A Bloomberg report from November 25 revealed that Sony Group Corp is in the early stages of developing a handheld PlayStation console that will supposedly support PS5 games. The development will put Sony on par with its competitors, Nintendo and Microsoft.
Nintendo has been the dominant company in handheld consoles with its Nintendo Switch handheld device. Now, the company plans to release the next generation of handheld consoles next year to succeed its current consoles.
Microsoft, the company behind Xbox, is also developing prototypes for a handheld Xbox console. However, the report outlined that the company is still a long way from the device’s launch.
The report confirmed that Sony’s PS5 handheld console is probably years away from launch and added that the company could also decide to scrap it. However, Sony Group has not yet made any official comments about the handheld console.
Sony to launch new handheld device
Sony and PlayStation are no strangers to handheld devices. The first handheld console, the PlayStation Portable (PSP), came out in 2004. The PSP’s design supported several applications, including wireless connectivity, video, music, photos, the internet, and more. The popular device, which stayed in the markets for 10 years and sold over 80 million pieces, was compatible with PlayStation 2 and 3.
Sony released another handheld console in 2011, PlayStation Vita, which first launched in Japan before going international in 2012. PS Vita supported Bluetooth, WiFi, and Remote Play of PS4. However, the release of the Nintendo Switch in 2017 led to the PS Vita stalling in the gaming markets. Sony later discontinued the device completely in 2019.
Social media sentiment has shown enthusiasm for the rumored launch. Notably, PlayStation fans have been waiting for another handheld device since Vita’s discontinuation, with some even suggesting the development of a Vita 2. Others mentioned that the rumored handheld console will also be the competition that Switch needs.
Sony releases PlayStation Portal
Sony’s new portable PlayStation Portal is officially launching later this year for $199.99.
The new PlayStation handheld will stream PS5 games over Wi-Fi 🎮🔥 pic.twitter.com/eQdFJdmcWL
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) August 23, 2023
Last year, Sony released the PlayStation Portal, a remote-play device allowing players to access PlayStation 5 games through WiFi streaming. Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Vice President of Product Management, Hiromi Wakai, revealed that the demand for the device exceeded the company’s expectations.
In an alleged email interview, Wakai confirmed that the PlayStation Portal’s idea came from the idea of Remote Play for PlayStation 3 in 2006. Sony first announced the device in May 2023, surprising many gamers with its re-entry into the portable gaming devices market.
A recent announcement by Wakai on PlayStation’s blog revealed that PlayStation Portal is receiving a software update that will support cloud streaming. The update will allow players to access PS5 games without the PS5 console. Wakai confirmed that the update is still in the beta phase.
PlayStation Plus Premium members can participate in the beta cloud streaming after the update goes live.
“….PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to participate in a beta for cloud streaming on PS Portal, allowing select PS5 games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog* to be streamed directly from our servers, even without a PS5 console.”
Hiromi Wakai, Sony Interactive Entertainment VP of Product Management
Some games players can enjoy include Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. The service will be available in 30 countries, including the UK, U.S., France, Switzerland, Sweden, and more.
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