MI6 can reveal details of a James Bond video game planned for release on the new Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld platform later this year.

Earlier rumours emanating from a US retailer named "James Bond 007: Part IV" as the holding title for the yet to be confirmed game for the Sony PSP. Traditionally, EA have internally numbered their 007 releases sequentially, excluding only a couple of "spin-off" titles (007 Racing, GoldenEye: Rogue Agent).

So far EA Games have released "Tomorrow Never Dies" (Bond 1), "The World Is Not Enough" (Bond 2), "Agent Under Fire" (Bond 3), "NightFire" (Bond 4) and "Everything or Nothing" (Bond 5).

A game in development last year, featuring the likeness of Pierce Brosnan in an original storyline penned by Bond writer Bruce Feirstein, was canned after the actor stepped down from the 007 role. This game was internally named "Bond 6".

Above: Front and back views of the new Sony PSP handheld.

For Sony, With Love
Since last summer, work on "From Russia With Love" began, and was officially announced last month - although regular MI6 readers got the exclusive news back in January. As the game has always been known as "From Russia With Love", and due to the cancellation of the "Bond 6" project, the numbering system used for EA's Bond games is now unclear - thereby creating much confusion over the "Part IV" listing for the Sony PSP.

MI6 can reveal that "From Russia With Love" will be released on the new Sony PSP, joining the traditional PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube platforms. Although already available in the USA and Japan, the Sony PSP hardware has yet to be released in Europe, so "From Russia With Love" is set to become a strong launch title later this year. Presently, details on the title are scarce, but the Sony PSP version is planned to be released simultaneously alongside the three console versions.

Sony Rumours
Since the Sony-lead consortium took over MGM in a "merger" earlier this year, rumours have been circulating that Sony may want more exclusivity of particular franchises on their own platforms. With the PlayStation 3 / Xbox Xenon / Nintendo Revolution console war about to kick within in the next year, some gaming commentators have floated the idea that future James Bond titles may be specific to the Sony platform in an attempt to motivate consumers to opt for their system over rival platforms. Whilst this would no doubt boosts long-term sales of Sony's specific platform, it would do so at the short-term cost of sales to Microsoft and Nintendo consumers. MI6 has learned that, at this time, there are no plans to limit future James Bond games for only Sony specific platforms - although Sony's involvement will be much greater than that of MGM during past EA titles.

Official details of "From Russia With Love" for the Sony PSP have yet to be announced, although the console title will make its debut at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles later this month where the Sony PSP version could be confirmed.