Sony Unveils PS2-Compatible Digital Camera

Today, Sony announced its new lineup of Cybershot digital cameras. A new feature called "Picture Paradise" allows the digital camera to connect to the PS2 through the USB port. Games that are Picture Paradise-compatible will be able to use picture data from the digital camera. For example, you can take a picture of yourself and use that to create a new player in a soccer game.

Third-party companies such as Argent, Ask, Enterbrain, Ergo Soft, Idea Factory, Square, Sunsoft, Taito, and T&E Soft are scheduled to release Picture Paradise-compatible PS2 games. The current software lineup is as follows:

• Jikkyou World Soccer 2001 (Konami) (ISS series in North America)
• Golf Paradise DX (T&E Soft)
• Enjoy Magic (Sun Soft)
• RPG Maker (Enterbrain)
• Face Rental & Getting Heaven (Idea Factory)

The following Cybershot digital cameras feature Picture Paradise: DSC-P1, F505V, F55V, S70, S50, S30, F505K, MSAC-US1, and US5. You can also use the digital camera with popegg, the PS2-compatible printer, to print on postcards.

The digital camera shown in the screenshot, the Cybershot P1 (DSC-P1), is scheduled for an October 20 release for a price of 99,800 yen (US$941) in Japan.