Rumoured PSP2 name change sounds like a biscuit

'PS Vita'could be the new name for Sony's Next Generation Portable (NGP), which is due out later this year. The name allegedly comes from an E3pamphlet showing the portable with its new branding. There are also some domain names recently registered by Sony that appear to back it up, although nothing's been confirmed as yet. But is 'Vita' agood name forthe device? Does the PSP brand really hold that many negative connotations that Sony would drop it entirely?

Theevidencefor this is some of the sketchiest I've seen, to be honest, but at least the image itself looks plausible:


Above: The pamphlet looks pretty official. We'll know for certain at E3 in one week's time. Woot!

However. Most of the comments around the net suggest most people immediately think of one thing when they hear the name. This:


Above:We jest, of course. Even though the machine is surely very low in fat, you probably shouldn't eat it

Sony shouldn't feel too upsetthat we've turned their gorgeous new machine into a Ryvita - we did give a similar treatment toa shedload of games.Twice. But there are some other connotations that they may have missed (if, indeed, this is the final name for the device).If you shorten the name to the traditional three-letter abbreviation, you get PSV, which I like, although it also sounds like a certain football team from Eindhoven. And finally, it's only one letter shy of being a word that's become almost synonymous withdisappointing technology. Vista.

But then, if you shortened 'PSP2' in the way people did 'Black Ops' to 'Blops', you'd get 'PSPoo'. So surely anything's better than that. Thoughts?

31 May, 2011

Theevidencefor this is some of the sketchiest I've seen, to be honest, but at least the image itself looks plausible:


Above: The pamphlet looks pretty official. We'll know for certain at E3 in one week's time. Woot!

However. Most of the comments around the net suggest most people immediately think of one thing when they hear the name. This:


Above:We jest, of course. Even though the machine is surely very low in fat, you probably shouldn't eat it

Sony shouldn't feel too upsetthat we've turned their gorgeous new machine into a Ryvita - we did give a similar treatment toa shedload of games.Twice. But there are some other connotations that they may have missed (if, indeed, this is the final name for the device).If you shorten the name to the traditional three-letter abbreviation, you get PSV, which I like, although it also sounds like a certain football team from Eindhoven. And finally, it's only one letter shy of being a word that's become almost synonymous withdisappointing technology. Vista.

But then, if you shortened 'PSP2' in the way people did 'Black Ops' to 'Blops', you'd get 'PSPoo'. So surely anything's better than that. Thoughts?

31 May, 2011

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.