Sony says no UMD-to-digital conversion, gives PSPgo upgraders three free games
There has been much speculation at how Sony would handle the fact that the PSPgo cannot play UMDs. This means that any current PSP owners wanting to trade in their current model to upgrade will be stuck with having to re-purchase all their old games.
Apparently Sony were considering allowing gamers to hand in their old UMD’s in exchange for codes for digitally-downloadable versions of those same games. Sadly, the company has decided that this will not be possible, due to “legal and technical reasons.”
To go a little way towards making up for this, Sony have announced a “PSPgo Rewards” programme in Europe. This will reward existing PSP users who also purchase a PSPgo with three free digital copies of games.
This programme involves registering a PSPgo on PSN, then logging on to PSN with your existing PSP with a UMD in the drive, which allows you to download a special PSPgo theme, which then presents you with a voucher via email for use on the PSPgo.
The Rewards scheme will be available from the launch date of 1st October until 31st March 2010. The only requirement is that you own an existing PSP and at least one UMD, and register your PSPgo within that timeframe.
Users will then be able to choose three games from this total list of seventeen:
- Buzz!: Brain Bender
- Buzz!: Master Quiz
- Daxter
- Echochrome
- Everybody’s Golf PSP
- Killzone: Liberation
- Lemmings PSP
- Locoroco
- MediEvil
- Patapon
- Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
- Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
- Resistance: Retribution
- SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror
- Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow
- WipEout Pure
And remember that all early adopters in Europe who register their PSPgo by 10th October will also be getting a free digital copy of Gran Turismo PSP.
The PSPgo (potentially with four free games) will retail for £224.99, although some places will be selling it for a mere £200.