Patapon 2 PSP Goes Download-only in North America, Retailers Will Sell Vouchers

Sony's rhythmic battle game Patapon 2 (PSP) will only be available as a digital download from the PlayStation Store in North America, the company has confirmed.

Though other regions received Patapon 2 in both a digital download and physical UMD form, American retailers will simply sell a download voucher for $20 when it hits on May 5. According to Ars Technica, the PS Store will sell the downloadable game at $15.

Update: Sony has officially priced both versions of the game at $19.99.

"We're considering a digital only format for the Patapon 2 release as a one time test case as we continue to explore consumer preferences for digital content," said Sony Computer Entertainment America corporate communications director Patrick Seybold.

Word of the download-only release follows recent rumors that the next iteration of the PSP hardware will lack a physical disc drive and focus on downloadable games.