The price tag for the Xperia PLAY (aka PSP Phone or Playstation Phone) by Sony Ericsson may have been revealed if the listing at UK online retailer Play.com is correct, and it is a hefty one. The listed retail price is approximately $843 (USD).

The listed price for the Xperia PLAY is in no way official as of yet, and only pertains to the device without a contract through a wireless carrier. To put this into perspective, other Android-powered phones such as the HTC Droid Incredible and Motorola Droid X typically retail for $599.

Regardless of the price, Sony may have a tough battle ahead. It seems unlikely that the Xperia PLAY's interface will attract casual gamers away from touchscreens. This will leave the handheld's success almost solely in the hands of gamers, many of whom will be more attracted to the NGP (aka PSP2) and simultaneously dissuaded by the need to repurchase games specifically for the Xperia PLAY.

Source: MTV Multiplayer Blog