After numerous delays, Sony Ericsson's first PlayStation-certified phone, the Xperia Play, is set to launch in the U.S. on May 26, with exclusive carrier Verizon Wireless taking pre-orders starting Thursday.
The Android 2.3-powered phone will cost $199 when purchased with a two-year Verizon contract that includes a $29.99/month data plan, and will come pre-loaded with seven titles:
* Asphalt 6: Adrenaline
* Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior
* Crash Bandicoot (PlayStation original)
* Madden NFL 11
* Star Battalion
* The Sims 3
* Tetris
A touchscreen on the Play slides up to reveal a standard PlayStation button and d-pad setup, along with two shoulder buttons a touch panel with indentations resembling a dual-analog stick setup.
An initial line-up of 50 downloadable games for the unit includes emulated versions of classic PlayStation titles and original titles made for the Play. Many Android titles have also been adapted for use with the phone's unique controls.
Sales for classic PlayStation titles available for the phone have been disappointing in the month or so since that Eurpoean launch, with many titles selling less than 100 copies and no single title surpassing 1,000 sales so far, according to public Android Marketplace data.
i want one, but not for $200. Hopefully more manufacturers will bring android phones with actual game controllers.
I dont care about or need new games (but they are nice) since I will be using this to play emulated games, and maybe a few of the games i have made in the past. I do wonder if the games included are full versions or demos.
As far as I know, they're full versions. I kind of want one of these for the hand full of FPSes and dual-stick shooters out on the market. Playing an FPS when your thumbs are covering the screen and using virtual buttons is frequently a messy ordeal, but the games themselves are fun. I don't know if we'll see more of these kinds of devices though. If this one doesn't take off, manufacturers may interpret it as there being no demand for such things.
I tried the unit at a GDC event... the touch joystick feel all right. I miss the resistance of a real joystick, but the indentations give you a good idea of where your thumb is in relation to the center.
I dont care about or need new games (but they are nice) since I will be using this to play emulated games, and maybe a few of the games i have made in the past. I do wonder if the games included are full versions or demos.