Source: Yes the PSP-3000 is Real, No it’s not the PSP 2

For the past few months, people around the blogosphere have been talking about the PSP-3000, the rumored “next version” of the Playstation Portable.  And ever since this FCC filing popped up, people have been wondering how much better games will play and look on this new PSP-3000.  The answer: almost exactly the same as the PSP available right now.

First of all, let me say that this PSP-3000 thing is true.  If the FCC filing didn’t confirm it enough, I even contacted one of my sources who said this was true.  However, the PSP-3000 is not the successor to the PSP in the sense that it isn’t the PSP 2.  Why?  Well, for two reasons.  First of all, that’s what my source claims.  And secondly, Sony has told me that same thing  Indirectly, of course.

Speaking at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival, former Sony president Chris Deering said that he expects the Playstation Portable to have sold 70 million units by 2011.  Currently, the number of PSP’s on sold is about 37 million.  So Deering not only expects the PSP to have sold 70 million units, but he obviously expects it to be selling through the year 2011.  And since this PSP-3000 is expected to be released within the next year or so, there’s no way it’s the PSP 2.

So what is this PSP-3000?  My source says that it is just the successor to the PSP-2000, which was a lighter, brighter version of the original PSP, so those two things are to be expected.  He also said that the new handheld may have a flash based storage drive in the PSP-3000, but that is unconfirmed, so don’t hold your breath on that one.

But, sadly, there’s no dual analog sticks on the PSP-3000 because apparently, that would drastically change the way PSP games are played (hint: expect it in the PSP 2) and Sony doesn’t want that big of a jump.

As always, though, take this with a grain of salt.  Even if it is a tiny, tiny grain.