Can Sony bring back PSP's groove with a killer bundle?

Sony announced that it will launch one of its most anticipated PSP games of the year with a special edition of the handheld gaming console.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, due out on June 8, will be sold alongside a bundle containing the game and a "spirited green" PSP. The bundle will also come with a 2 GB memory stick and vouchers for special in-game content and a downloadable movie, title to be determined.

ADVERTISEMENT

The bundle will sell for $200. That's actually a pretty good deal -- provided that the "spirited green" color isn't a dealbreaker -- considering that a new PSP-3000 costs $170 and doesn't include a memory card, and the game alone costs $40.

This isn't the first time Sony has bundled a special version of its console with a new game release. Last year, Sony offered a white PSP with Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines. It also cost $200 and included a 2 GB memory card and a movie, but the latter was a Universal Media Disc rather than a download voucher.

ADVERTISEMENT

Still, the Metal Gear Solid bundle is significant because of the game's importance to Sony. This was one of the main games Sony showed off at the E3 industry trade show last year, and unlike Assassin's Creed, it's not being released alongside any home-console counterparts. With Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Sony is trying to prove that it can create a unique blockbuster on the PSP.

As the handheld faces stiff competition from the iPod Touch and the iPhone, Sony has repeatedly argued that only the PSP can provide a deep, 20-hour gaming experience on a portable device. The only question is whether a large enough market for those experiences still exists. In a way, this Metal Gear Solid bundle will be a test.

No posts to display