Sony has signalled it will try to breathe life back into the handheld gaming battle with the promise of a big year for its PlayStation Portable.
The PSP has been sort of a forgotten cousin of the Sony stable since the gaming giant launched the PS3 two years ago.
While the PSP offers a range of multimedia options, Nintendo's DS has been able to dominate the handheld market through its deliberately simple approach.
Make the games fun, and they will come, the Japanese company has always reasoned.
Now it's time for the PSP to fight back.
Sony loves a good fight and it has announced a heavy programme for its smallest console to take on the DS.
The biggest news is that versions of PS3 exclusives LittleBigPlanet and MotorStorm are in development for the handheld.
There will be scepticism about MotorStorm - most driving titles have been average on the PSP - but huge excitement about LittleBigPlanet, the unique cutesy platformer that would seem an ideal port for the small, small screen.
Quiz series Buzz will also return, with Buzz: Brain of New Zealand developed for Kiwi gamers, while a PSP version of Resistance is not far away.
"There are a lot of big claims in the gaming industry, but we're confident when we say that 2009 is going to be an exciting year for PSP," Sony Computer Entertainment European marketing director Mark Hardy said.
"Our fans have demanded big PSP titles and this year we're going to deliver.
"With Resistance: Retribution already on its way to stores, PSP gamers are going to get one big franchise after another."
For the cosmetically concerned, Sony has also announced it will be releasing the PSP in a new range of colours.
