Following the success of the Swap and the Steam Deck, ought to PlayStation return to handheld gaming with a brand-new console?
Whereas Sony has predominantly launched dwelling consoles previously, there have additionally been two handheld PlayStations previously.
The PSP got here out in 2005 and was an enormous success, promoting over 80 million models. This prompted Sony to observe it up with the PlayStation Vita in 2012.
Whereas the Vita was undeniably an amazing console, it solely bought much less round 16 million models, simply 20% of the PSP. Since then, Sony has moved away from handhelds to give attention to its dwelling consoles.
Regardless of this, the PlayStation Portal, a handheld system that streams video games out of your PS5, has been an sudden success. In fact, this has then prompted many requests from players for Sony to launch a brand new handheld PlayStation that may natively run video games as an alternative of simply stream them.
However ought to Sony launch a brand new handheld PlayStation or not?
Why Sony Wants a New Handheld
The Demand for Moveable Gaming
The primary cause why PlayStation could contemplate making a brand new handheld console is that the demand is there.
Because the Swap was launched in 2017, transportable and hybrid consoles have been highly regarded, however PlayStation is lacking out regardless of being the present king of dwelling consoles.
The demand for handheld consoles, in addition to the energy of the PlayStation model, may result in a brand new transportable PlayStation being an enormous success.
There’s a Nice Assortment of Previous-Gen PlayStation Video games
If Sony had been to launch a handheld, it may launch nice video games from its PlayStation again catalog on the console.
Because of this titles from the final couple of generations, like God of Battle, The Final of Us and Uncharted, may very well be launched in handheld kind. Moreover, it may very well be a wonderful approach for PlayStation to convey classics like Jak & Daxter and Sly Cooper again.
Nonetheless, a transportable PlayStation wouldn’t be as highly effective as a PS5, so it couldn’t run the most recent AAA video games. You’d nonetheless must get a PS5 to play these!
Sony Might Implement PlayStation Portal’s Distant Play
Lastly, even when a handheld console wouldn’t be capable of play PS5 video games natively, PlayStation already has an answer to this.
A brand new Sony handheld may incorporate the Distant Play of the PlayStation Portal. This might enable players to stream titles from their PS5 that the hand-held system couldn’t run.
Because the PlayStation Portal has already proved to be highly regarded, incorporating its operate right into a handheld console could be an amazing concept!
Why A New Moveable PlayStation Isn’t Wanted
Regardless of the arguments for a brand new handheld PlayStation, there are additionally various the explanation why Sony gained’t make a brand new transportable console:
The Competitors Is Stiff
Presently, the hand-held console market is dominated by the Nintendo Swap, however the Steam Deck is one other common different. This can make breaking into the hand-held marketplace for Sony fairly tough.
Subsequently, Sony could not suppose it’s value investing lots of money and time right into a handheld if it might not be successful, particularly after the 3DS comprehensively defeated PlayStation Vita within the early 2010s.
If breaking Nintendo’s handheld dominance wasn’t troublesome sufficient, it additionally seems just like the Swap 2 may very well be releasing in March 2025!
You Can Already Play PlayStation Titles on Steam Deck
Over the previous few years, Sony has launched various critically acclaimed PlayStation Studios titles on PC. This consists of God of Battle, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Forbidden West, The Final of Us Half 1 and Uncharted.
What’s extra, all of those video games are playable on Steam Deck at barely decrease resolutions and body charges.
As Sony is already promoting a few of its greatest video games on PC and, crucially, Steam Deck, there could also be no level making a handheld PlayStation. In spite of everything, it will be a lot simpler to proceed porting video games to PC than to develop a completely new console.
It Might Be Higher to Focus On the Subsequent House Console
PlayStation has brushed apart its predominant rival, Xbox, this console era and gained’t wish to lose its lead.
VGChartz stories that as of December 2023, the PS5 has bought over 52 million models, whereas the Xbox Collection X has bought simply over 27 million models.
Subsequently, it could be a smart transfer for Sony to give attention to its subsequent dwelling console to take care of its lead. If it tries to maneuver again into handheld gaming too, it may let this lead slip as Xbox strikes full pace forward with growing its next-gen console.
Total, we predict that Sony gained’t make a brand new handheld console within the close to future. Regardless of there being an urge for food for a transportable PlayStation, Sony most likely wouldn’t see it as being worthwhile proper now.
It might be too nice a danger to launch a brand new handheld console proper now, and Sony will most likely focus elsewhere. In fact, its main focus can be on the PS5 and rumored PS5 Professional, however porting its video games to PC can be changing into an vital technique for Sony.