PlayStation Phone Hits Shelves in March

The Mobile World Congress opened today in Barcelona, and following months of rumour, speculation and leaked images, Sony Ericsson formally announced that the PlayStation phone, dubbed the Xperia Play, will be released worldwide in March 2011.

Sony Ericsson announced that the Xperia Play will run the Android 2.3 'Gingerbread' operating system when it ships. It also confirmed that the US would be one of the first markets to receive the device in early Spring, through an exclusive partnership with mobile network Verizon.

The PlayStation Phone will be able to run HD games at 60 fps, according to the manufacturer. Sony Ericsson boasts the support of Electronic Arts, Namco Bandai, Glu Mobile, PopCap and Gameloft in terms of software. This will mean titles from the Guitar Hero, Battlefield and Dead Space franchises will quickly find their way onto the handheld, Sony said. Kaz Hirai, Sony Computer Entertainment's president and group CEO, was also on stage at the event to announce that the Xperia Play will launch with one "legendary PlayStation One title," although he didn't confirm which title it would be.