Sony Prepares One Million Units for US PSP Launch

Sony has officially stated today that the forthcoming North American launch of the new PlayStation Portable will see one million units shipped to retail. According to the company, skyrocketing consumer demand was the catalyst for increasing allocation of the system for its U.S. debut. By comparison, the system launched in Japan in December 2004 with a mere 200,000 units, and sales of the PSP are only now catching up to the 1 million mark in that territory. In addition, details for the forthcoming European launch remain vague, and it’s possible that the increased allotment of systems for the American launch could affect the timing of the PSP’s release in Europe. The PSP Value Pack will retail for $249.99 USD when it comes out on March 24, and will include the PSP system, a 32MB Duo memory stick, headphones with remote control, a battery pack, a protective case, a wrist strap, a screen wipe cloth, a sampler disc, and a free UMD version of the Spider-Man 2 movie with the first shipment of 1 million. 24 titles will be available at launch, including Lumines, Ridge Racers, and Metal Gear Acid.