Is PSP online play coming anytime soon?

Nintendo's released all the details on their online play system for the DS this fall, yet Sony hasn't said anything about something similar for PSP. Sony also seems to be lagging way behind Microsoft and even Nintendo at this point in setting up their own form of Xbox Live for now and the future.

Has Sony said anything officially about online PSP gaming? The only bit of info I could find on it was this, and it's from April:

"Sony hopes to soon launch a series of free hot spots that would allow PSP gamers to log in and play via WiFi. In return for the free time online, you would just have to put up with some advertising, either during a load screen or in-game, according to John Smedley president of Sony Online Entertainment."

This is a huge selling point for a modern handheld, and if Nintendo does deliver a free xbox live style experience on the DS Sony will be in a world of trouble

Um.. a number of PSP titles are already online, right now, and a number are on the way, including Madden and Socom.

Like Andy said, some games already support a shitty, PS2-style online system. I wouldn't expect the real system to hit until the PS3 launch. It would then support the PSP and PS3.

How does the current system work, is it anything like Xbox live or what Nintendo's proposed? Is it free?

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Originally Posted by SpoDaddy

How does the current system work, is it anything like Xbox live or what Nintendo's proposed? Is it free?

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It's free, but it does not have a cross-game format or friends lists like Xbox Live.

It's pretty much just like PS2s. You buy the game, create an account for that game, and play it online. Socom Beta is starting, it filled up before I even got the e-mail read...there are some games out that already are online like Andy said. The only one I own right now that is would be Twisted Metal Head On.

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Originally Posted by Yoshi

Like Andy said, some games already support a shitty, PS2-style online system. I wouldn't expect the real system to hit until the PS3 launch. It would then support the PSP and PS3.

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What are you people expecting the DS online to be like? I mean, fuck, I tried Twisted Metal online once (the game sucks), and I was really surprised by how extensive it's online mode was. It already had lobbies, stats, and all of the interface functionality you would expect (I think it even had a buddy list, but I could be mistaken), and this was a launch game. How many DS games can you play online?

The Wi Fi hotspots you're thinking of is just to give people access, it's not the service itself.

I'm reading reviews of PSP games and not seeing any real talk about online play (just local wifi multiplayer). Can anyone point me to any articles/reviews that talk about it?

It's game specific, some have it some don't. Most sports games have it, and have integrated lobbies, what more do you want?