So when this flops, will we collectively laugh harder at this or the N-Gage?

If it can play PSP games somehow (memory station downloads??) there might be some reason for its existence other than a phone. Otherwise...

Playstation Phone?
Really? I mean why not put phone software in the ever so great psp. Or intergrate psp and phone like an iphone type deal. This by itself would not make sense.

Sony Ericson doesn't do CDMA =(

I want them to do it for a PS phone. That would totally rock.

Whats next? the 360 flip? Cell phone providers should get the generic phones working properly before making something that isn't needed.

I don't really see a need for it myself. If I really want to play games on the go, I have a PSP/DS for that. All i've ever really played on my phone is tetris, so I don't really see the point.

It basically comes down to:

Specialist gaming functions vs battery

Its really not gonna have both, and in a phone, the battery is waaaaay more important than games which can be played on far superior handheld systems.

Why call a phone a Playstation? Sony by itself is a big name, start a new brand or something. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like the idea.

Sony learn from N-Gage's mistakes? They can't even learn from their own mistakes because they don't think a mistake has ever been made.

A PS branded phone with their Circ/Tri/Sq/X buttons and the ability to play slightly good games would be cool, but I'd stick with walkman. Gaming requires your full attention, and it also requires the device's commitment.

@GibsonSG: Burn...

@GibsonSG: Yawn...

So, will this have internal memory or will it have memory sticks like the PSP?

For the past 6 months it's been said over and over that SONY needs to stop with PLAYSTATION hardware additions, get their asses in gear, and make some software.

This idea of a PLAYSTATION branded phone just reinforces that statement.

They have the PSP and the games still aren't there quite yet but they are releasing a camera for the system and a hardware revision. DVR function is being added to the PS3, a camera, and talks of pressure board (ala Nintendo's WiiFit) but the gamers are starving for software. Now this...a PS branded cell phone...it's just what your customers need! Brilliant!

SOFTWARE is why people buy consoles SONY!

@GibsonSG: ouch :D

After seeing the ps3 marketing and the psp marketing. I can only dread the iplaystation marketing

Just make the PsP2 have wifi skype built in with a gsm signal as well.

oh wait, we have homebrewers for that.

@Saky
Here here. I have to agree with you. Nice idea but only when your existing flagship products are complete or mature.

How much more can Sony do to kill the Playstation brand?

There isn't going to be a Playstation phone. This is just one exec having some fun with us. The reason for the speculation is since there is already a Walkman and a Cybershot line, why not a PlayStation line? Though I myslef would prefer a VAIO line of smartphones with some serious specs but I digress.

Though I do beleive that Sony Ericsson make some of the best GSM phones out there. I am currently using the S500i and its a really nice fashin/style phone but it still feels solid.

@SAKY:

If only there were games coming out this month and the next!

Something like, oh off the top of my head, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, Lair, Ratchet and Clank:ToD, Eye of Judgement, and Folklore.

Quit your bitching, the software on the horizon looks great.

I can see it now:

Jim: So, we're having so trouble getting people to buy the PS3. It's a good system but people jsut aren't getting into it. What should we do?

Mark: That's it! I've got it! We'll make a GAMING PHONE! Remember how well it worked for Nokia?

Jim: That's right! Let's do it!

***six months later***

Mark: Hey buddy, what are you up to?

Jim: Not much man, just down here getting some free soup. Since my wife left me after I lost my job, I've had no place to go or sleep. What about you?

Mark: Well not much either man. Just working hard, doing some new projects for Sony.

Jim: Yeah, you know, I used to hold a grudge with you, you know, for throwing me under the bus and claiming that whole PlayStation Phone thing was my idea. But we're cool now.

Mark: Glad to hear it buddy. Well lsiten I hope everything goes well for you. Hey, what are you donig with that dull knife Jum? Hey why are you looking down at my.....Hey...hey...Aaaahhh!

Jim: Ahh well now I feel great. These will look great hanging from the rearview mirror of the car I'm living in, they'e smaller than I expected though.

I don't know about games, but if you could get a phone with IM, browse the web, "remote play", and do VoIP -- using the PSN friends list... that would be pretty compelling with the Playstation brand.

"Oh, let me start my Warhawk 2 download while wer're out for lunch." Yeah, that would be cool. A lot of offices don't consider a PSP proper equipment outside the game industry. ^^

@SAKY:

Are you serious? Different people work on the hardware than the software titles you see. The closest overlap is R&D and new OS features, but that's still not the same employees. In fact most of the new games coming from SONY aren't even first parties. They're companies being funded and technically supported by and SONY. If you want to whine about games you're already too late, since Warhawk was released last night -- now the flood of titles has started. I honestly don't think they could release many more titles this season. Have you even looked at the charts? Some months have 3-4 well known titles coming out the same week.

PS Phone to compete with iPhone.

While Sony is at it adding features to their handheld that gamers "want" I'm going to put my vote in for a Lemon Zester. I find I like lemon zest in my ice water at lunch time. By bringing a lemon with me and my PSPPhone, I'm covered for any citrus and lemon party.

In all seriousness, shouldn't Sony be shoveling this R&D money into developing Games or funding developers to make games? I know I'm out of line here with Sony thinking, but these two god damned PSPs sitting on my desk ain't gonna play themselves, I tried.

@AdeptVoice: @Mongoosekun:

Yeah 10 months later on the PS3, 2 years later for the PSP.

@GibsonSG: *hugs his betamax player*

...

*turns on his minidisc player*

*cries*

This is an awesome idea, but I hope to god it has the option for me to use it side-talkin' style. The mobile industry won't take it seriously if it can't be used that way.

[www.sidetalkin.com]

Didn't Kojima announce a phone based MGS with a special phone for it? The man always gets what he wants

This is just as good of an idea as Apple entering the gaming sphere.

In other words, who in their right mind gives a **** other than the most obvious fanboys?

I would guess a playstation phone would be marketed toward casual players. It would have games that are a couple of notches above the current mobile phone games.

I really doubt they would push this to compete with the PSP market.

@SAKY:

10 Months isn't that bad. How long did it take for Gears of War to come out? 13 months? Metroid Prime 3 is just not hitting the Wii (arguably the 2nd must-own Wii title out there, the rest up to now have been pretty lackluster).

Every system takes a while to get going. X360 and even the Wii haven't been any exception.

It's important to remember that mobile phones become obsolete faster than a nice library of games can be produced. That said, such a product wouldn't make much sense in the long run. And I'll support CDURAN02 on this one - the games wouldn't be that much better than the current java ones.

At this point, they should just drop the "PLAY" from PLAYSTATION - it's quite apparent they want an "OMNIMEDIASTATION" instead... No sense in continuing the self denial, here...

Also, offtopic, I miss minidiscs as well, Rybanis ;_;

You can't really have a gaming phone unless the phone functions are completely touch screen but the remaining controls are typical PS3 controller buttons. But I suspect Apple has a patent on that whole completely touch screen phone thing.

First off, Sony doesn't truly cater worldwide when it comes to phones. All their hottest newest phones are fucking tri-band, not quad-band GSM. Their phones don't even support American 3G bands yet. They are still primarily Euro and Asian centric. So until they can make a game phone that works great on every network, has great battery life, and something that outdoes the iPhone on multimedia, e-mail, and web browsing, they might as well save that R&D money and put it towards building a PlayStation 4 that everyone cannot possibly hate. I don't think they can possibly do justice towards the concept of a gaming phone without fucking up royally. If they can infuse the company with some new creative blood, then maybe it can happen. But if I get the PS Phone from the same guys who keep dicking over North American customers or the guys who made the PS3, then um, no thanks.

For the love of god... WHY?!?!?!? I don't WANT to play games on a phone... you use them to communicate with others... don't you?

Anyways... you already have a handheld gaming machine... that you need to get some more great games out for... why this? Why now? Answer me, Sony!!!!

@mdoubleok: They can call it the PSP! Hey, wait a minute...