PlayStation is reportedly working on a new handheld that will natively play games, similar to a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck. The handheld market has rapidly grown in the last five years or so. Of course, Nintendo Switch really shook things up by moving away from things like the Nintendo DS which offered completely different gaming experiences from Nintendo’s console counterparts. Switch combined the portability of a handheld with the power of a console, allowing players to play the latest and greatest on the go. Other gaming giants took note, inspiring things like the Steam Deck which allows PC players to take their Steam library on the go with a native device. While it can be pricey, it offers something truly unparalleled and special. This has led many to hope PlayStation and Xbox would follow.
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It looks like PlayStation is gearing up to do just that. Last year, the gaming company launched PlayStation Portal, a handheld that allows players to stream their PS5 to the device. A new update even allows users to stream from a select library of games without owning a PS5. However, it’s not quite what fans want in the grand scheme of things. The idea of a device that natively plays PS5 games is far more enticing, but something that PlayStation chose not to pursue. According to Bloomberg, it’s finally happening.
Bloomberg is corroborating rumors that PlayStation is in the early stages of developing a handheld that aims to go toe to toe with Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, offering a device that will play PS5 games natively on the device. That means you won’t have to own a PS5, you won’t have to stream them, they will either be downloaded straight to the system or possibly even have a physical piece of software that could be inserted, though that last part is pure speculation. Bloomberg notes that this product is still years away and Sony could choose to scrap it at any time if it wishes.
The article also revealed that the PlayStation Portal was originally intended to be a standalone device rather than a companion to the PS5, which is becoming a bit more apparent in its latest update. PlayStation aims to build off of the ideas of the Portal, likely utilizing its innovative design which essentially fuses a screen in the center of a PS5 controller. That allows players to have the comfortable grip of a controller, rather than having to hold it like a tablet which can cause discomfort after extensive gaming.
With all of that said, it’s unclear if the device would be compatible with PS6. If this handheld is truly a few years out, it will likely be coming up near the release of the PS6/the end of PS5’s life cycle. The PS5 has been out for four years and the last generation concluded after just seven years, so it’s not hard to imagine a PS6 being near by the time this handheld actually releases.
PlayStation isn’t the only one developing a new handheld either. Xbox recently confirmed it is in the early stages of developing a new handheld as well. It’s also years away from materializing, but it seems like handhelds are finally back in the fold. PlayStation tested the boundaries of portable gaming about 20 years ago with the PSP, a device that could play some PS2 games natively on the go or had console-like experiences. It was a huge success and spawned a successor known as PS Vita. Unfortunately, Vita didn’t succeed commercially and seemingly scared PlayStation from pursuing another handheld for at least another decade and a half. The Vita found a niche audience that respected the device, but it failed to generate the sales that Sony desired.
However, PlayStation is in a position to release a far more lucrative handheld now. With Xbox also releasing a handheld and Switch 2 likely releasing next year, the biggest thing for these companies will be finding a reasonable level of power at an affordable price point. The jury is still out on who will strike that balance.
