Sony to offer downloads of select UMD games for PSP Go owners

Owners of any appreciable library of UMD games appear to be left out in the cold with the new PlayStation Portable Go, currently scheduled for launch in North America this October, thanks to the updated handheld's distinct lack of a UMD drive.  To rectify this, Sony Computer Entertainment confirms it will offer digital download versions of UMD games for PSP Go owners by way of a "short term good-will program".

SCE director of hardware marketing, John Koller, explains that the program is also intended to address PSP owners who intend to trade up their existing handhelds for a PSP Go.  However, Koller warns that not all titles previously released on UMD will be made available for download in this way; we can imagine some of the more obscure or import third party titles would be subject as exceptions.  It's not clear at time of writing whether or not these digitally distributed titles will be free of charge for PSP Go owners who may still have proof of purchase for their UMD games.

According to SCE's Kaz Hirai, the PSP Go was in no way intended to replace current PSP-3000 models and phase out UMD as a media format for PSP games altogether.  It remains to be seen then how extensive this digital download program for future PSP Go owners will be.