With recent news that Sony's PlayStation Portable had sold fifty million units world wide, many PSP owners looked in dismay at the release schedules for upcoming games on the platform - after having glanced at their game collection with an enigmatic sigh. While there is a large number of quality software titles on the platform - it is no secret that the console needs more blockbusters.

Today Sony Computer Entertainment, in partnership with third party publishers, have announced a staggering array of new titles for their portable platform, each which will be optimised for the console's portability.

This year, the PSP will see MotorStorm: Arctic Edge, a portable version of Little Big Planet, a game based in the Assassin's Creed universe, and the transition of Rock Band to the platform, along with more support from EA and other publishers on the platform.

Let's first take a look at Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, which will be developed by BigBig Studios the same people who developed Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice. Motorstorm: Arctic Edge will see "brutal off-road racing arrive in the breathtaking yet lethal and unpredictable setting of Alaska".


More screenshots from MotorStorm: Arctic Edge can be found on the mirror.
The game is also expected to be released on the PlayStation 2, and will be the first instalment of the series on the portable console. A single trailer seems to suggest that the game will successfully translate the franchise to the hand-held.

Download MotorStorm Arctic Edge Trailer Moving on now to LittleBigPlanet. The PSP adaption of the PlayStation exclusive will see SackBoy embark on all new adventures with the "same play create, share experience" to be available to PSP owners, with new levels and environments to be developed specifically for the platform. The game will be developed in conjuction with Media Molecule.


Little Big Planet, Assassin's Creed
Ubisoft will release an "exclusive instalment" of Assassin's Creed on the PSP, with the game to be bundled along with a Piano Black PSP and some other goodies that are yet to be announced. Few details regarding the actual game play content or setting of the game have been announced, but we can only hope that it isn't as woeful as the attempt to bring the franchise to the DS in Assassin's Creed Altair's Chronicles.

The Assassin's Creed publisher will also offer several titles from its Petz software catalogue, which will allow "tween" girl gamers to enjoy the platform while caring for "cute, furry pets chosen from many different breeds of dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, dolphins, tigers and bunnies".

Meanwhile, Disney Interactive Studios plan to release a pack that appeals to female, teenage gamers, with the introduction of a "Lilac" coloured PSP - which will be bundled with a Hannah Montana game described as "(an exclusive dancing and rhythm action game for gamers to design the show and go on tour as the teen icon", stickers, a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo, and a UMD featuring episodes of the TV series.

For those so utterly addicted to music games, that they must carry them wherever they go, MTV Games and Harmonix plan to release Rock Band: Unplugged for the platform, which will feature a fully integrated online store for North American and European audiences. With no sign of a local release of Rock Band 2 for Australia in sight, it may be likely that the title doesn't make its way to Australia. No details regarding any peripherals or gameplay mechanics have been announced for Rock Band: Unplugged.


Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Madden NFL
To round out the announcements, Electronic Arts have announced that they release a number of titles from the EA Sports brand on the platform, with the intent of delivering "PSP friendly" versions of the game. Madden, for instance, will feature connectivity with the PlayStation 3, enabling gamers to "build their own formations and plays from scratch on the PSP", where they can be later "perfected" on the PlayStation 3.

The next instalment of Tiger Woods PGA Tour on the platform will "allow gamers to experience the drama of major golf tournaments with revamped gameplay modes for on and offline play".

Finally, Square Enix will release Dissidia: Final Fantasy in the US Summer (Winter for those in Australia) - with the game having sold 850,000 copies since its launch in Japan last year. While the PSP may have seemed like a "dry" platform these last few months - today's flurry of announcements from Sony and other publishers seem to indicate that the hand held has a lot of life still left in it.

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Thanks to DXPetti for this news submission!
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