PlayStation hasn’t had a dedicated handheld gaming device in years, but it seems that could be changing in the next few years. According to a new report from Moore’s Law is Dead (via Wccftech), a PlayStation handheld capable of playing PS4 and PS5 games is currently in development, and will be powered by AMD. It’s currently believed that the system will have 18 CUs, and a GPU running at 1.8 GHz, or possibly slower. Fans shouldn’t get too excited just yet, as the system is apparently in the “high level development phase,” meaning that it’s got at least two years before completion, and an actual release hasn’t been approved by Sony.ย
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If this handheld does end up getting released, Moore’s Law is Dead doesn’t expect that it will be part of this console generation, instead acting as an accompaniment to the PlayStation 6. The move is meant to help appeal to the Japanese market, where handheld gaming has been hugely popular for years now. Switch in particular has been very successful in that region, and Sony’s desire to market a handheld in Japan might be an effort to cut into Nintendo’s market.ย
PSP and PlayStation Vita
This would not be the first time PlayStation has tried to grab Nintendo’s market share. The PlayStation Portable was a direct competitor to the Nintendo DS in 2004. Sony’s device had the technical edge, but the Nintendo DS would end up becoming one of the most successful video game systems of all-time. The PSP couldn’t match 150 million units sold, but it did manage to move an incredibly impressive 80 million units.ย
The system’s successor, the PlayStation Vita, was not nearly as successful, selling less than 20 million units during its time on the market. At this time, Sony’s only current handheld option is the PlayStation Portal. However, the device is fairly niche, as it merely allows for remote play. That’s not the kind of thing that would appeal to the Japanese market that Sony is apparently trying to court.ย
The Return of Handheld Gaming
A big part of PlayStation Vita’s failure has been attributed to the rise of mobile gaming. At the time, there was a lot of speculation that the handheld gaming market would die in the face of mobile competition. In the 13 years since Vita’s release, however, that hasn’t been the case. While mobile gaming has become a massive part of the gaming industry, handheld options are thriving. The Nintendo Switch has sold more than 130 million units worldwide, and options like the Steam Deck and Analogue Pocket have also proven successful. It’s possible the time is right for Sony to jump back into the handheld market, but it remains to be seen whether the company can find more success than it has in the past.ย
Would you like to see a successor to the PlayStation Vita? Do you think it’s time for Sony to jump back into the handheld market? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachampย or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
