Back in their heyday, Sony was one of the most dominant handheld console makers in the world. They always seemed to have the perfect answer to their competitors whatever punch they threw at Sony, they could bob and weave and hit back with an explosive punch.
When the PSP first came out way back in 2004, it immediately took the world by storm and brought console-level gaming to the handheld gaming space.
It was a juggernaut, and it put Sony at the top of the console mountain. However, by the time the PSVITA was discontinued in 2019, it was a shadow of its former glory, from selling over 70 million copies to struggling to sell over 25 million. It was a sad way to end for one of Sony’s most impressive innovations.
So, what is bringing Sony back to the table?
Inevitably it would all come down to two things: Sony’s utter dominance in the home console wars with Xbox, and its realisation that they have left money on the table by letting Nintendo dominate the handheld space for the past decade.
One of the first rules you learn in business school is “you never leave money on the table,” and if the Sony executives were as savvy as I believe them to be, then they would have definitely been preparing to come back to the battlefield.
Armed with hinged sight and an overwhelming mandate from the gaming world to keep innovating, it was only a matter of time before we found out that Sony was developing an innovative new handheld gaming console that would enable players to enjoy PlayStation 5 games on the go.
As reported by Bloomberg, this console aims to rival Nintendo and Microsoft in the portable gaming arena, but it may be several years from launch—if Sony ultimately chooses to bring it to market.
Nintendo continues to dominate the handheld gaming landscape, with anticipation building for the next-generation successor to its beloved Switch console, set to launch next year.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is working on its own handheld Xbox prototype; however, gaming CEO Phil Spencer has recently noted that the release is still “a few years out.”
The handheld gaming sector has also experienced a surge due to the emergence of PC platforms featuring innovative devices like Valve’s Steam Deck and Asus’s ROG Ally lineup.
In a bid to remain competitive, Sony is building on its PlayStation Portal—a compact, eight-inch gaming device launched last year that streams PS5 games wirelessly from the cloud.
Initially designed as a standalone unit, this new device will enable gamers to play titles natively rather than relying on Wi-Fi connectivity, thereby broadening Sony’s reach and enhancing accessibility to its gaming library.
While the market may be slightly saturated with a few PC-based handhelds this isn’t completely new territory for Sony, having previously released portable gaming consoles like the PS Vita and PlayStation Portable — but since the VITA has long since been discontinued.
It would appear as though Sony is gearing up to do battle on two fronts and give the world something to be hopeful for in the coming years for gaming.
A few years ago, a lot of fans had claimed that gaming was on the decline, but that couldn’t be further from the truth and if Sony launches this new handheld console, it will truly mark the start of another golden era of gaming.
Source: The Verge, Bloomberg.