Survey suggests PSP game rental service a possibility

An Internet based consumer survey has emerged, pitching the prospect of a PSP game rental facility.

Joystiq is reporting that the questionnaire tackles a broad range of questions, including price points, subscription periods and the number of rentals available at any on time. Although the existence of such a poll is certainly a good sign, market surveys like this are used to determine consumer demand and are in no way a guarantee that a product or service will ever see the light of day.

In light of the recent PSP Go! rumours, which imply that the traditional UMD drive will be dropped, Sony is said to be keen to utilise the PlayStation Network service and bring the PlayStation Portable into the digital download era. Patapon 2 recently became the first full retail title to only be offered as a download to PSP owners, an option which Sony say they hope to establish in the future.

Sony's handheld console has been the subject of intense piracy, with claims that over 50 million units have been used to download and play pirated games. By introducing the PSP Go! and effectively killing the failed UMD format, Sony are hoping that they can begin eradicating the problem which has put off many studios from developing for the platform.