
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  Ah… I see what you did there!
AcidCrashX | 25/09/2009 15:54
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694 TSA Points | Member since: Jun 2009

Final nail in the coffin for me. over-priced titles and now even if i bought a cheaper title i cant convert it to a digital copy.. Sonys new platform has failed before its even in stores. Shame, this really could have taken off if they played this right by consumers but instead they stayed true to retailers… never a wise move
gernboes | 25/09/2009 15:57
Member
397 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

Well, i was thinking about getting a go, so this wouldnt have direct impact on me. i would be wondering how many of the already released UMD games would be re-released for download…
im writing would, because as it seems at the moment, the PSP-GT offer will not be available here in austria, so i will not get a go. its not so much that i absolutely want GT, its more that i think its just lousy that we arent getting it, when the whole rest of europe gets it. especially because the offer is advertised both on the austrian playstation site and in an email i got (as an user registered in austria…)
Blayney | 25/09/2009 16:06
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459 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2009

I think I’ll just get a cheap PSP-3000 instead of the Go…
gazzagb | 25/09/2009 16:10
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4274 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009

Meh, not going to get one anyway. Its a dissapointment though for those who were planning on doing just that.
flatfour | 25/09/2009 16:20
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121 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009

Quite glad I bought a 3000 a month ago, yer can keep yer Go…..
red_H | 25/09/2009 16:20
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79 TSA Points | Member since: Jul 2009

I got an PSP 100 and will not ne tempted to upgrade not for that price , rather have a 2nd and now slimline ps3