Is PSP2 as powerful as PS3?

If the rumours are correct, Sony will lift the lid on PSP2 – arguably the industry's worst kept secret – later this week in Japan. And Codemasters CEO Rod Cousens has further fuelled speculation by telling Eurogamer that suggestions the console is as powerful as PS3 are "true".

Speaking to us at last week's Nintendo 3DS event in Amsterdam, industry veteran Cousens said, "We're at the tip of the iceberg" of portable gaming, as "mobile phones have only just got going" - with 3DS and PSP2 set to join the fray.

On the subject of Sony's next handheld – whose existence has never been officially confirmed by the company – Cousens said: "In portable areas, you're going to have statements, which are already out in the press, saying PlayStation Portable 2 is as powerful as the PS3 - which is true.

"So you're going to get mobile devices as powerful as what were considered notebooks. I just think it gets bigger."

The PSP2 is said to have touch controls on the reverse of the unit and 3G support that enables gamers to play online games and download software and movies. It is expected to release this year.

Meanwhile, the UK publisher boss was full of praise for 3DS, arguing that its arrival "jump-starts the industry this year - I think it's going to be absolutely enormous and open software opportunities for the creative process".

On the price of the hardware, Cousens said he didn't expect it to "take too long for that to fall below the £200 mark," adding: "Presumably there's margin in there for them to do that."