Sony’s newest venture into portable gaming seems set on shaking up the handheld market as it eyes a rivalry with giants like Nintendo and Microsoft’s portable offerings, according to recent reports. Unlike the PlayStation Portal, which is more of a tethered remote play device, this upcoming portable console aims to bring PlayStation 5 gaming to wherever you are. However, don’t get too excited just yet, as this standalone gaming gadget might be several years from hitting the shelves, giving Sony plenty of leeway to tweak or even shelve the project altogether.
Microsoft’s head honcho, Phil Spencer, recently commented that it would take a few years for them to develop a portable Xbox device, which aligns closely with the timeline we’re hearing for Sony’s effort. Meanwhile, Nintendo remains a towering figure in the handheld gaming scene, with the buzz around its next-gen Switch expected to culminate in a release next year.
When pressed for details, a Sony spokesperson chose to remain tight-lipped about future plans.
The arena of portable gaming has undergone significant transformation in recent years, thanks in large part to groundbreaking releases like Valve’s Steam Deck and its swanky OLED upgrade. This success has opened the floodgates for others like Asus, Lenovo Legion, Logitech, and MSI to dive into the market. Microsoft and Sony, however, possess a distinct edge: their vast libraries brimming with games, along with the allure to indie creators and triple-A studios alike to bring their IPs onto these platforms, whether through exclusivity or cross-platform availability.
Transforming PS5 games into a portable format won’t be a walk in the park. The project demands capable hardware and custom-designed firmware to optimize games for on-the-go play. Given that Sony’s initiative is still in the early stages, there’s always a chance plans might pivot drastically or get scrapped entirely.
### The State of Portable Gaming: Then Versus Now
Sony is no stranger to the portable gaming race, having previously rolled out the original PlayStation Portable, PSP Vita, and PSP GO. According to Bloomberg, the PlayStation Portal was initially conceptualized as a standalone unit, but it eventually morphed into a remote device with an 8-inch display designed to stream games from the PS5 over WiFi.
Even with the fond memories of PSP successes, Sony now faces a different landscape replete with formidable opponents. Beyond the traditional handheld arena, cloud gaming services—which function independently of specific hardware—pose fresh challenges, spearheaded by Nvidia’s GeForce Now and Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming ventures.
Diving into portable gaming carries considerable advantages, expanding reach to gamers who prefer not to opt for PC, cloud, or traditional consoles. Should Sony opt out of releasing a new handheld console, it risks standing as the sole console maker not venturing into this increasingly prolific market.
