Sony has early plans for a new PlayStation 5 handheld, a device that could compete against the upcoming Nintendo Switch. Bloomberg first reported on the news, from unnamed sources close to the situation, but the plans are only in the early stages. Actually getting the console to market could be a challenge, meaning that the project is still up in the air.
Sony Working on PlayStation 5 Handheld to Compete with Nintendo Switch
This comes after some of the chatter around Microsoft’s own Xbox handheld that Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming, said is confirmed but a few years away. Sony has a history of making PlayStation handheld consoles, dating back to the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Introduced worldwide from late 2004 to early 2005, the PSP was Sony’s first foray into competing with the Nintendo DS in the handheld gaming market. The PSP enjoyed a successful run, with sales totaling 76.4 million units by 2012, but ultimately was still dwarfed by the Nintendo DS.
In 2011 and 2012, the company tried to renew its handheld ambitions with the PlayStation Vita, but it was a commercial failure, and by 2015 Sony had canceled future first-party game development for the machine.
In 2023 the company appeared to have rekindled its approach to handheld devices with the launch of the PlayStation Portal, which is targeted at cloud gaming. However, the PlayStation Portal was initially going to operate more like Valve’s Steam Deck, giving it a range of gaming options beyond just the PS5. The trick, though, is that the final version is a streaming-only device.
In 2024, whispers from Moore’s Law Is Dead indicated that Sony could team up with AMD again for this new handheld, compatible with both PS4 and PS5 games. However, the Bloomberg report focuses on the device supporting only PS5 games, which makes sense given that it is expected to launch a few years from now. Supporting PS4 games at that point would be impractical, as the console would be outdated.
FAQs
When will the new PlayStation 5 handheld release?
It’s still in early development and could take several years, if released at all.
- Advertisement -Will it support PS4 games?
The handheld is likely to focus on PS5 games, with no confirmation on PS4 compatibility.
