Aus PSP release schedule

The Australian PSP launch is rapidly approaching, and internally Sony Australia staff already have the Australian PSPs and software ready for September 1. I met briefly with a Sony tech support guy this morning, who borrowed my US WipEout Pure and Japanese Ridge Racers UMDs to test whether you can actually initiate ad hoc wi-fi multiplayer between import games and Australian PSP games (with both UMDs running on Australian PSPs). I doubt that it will work, but it's certainly worth a shot. The tech support staff have a rather short timeframe to familiarize themselves with all the technicalities before the deluge begins next month. Good luck guys.

The PSP will ship in Australia with the version 1.52 firmware onboard, though the bundled sampler disc will install the latest version (2.00). The line up for the Australian launch is very impressive, with plenty of games available from the get go. There'll also be 18 UMD movies (some not yet released on DVD) on shelves for launch, with plenty more to follow in the months ahead (including Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children in October).

Here then is the official Australian PSP game release schedule:

September 1st:
Ape Academy
Everybody's Golf
Fired Up
MediEvil: Resurrection
Ridge Racer
WipEout Pure
World Tour Soccer Challenge Edition
Formula One Grand Prix
NBA Street Showdown
Need for Speed: Underground Rivals
NFL Street 2: Unleashed
Tiger Woods PGA Tour
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower
Dynasty Warriors
Virtua Tennis: World Tour
World Snooker Challenge 2005
Colin McRae Rally 2005
Metal Gear Acid
V8 Supercars 2
Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade
Tony Hawk's Underground 2: REMIX
Spider-Man 2
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
Lumines
Archer Maclean's Mercury

25 games. Not bad for day one.

On the horizon:
Burnout Legends - September 26
Pursuit Force - October TBC
WRC - October TBC
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories - October TBC
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse - October TBC
Coded Arms - October TBC
Rengoku: Tower of Purgatory - October TBC
Namco Museum: Battle Collection - October 15
Madden NFL 06 - October 24
Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects - October 24
World Poker Tour - November TBC
Frogger: Helmet Chaos - November TBC
Star Wars Battlefront II - November 7
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - November 14
Need for Speed: Most Wanted - November 20
The Sims 2 - November 21
Death, Jnr. - November 25
Crash Tag Team Racing - December 1
Peter Jackson's King Kong - 2005
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim - 2005
Smart Bomb - 2005
Free Running - 2005
Top Spin 2 - 2006