Sony Once Considered Second Analog Nub for PSP Go

When it came to bringing the PlayStation experience on the road with the PlayStation Portable, gamers found three things missing from the outset of the handheld's presence on the market: an L2 shoulder button, an R2 shoulder button, and a second analog nub. And while the first two are rarely spoken of, the desire for a secondary input of analog movement has never really gone away.

Some felt that such an addition would be a natural fit for the PSP Go when rumors of the device began to surface, but it was not to be, despite Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai stating at E3 that the PSP Go was a result of feedback from gamers and developers alike.

But if that's the case, then why is there no second analog stick on the Go? In the new issue of Game Informer, Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida reveals that they did in fact consider such an amendment to the design and function of the PSP Go, but had ultimately decided against it:

"We also felt - like many users - that we wish we had a second analog on the PSP. But we are talking about the mid-life cycle of this platform, and the PSPgo is designed to be perfectly compatible with the PSP-3000 and all the games that released before that. So we had a very serious discussion about this particular subject, but we decided not to add a second analog, and some of the developers are doing quite a nice job translating the second analog functionality to different buttons. We didn't want to divert their efforts either."

I know there will be parties both in favor of and against the argument, but I think it holds up pretty well. But then again, Sony themselves introduced their original dual-analog design to the first PlayStation around the midway point of the "generation" to which it belonged, and that seemed to work out pretty well for them.

Maybe next time.

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