Sony Killing The PlayStation Vita Leaves Portable Market Open For Nintendo in 2019

A few days ago, we reported the news that Sony was set to discontinue the PlayStation Vita in 2019, and wasn't ready to name an immediate successor. That means, after several years of games on both the Vita and PlayStation Portable, Sony will be exiting the portable market -- and that could mean total dominance for one particular competitor.

This report from Business Insider suggests that, with the Vita discontinuation, Sony can focus more on the success of its PlayStation 4, as well as its forthcoming PlayStation 5. But that indicates that Nintendo could easily take over with both the Nintendo 3DS and Switch, giving it clear control of the portable gaming market for the first time in 15 years, when its previous Game Boy models ruled.

Not that the Switch is being considered a full-on portable, but being able to take a majority of its games on the go has been a draw for millions of players, and should be for many more as the game enters its latest holiday gaming season, where it's expected to win over players with offerings like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

And even though its polish has kind of faded over the years, the 3DS and 2DS models are still strong on the market, with games like Wario Ware Inc. and Yo-Kai Watch Blasters. And 2019 will be just as strong, thanks to games like Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn and Mario + Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story with Bowser Jr.'s Journey.

Now the real question is if Sony's move off the market will prompt Nintendo to continue to support both platforms. It's already stated that it wants to keep the 3DS and 2DS lines up and running, even with the Switch's success. And there's no question that the Switch library will continue to grow, especially with the consistent flow of "indie" titles that have been hitting the system.

Still, we can't help but shed a tear over Sony's departure. It did quite well with the PlayStation Portable for a few years; and even though it didn't find the solid footing the company was looking for, the PlayStation Vita found a good cult audience, particularly with its consistent "indie" releases, including TimeSpinner, a fantastic Metroidvania-style adventure which is available for download today.

We'll have to see what Nintendo has planned in the months ahead. But who knows, maybe one day Sony will give portable gaming a try again. Maybe.