European consumers upgrading from existing PSP models to PSPgo will be able to download three “free” titles under the terms of a new SCEE promotion.
The PSPgo features 16GB of built-in storage space but doesn’t sport a UMD drive, meaning owners of existing models that support disc-based titles won’t be able to play their old games on the new handheld. Running from October 1 to March 31, 2010, the promotion has been designed “to help existing PSP owners with UMDs to start their digital games collection for PSPgo”, Sony said.
Users will be able to choose from a range of 17 titles including Killzone: Liberation, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3, WipEout Pure, Everybody’s Golf, Echochrome, LocoRoco, Patapon and Buzz!: Brain Bender or Master Quiz.
The promotion - which is open to owners of a PSP-1000, 2000 or 3000 and at least one UMD – might not quite be the UMD-to-digital upgrade scheme some users were hoping for. In June SCEA's director of hardware marketing, John Koller, said that Sony was planning a "good will" scheme to replace UMD games for those who buy the PSPgo. A popular choice would no doubt have been some sort of trade-in programme that allowed PSPgo buyers to download digital versions of UMD games bought previously.
Due to the need to activate both an existing PSP and a PSPgo simultaneously in order to redeem titles under the terms of the upcoming promotion, users will also be unable to trade in their existing models when upgrading.