PS6 Handheld Reportedly Borrowing the Best Nintendo Switch Feature

The PlayStation 6 will apparently borrow a Nintendo Switch feature for its rumored handheld counterpart. For years, gamers longed for a handheld that could give them console-quality experiences on the go, but they were subjected to lesser ports that were compromised to run on things like PSP and Nintendo DS. However, Nintendo eventually cracked the code and showed it was possible to do this at an affordable price with the Nintendo Switch. Demand for more powerful versions of this kind of hardware skyrocketed, prompting companies like Valve to make handheld gaming PCs like Steam Deck. All of these are great, but fans are holding out for a PlayStation version.

Of course, we have the PlayStation Portal, but it’s not really the same thing. The Portal requires a constant and stable internet connection as it streams games. Nothing on the Portal is played natively, so it’s not the most reliable handheld for everyone. Thankfully, there have been rumors for some time that PlayStation is developing a handheld that will release as sort of a companion to the long-awaited PlayStation 6. A lot of gamers aren’t sure that we’ve really taken advantage of this generation and doubt the demand for a PS6, but a handheld could be the thing that makes it an easier pill to swallow.

PS6 Handheld Will Reportedly Copy Nintendo Switch’s Docking Feature

With all of that said, we don’t know much about this rumored handheld, but a new rumor paints a better picture of what we may be able to expect from it. Tech YouTuber Moore’s Law Is Dead, who has leaked various details about the PS6 already, claims to have seen up to date documentation for plans regarding the console. According to his report, the PlayStation 6 handheld will be able to dock into the PS6 itself similar to the Nintendo Switch, allowing players to play it on the TV. When it’s docked, its power will reportedly exceed the capabilities of the base PS5, though it’s unclear if it will match the current-gen console when it’s in handheld mode.

Moore’s Law Is Dead speculates that this handheld will release in late 2027 alongside the actual PS6 console and retail at $500. It sounds like this will be an optional addition that players can buy to take their games on the go, while still allowing the PS6 to be as powerful as possible. The Nintendo Switch is designed as a portable machine first, which limits its power, but Sony is taking the opposite approach and putting its console first and handheld second.

If this is true, there will almost certainly be some kind of bundle that pairs these two together at launch, potentially at a slightly reduced cost. Either way, it wouldn’t be surprising if the PS6 and its handheld are $1000 or more together. That’s pretty costly, but it sounds like the plan is to sell them separately. There may be people who just buy the handheld so they can take PlayStation exclusives and the latest AAA games on the go.

This generation was filled with some frustration as players felt like games were held back by Microsoft forcing developers to make games for Xbox Series S, a weaker console. It remains to be seen if PlayStation will mandate that all games run on their handheld, which will naturally be weaker. While Steam Deck doesn’t run every Steam game, it is a whole different ecosystem. It may be harder to sell a PS6 handheld to people if they can’t guarantee every game will work on it.

Are you interested in a PS6 handheld? Let me know in the comments.

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