Pachter predicts PSP 2 E3 reveal

It was on, then it was off again – now industry analyst Michael Pachter has come out and stated that he believes Sony WILL reveal a proper successor to the PSP at next week’s trade show.

He reckons the new touch-screen handheld will join a subscription-based PSN service, the Move controller and some new 3D PS3 titles at the platform holder’s E3 press conference a week today.

Furthermore, aside from the recent price cut to the DSi, Pachter doesn’t believe that any other hardware price cuts will be announced – countering claims made to MCV by a leading source last month.

After a difficult year in the video game industry, next week’s has the potential to turn the tide of investor concerns and start a wave of positive momentum for the video game industry for the rest of 2010,” the Wedbush Morgan figurehead explained.

The much-hyped Natal and Move motion controllers have the potential to drive meaningful incremental hardware and software sales upon their releases,
and the entire video game industry will be anxious to see whether the new devices are game changers or gimmicks.”

In addition, Pachter warns that onlookers shouldn’t hold their breath for a confirmation of Natal’s pricing structure.

We note that Microsoft is expected to provide the permanent name for the Natal device, and display the full range of games that will be available for the device,” he adds. We do not expect pricing to be resolved at E3, and think that Microsoft continues to weigh the lifetime value of a new Natal customer against the profits that can be made by the initial hardware sale.”