Several popular games on the PSP utilize ad hoc mode for multiplayer gaming, including:
The airport lounge was quiet at 11 p.m., save for the hum of ice machines and the clink of glasses. Marcus Webb, CFO of Verdant Logistics , stared at his laptop screen. The numbers weren't lying, but they felt like a betrayal.
To understand the significance of ad hoc mode, one must first understand the technological context of the mid-2000s. While home consoles like the PlayStation 2 and Xbox were beginning to explore online gaming via broadband connections, mobile internet was still in its infancy. Mobile data was expensive, slow, and unreliable. Sony, recognizing that a persistent internet connection was not feasible for a portable device, leaned heavily into Wi-Fi technology. Ad hoc mode was the specific implementation of this technology, allowing two or more PSPs to connect directly to one another without the need for a router or an internet gateway. It created a local, peer-to-peer network where players could interact face-to-face.