PSP

[[Image:Psp.png|thumb|230px|Sony's PSP.

Name: Playstation Portable

Family: The Playstaion

Manufacturer: Sony

First released: JP December 12, 2004 -- NA March 24, 2005 -- PAL September 1, 2005]]

Description
The PSP was first announced during E3 2003 and was later unveiled at a Sony press conference before E3 2004. The system was released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in the PAL region on September 1, 2005. The PSP was the first handheld console to use an optical disc format, Universal Media Disc (UMD), as its primary storage media. The PSP had many features such as The Internet, Windows Vista and the idea that it could connect to PS3s and Other PSPs. The PSP has lagged in sales due to its main competiter the Nintendo DS.

The PSP's Launch
On October 17, 2004, Sony announced that the PSP would launch in Japan on December 12, 2004 at a price of ¥19,800 (about US$181 in 2004) for the base model and ¥24,800 (about US$226 in 2004) for the Value System. The console's launch was a success with over 200,000 units sold the first day.

Sony announced on February 3, 2005, that the PSP would go on sale in North America on March 24, 2005 in one configuration for a MSRP of US$249/CA$299. Some expressed concern over the high price, which was almost US$20 higher than the system's price in Japan and more than $100 higher than the recently launched Nintendo DS. Despite the concerns, the PSP's North American launch was a success, although reports two weeks later indicated that the system was not selling as well as expected despite Sony's claim that 500,000 units had been sold in the first two days.

The PSP was originally to have a simultaneous PAL region and North American launch, but on March 15, 2005, Sony announced that the PAL region launch would be delayed because of high demand for the console in Japan and North America. A month later, on April 25, 2005, Sony announced that the PSP would launch in the PAL region on September 1, 2005 for €249/£179. Sony defended the high price, which was nearly US$100 higher than in North America, by pointing out that North American consumers had to pay local sales taxes and that the GST was higher in the UK than the US. Despite the high price, the console's PAL region launch was a resounding success, selling more than 185,000 units in the UK alone, more than doubling the previous first-day sales record of 87,000 units set by the Nintendo DS. The system also enjoyed great success in other areas of the PAL region with more than 25,000 units pre-ordered in Australia and nearly one million units sold across Europe in the first week.

Sales
As of March 31, 2007, the PSP has shipped 25.39 million units worldwide with 6.92 million in Asia, 9.58 million in North America, and 8.89 million Europe. The PSP's best selling game is currently Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G because a pack was available for this game to come with the PSP.