The PSPgo was originally heralded by Sony as a huge step forward towards the faster, cheaper and simpler digital-distribution-only world of the future. Unfortunately, very few PSP actually games released on the same day as the retail UMD version, with some titles even missing the sub-platform entirely. For the NGP, however, Sony promises they’ll get it right, delivering simultaneous digital and retail releases for the handheld.

In an interview with MCV, SCEE head Andrew House said that the company had learned from the PSP and would aim on day one digital releases:

One thing we learnt from PSP, is that we want to have simultaneous delivery in digital and physical for NGP. Just to clarify that, all games that appear physically will be made available digitally. Not necessarily all games have to be made available physically. And having the option of a digital-only method affords more creative risk-taking, and that’s because you don’t-have that in-built risk of physical inventory. What I’d like to see is a hierarchy of different games of different sizes. So at the high-end you’ve got these big, premium games, which by and large will be available physically because that is the most convenient way to access them. And then there’s an opportunity for digital-only, where we might see more experimentation.

It’s important to note that Sony did make rather similar claims for the PSPgo, but never fulfilled their promises. Hopefully, with a couple more years experience now under their belt, and third party publishers increasingly pushing digital endeavours the NGP can truly have a digital market place that can keep up with retail.

Do you prefer to download your games, or do you love the feel of an actual physical copy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

[Via]