PSP Go! - Discontinued?

According to various reports, the Sony PSP Go has now been discontinued.

A Sony Shop employee, revealed that the production of Go systems has been ceased, and that the will be no further shipments of the handheld.

Sony hasn't denied or confirmed this, but they tried to explain themselves with this statement:
"It is a very exciting time for PlayStation Portable devices. Before the end of the year we are launching NGP, our next generation portable device, which we believe will revolutionise portable gaming."

"In the meantime, the current generation of PSPs continue to be in demand, especially since the introduction of our value for money, Essentials range of games and we will continue to meet that demand."

The PSP Go is a UMD-less PSP - So games must be downloaded digitally off PSN. Not much of PSP's game line-up is equally available for the Go - Hence why it failed. Sony tried hard to boost the sales of this device by giving out ten free games to Go buyers - But that didn't seem to do the trick.

Even in Japan, where the PSP sells amazingly well, PSP Go sales figures were pretty shit. In last week’s Media Create chart, PSP was the nation’s most popular system, outselling Nintendo’s new 3DS with 35,478 units sold during the week. PSP Go, meanwhile, sold just 356 units.

Sony never pushed this device hard enough and I hope the NGP doesn't suffer the same fate.

We'll keep you posted!