Updated 44 minutes ago

Sony backtracks on UMD conversion programme

No full UMD-to-digital offering due to 'legal and technical' reasons

September 25th 2009 | Tell us what you think [ 2 comments ]

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PSPgo is out in October, although Sony is backtracking on promises to convert original UMD games to digital downloads

Sony is no longer offering PSPgo consumers the option to obtain digital versions of all of the games they already own on UMD, backtracking on its original promise to do so.

Sony America broke the disappointing news about the plans to offer UMD-to-download conversions for PSP gamers, with an SCEA spokesman telling Kotaku:

"We were evaluating a UMD conversion programme, but due to legal and technical reasons we will not be offering the programme at this time."

Gamers disappointed

So if you have a big pile of old games on UMD disc (and if not, why don't you have copies of WipEout, Ridge Racer, Lumines?) you are only going to be able to play them on the bigger, older models of PSP.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is at least offering the conciliatory olive branch of a choice of three of 17 recent PSP games available as digital downloads to European gamers that already own the UMD versions, providing they own at least one UMD game.

The 17 titles to choose from include Echochrome, LocoRoco, Patapon, Resistance: Retribution and WipEout Pure.

"The inability to play games you've already bought on UMD, combined with the high-price point of the console, seems like a compelling reason not to upgrade to PSPgo," said PSM3 magazine's Associate Editor Andy Hartup.

"Sony's offer of three free games from a selection of mostly old, first-party titles doesn't even begin to compensate for the loss of an entire library of UMD games. Where are the likes of GTA Vice City Stories, Lumines, or Final Fantasy Crisis Core?

"Obviously this isn't a concern for anyone new to PSP, but for the loyal owners who stuck with the console during its game drought of the past couple of years this latest news will come as a serious disappointment."

Via Gamesindustry.biz

 

Your comments (2) Click to add a new comment

psyfur


September 25th 2009

2. I'm most likely the only person getting one. £140 from the yanks makes this a good buy and umd was **** anyway so I'm not fussed.

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agentcool


September 25th 2009

1. From what I can tell, the PSPgo isn't going anywhere. If Sony aren't careful, this could easily sell in numbers as bad as the N-Gage.

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