Apparently unwilling to give up the older PSP platform despite launching the PS Vita successor next year, Sony has just announced a new regular PSP that doesn't use discs, but only supports downloads. [Update: I misheard the announcement. I'm hearing now the new model doesn't have Wi-Fi, which would certainly imply it doesn't have downloads. So it's UMD-based? So weird!]
Isn't that basically just the PSP Go, you ask? I don't know, either. Perhaps Sony is thinking there's good money in keeping an inexpensive PSP on the market to start selling the fairly deep back catalog.
More as we know it.
Update: Sony has confirmed to Kotaku that this new PSP model will be Europe-only.
Update: Added official images of the PSP E-1000. Here's Sony's description of the new unit:
Value for money is the goal with this new model that will retail at just €99.99 (RRP), accompanied by an exciting range of PSP Essentials titles that will retail at only €9.99 (RRP) and will include Invizimals: The Lost Tribe, EyePet Adventures, FIFA 12 and many more.
While PSP E-1000 does not include Wi-Fi, it will still provides access to the full catalogue of PSP games either on UMD or from PlayStation Store via Media Go. The design is also slightly different, with a Charcoal Black finish – the same as on the slimmer PS3 model – to give more of a matte feel.