Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, is always awash with new releases, and this year’s no different, with a new model of the Playstation Portable being released this year at a price point of 99 Euros. this is a considerable drop in price, but what’s the catch, given that even previous models are still more expensive?

Well, it’s a more affordable version of the PSP, and largely that means it’s not going to be the same as the higher-budget models, lacking any form of WiFi connectivity, which will make downloading games and playing others a little more of a chore, but this is largely a barebones design that seems to be for those looking to get into the PSP market – especially after Sony may have predicted that the 3DS price drop would dent the appeal of their own portable device.

Whether you’re an avid gamer or you fancy the odd bit of Party poker, it means that PSP games on UMD are no longer out of your reach, and you can pick up a few to have some fun with without shelling out closer to 300 Euros for the PS Vita, which is still months away, at the very least. Whether the quality of this cheaper PSP will match up to current models, however, is unclear, as it is visibly not as slick as its more expensive counterparts.

It seems odd that Sony would chose to develop and release this so close to the Vita’s release – it seems almost as though they’re willing people to take the cheap route, and this doesn’t do anything to disguise the considerable price-tag on the PS Vita. But who knows? This might just be an efficient, cheap way to enjoy some good PSP games, as the PSP’s never been the cheapest console in the world, so time, and reviews, will tell.