Sony is currently the leading force in the console market as its PlayStation 5 has effectively outsold the Xbox since its release. However, despite their strong history, the Japanese giants have all but disappeared from the handheld market. Nintendo has been dominating the handheld industry with its hybrid Switch for the past few years with Valve’s Steam Deck emerging as a formidable challenger recently. Still, recent speculations claim Sony might return to the handheld market with a new standalone portable device.
Sony isn’t a stranger to the handheld market. In 2004, the Japanese behemoths unveiled their handheld console, the PlayStation Portable, which became an instant hit within the gaming community. However, they walked away from the handheld competition in 2011 with the release of Sony’s last standalone portable device, the PS Vita, which did not do so well in sales.
Sony plans to re-enter the handheld market with a new console powered by AMD, says a new report from Moore’s Law is Dead #PSVita2 #PlayStation
See more: https://t.co/Njoppgl6wG pic.twitter.com/Quv8TJPKO0
— Hunter (@NextGenPlayer) February 1, 2024
Nevertheless, the X (formerly Twitter) user Hunter, who is known for sharing game leaks and rumors, recently revealed that Sony plans to re-enter the handheld market with a new standalone portable device. Intesteresing, AMD is rumored to power this portable model, which isn’t surprising, given they also power the PlayStation 5.
Did the PlayStation Portal’s success force this move?
Sony has been away from the handheld market for over a decade, so what could have got them interested in getting back there? We believe that the recent success of the PlayStation Portal could have played a major role in the Japanese giants deciding to rejoin the handheld race with a new standalone portable device.
PlayStation Portal is a gaming accessory for the PlayStation 5, released in November 2023. This device allows fans to enjoy PS5 console games in a handheld format. However, it uses remote-play technology, so fans were required to own a PlayStation 5 in order to use it. However, having a standalone portable device would eliminate the need for a main console and make the process less cumbersome.
If this is real, I am so up for it! Loved the psp and vita
— Alex Dissonance (@AlexDissonance) February 1, 2024
Hopefully they will support it and it won’t end like the Vita
— Lssassindark891 (@assassindark891) February 1, 2024
I knew PS Portal would be a cloud version and have a native version later
Hence the Codename Q Lite
— Ryan GoFett24 (@zrd92490) February 1, 2024
If this is true I think we can thank SteamDeck for this becoming reality
— Alexander Ahjolinna (@Ahjolinna) February 1, 2024
As much as I’d love to see it, I don’t see Sony investing the money to get back into the handheld market with a dedicated handheld machine. I think they would do more cloud based stuff
— justfilthy (@justfilthygamin) February 1, 2024
Fans have been quite excited about the rumor and hope Sony won’t discontinue the portable series this time. Some claimed to have predicted that the Japanese company would take such steps following the success of PlayStation Portal. Meanwhile, a group of fans are scared of trusting the rumor until Sony officially announces it. We would also advise fans to take such news with a grain of salt as nothing is confirmed as of yet.
