PSP News

In around nine hours' time, E3 2004 is set to explode into life as Microsoft becomes the first major player to hold its huge pre-E3 conference at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The contents of this conference call are, of course, a closely guarded secret, with the gaming world's focus locked onto the event in anticipation of major announcements. And, according to development sources in LA for the show, no-one will be watching the conference with greater attention than Microsoft's staunch rival, Sony.

With Sony Computer Entertainment America's own pre-show conference scheduled for Tuesday morning, final preparations are being made as we write, but Sony is believed to be holding on until after Microsoft's showing before making a final decision on the content of its own conference.

One PSP developer, speaking to us anonymously, said: "We've submitted assets from our PSP titles to Sony in advance of the conference as requested, but we still have no idea at this stage what the company is planning to do with them. We were led to believe [the assets] were to be included in a showreel of some sort, but Sony is refusing to commit to anything 100 percent until it has seen what Microsoft has to say [at its conference]". When asked if they expected their title to be shown by Sony, our source added: "Your guess is as good as ours."

The pre-E3 conference sessions are without question among the most important events in the gaming calendar, so it comes as no surprise that Sony will be using every last second it has to ensure its own session will have maximum impact in the face of its rivals' offerings.

A successful showing is crucial in maintaining good relations and a strong public image with consumers, the press and investors alike; one need only look at Nintendo's miserable conference call of last year to see what can happen when things go wrong.

What specifically Sony is waiting for is unclear, although speculation suggests the Japanese electronics giant is keen to discover if Microsoft will discuss Xbox 2 in any significant capacity; if so, Sony may then feel it has to follow suit with information regarding its successor to PlayStation 2. (Regular readers will recall the proverbial cat has already been let out of the back to an extent in regard to this, following the embarrassing leak of an interview with SCEE President David Reeves last month.