SPOnG has just seen official documentation which dates the launch of Sony’s upcoming PSP for 25th March 2005. The information comes direct from Sony Computer Entertainment sales and marketing via retail partners.

We understand that this is hardly earth-shattering, given that this period has been widely touted for several weeks, though it’s always nice to have an actual, tangible date.

In other news, SCEE is leaning heavily on the retail sector for the PSP’s launch, with one anonymous source telling us, “Sony is basically saying it wants to ‘own entire stores’ though it still won’t commit to [PSP hardware and/or software] numbers.”

Which again raises the question of hardware availability of Sony. Although the lack of PS2 hardware is largely spin (we believe about 90% spin in fact, given recent retail movements) the shortage of PSP units is a reality in Japan and there is only a finite window in which any company can spin manufacturing shortcomings as overwhelming popular demand; especially in the face of the rumoured 200,000 ship figure currently doing the rounds.

However, the PSP is still perhaps the sexiest thing ever made by a human. Swings and roundabouts we suppose…