Sony unveiled the new PSP Go at the recent E3, announcing a launch price of $249. At least one esteemed gamesbiz analyst thinks that’s a bit too steep – and he’s got the facts and figures to prove it.

Yup, it’s our old pal Michael Pachter from investment bankers Wedbush Morgan again. He’s been talking to Gametrailers.com about the E3 in general, but has a few choice words to say about the PSP Go’s lofty price point:

“$249 is too much, period,” he begins. “Let’s be real. I’m an analyst – I get finance. The $169 PSP-3000 is a profitable device. The disc assembly for a UMD costs more than 16 gigs of flash does. So this new device doesn’t cost them as much to make as the PSP-3000 and they jack the price up $80.”

“I don’t want to get bad fan mail from the Sony fanboys, but they’re ripping off the consumer until they sell a couple million and if consumers don’t buy it then the price is going to come down. They’re making a lot more money on the PSP Go than the PSP-3000. And the PSP Go helps them because there’s no piracy.”

“It costs more than an Xbox 360 Arcade, the same as a Wii, the same as what a PS3 should cost (smiles, knowingly). So, no, I think it costs too much. I really do.”

There’s not a lot we can add to that. Except to say that if Pachter thinks the PSP Go is a rip-off at $249 he should take a look at good old Blighty, where some retailers are listing the unit at £249. That’s nearly £100 more than the Stateside price at current exchange rates, although Sony Europe has yet to announce the official UK price point. Keep ‘em crossed that they do the right thing, people. All of ‘em...