Sony's made a series of confusing statements about the release window for its PSP successor, currently dubbed Next-Generation Portable (NGP), a name that will likely change next month at E3.

It's unclear whether NGP will launch worldwide in 2011, but in an earnings call today listened in on by Phile-web and translated by Andriasang, Sony told investors it still planned to release NGP sometime in 2011.

"Regarding NGP, we're progressing with preparations towards a release at the end of the year," said the company.

'kay.

That leaves all sorts of questions on the table, obviously. Can Sony pull off a worldwide launch before the end of the year? If you don't launch NGP in all regions before 2011 is up, you've essentially given Nintendo a year-long headstart on the latest set of dedicated gaming handhelds. Given 3DS sales are off to a slow start, the distance between them may not mean as much.

All of this assumes, naturally, that Apple hasn't swallowed much of the handheld landscape.

We'll know more at E3.

Sony's made a series of confusing statements about the release window for its PSP successor, currently dubbed Next-Generation Portable (NGP), a name that will likely change next month at E3.

It's unclear whether NGP will launch worldwide in 2011, but in an earnings call today listened in on by Phile-web and translated by Andriasang, Sony told investors it still planned to release NGP sometime in 2011.

"Regarding NGP, we're progressing with preparations towards a release at the end of the year," said the company.

'kay.

That leaves all sorts of questions on the table, obviously. Can Sony pull off a worldwide launch before the end of the year? If you don't launch NGP in all regions before 2011 is up, you've essentially given Nintendo a year-long headstart on the latest set of dedicated gaming handhelds. Given 3DS sales are off to a slow start, the distance between them may not mean as much.

All of this assumes, naturally, that Apple hasn't swallowed much of the handheld landscape.

We'll know more at E3.

It needs to be a worldwide launch.  I'm pretty interested in getting one right away, but if it's delayed in Europe until next year, I won't have the money after Christmas to pay for one and many people won't wait and just pick up a 3DS instead. 
 
I hope Sony don't screw this up.

I've never really been big on handhelds but for some reason I really want an NGP.

Hopefully it has a reasonable price, knowing Sony though it'll be stupid expensive.

this may be a day 1 for me as well. i'll be stationed somewhere and one of these would be cool to have

Is it wishful thinking to hope for £300? Anymore than that and it better have some damn good launch games.

The site text looks clearer??

I hope Sony don't screw this up.

If they have a $250 model of this, I'm game for day one.  Worldwide by years end would be nice, but I don't think Nintendo's foothold in the market with the 3DS will be a huge threat.  The response so far to the unit has been low, and there still isn't a lot on the horizon to get excited about.  As long as NGP can come out of the gate with some pretty good titles at launch, and a reasonable price point, I think it could have a future better than the PSP.  At I hope so cause if iOS is the future of portable gaming, then I'm done.

Is it wishful thinking to hope for £300?

Apple and Google will just shrug it off.

iPhone 4S and next-gen Nexus are due out Fall 2011.

Interested, but Sony worries me. I'll have to see what price point they choose at launch before I can waste any money.

Day one for me as well.  This system is screaming for a new Ape Escape game.  :)

Interesting to see what they show at E3. 3DS v NGP.  Battle of the handhelds.  
I already have 3DS because I'm a Nintendo-fanboy, so it'll be cool to see if I made the right choice or if I should've waited and gotten an NGP instead. Can't see myself getting two handhelds really.

Cant wait, day 1 for me too

2011 for Japan since PSP is huge there. Spring 2012 for the rest of the world.

Glad I skipped every PSP except for the original launch. I'll probably buy this a few months after it comes out.

2011 for Japan since PSP is huge there. Spring 2012 for the rest of the world.

Apple and Google will just shrug it off. iPhone 4S and next-gen Nexus are due out Fall 2011.

I got the 3DS just because I'm a bit of a tech nerd and I wanted to see how it worked.  I can just enjoy HD quality gaming on consoles and (when I can afford it) my computer.

@KaosAngel said:

Apple and Google will just shrug it off. iPhone 4S and next-gen Nexus are due out Fall 2011.

Are you implying that those phones are capable of the same things?  becausethatwouldbewrong

i love the title of this article.  
 
I just feel like someone in a Sony board room is like "we're releasing the NGP this year...I don't really know where yet. Who cares!?".

Is it bad to not care at all about this thing?

Well, this certainly doesn't look that amazing.

I hope they pull it off with this thing...after all this hacking bullshit from stupid hackers, I hope the NGP is legit awesome and interesting and powerful and has a great UI and takes off and shit. 

Haha, can't wait for Sony to announce a ridiculous price for this thing with a straight face. 

The 3DS's slow start will evaporate from gamers minds, once they see what's due to be released this year. Nintendo only need to release a Mario Kart at the end of the year to significantly stunt NGP sales.

This is like the handheld I've wanted since the GameBoy days so I'm pretty sure I'll be getting this. Just better have some sweet launch games.

This is like the handheld I've wanted since the GameBoy days so I'm pretty sure I'll be getting this. Just better have some sweet launch games.

When portable gaming becomes as expensive as it will be with NGP  (I bet at least 350-400$ for start) I want go back to GameBoy days.