Sony Doubles PSP Production

Despite insisting only two weeks ago that it would be difficult to significantly increase PSP production, SCE CEO Ken Kutaragi has announced in a press conference in Japan that production of the portable console is to double. The problem had been that the complex 90 nanometer manufacturing process for the console’s graphical processing unit (GPU) could not be speeded up. This is still the case, but Sony has now signed a deal with Samsung to supply GPUs for the console, enabling overall production to increase. According to Kutaragi, over 800,000 PSPs have now been sold in Japan since its launch, and Sony is well on target to sell 3 million by March 31st – although this will depend on whether the North American or European launches occur before then. By comparison, Nintendo DS hardwaresales are currently already 3 million for North America and Japan.