Sony is known for creating innovative and technologically advanced gaming devices. From the first PlayStation console, which revolutionized the industry in 1994, to the latest PlayStation 5, which offers incredible graphics and sound capabilities, the company has always strived to meet the needs and expectations of gamers.
However, in one market segment Sony has not achieved as much success as Nintendo can boast – portable consoles. And this is a very important market from the point of view of players who can devote less and less time to their favorite game. Because the equipment is portable, when traveling by subway, bus or other means of transport, we can have some time to watch our favorite productions.
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Portable consoles and Steam Deck equivalents are getting better and better and their increase in popularity, and therefore sales, is only a matter of time. There is a lot of competition in this segment, which has already been noticed by the largest equipment manufacturers. Everyone wants a piece of this big pie. Sony, wanting to test the market and players’ expectations, released PlayStation Portal, which, according to recent reports, seems to be just an appetizer to the main course..
The history of Sony portable consoles
Sony launched its first handheld console, the PlayStation Portable, in 2004 (Europe had to wait until 2005). It was, at that time, a powerful portable machine (especially if we compare it with competing equipment from Nintendo), which could run games with graphics similar to PlayStation 2, and play videos, music and photos. PSP quite good 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen, built-in memory and memory card slot, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The PSP has sold over 80 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling and most popular handheld consoles.
In December 2011 (Europe had to wait again, this time until February 2012), Sony released the successor to the PSP, PlayStation Vita. It was an even more advanced console that had a 5-inch OLED touch screen (subsequent models had an LCD screen due to cost cutting), two analog sticks, a rear touch panel, front and rear cameras and 3G connectivity (in the more expensive version). PS Vita could run games similar to those of PlayStation 3 (the graphics were rather between PS2 and PS3), as well as remotely play games from PlayStation 4. The PS Vita also had its own digital game store and PlayStation Plus subscription service, however the PS Vita was not as successful as the PSP, selling only 16 million units. The main reasons for this were the high price, lack of support from developers and the then increasing competition from smartphones and tablets. The decision was also blamed on Sony, which did not provide as strong support as in the case of PSP. The Japanese stopped producing PS Vita in 2019, although the last update for this equipment in version 3.74 (mainly for PlayStation TV) was released in 2022.
PlayStation Portal – new hope or another failure?
In 2023, Sony unveiled a new gaming device, PlayStation Portal. It is a portable player (certainly not a console) that allows you to play games from the PS5 console via Wi-Fi (and with a fairly stable connection), without having to turn on the TV. PlayStation Portal has an 8-inch LCD screen (partially touch), a DualSense “built-in controller” that offers touch and adaptive “Trigger” effects in supported games, as well as stereo speakers and a headphone jack. PlayStation Portal is compatible with most PS5 games, including PS4 games (which support Remote Play). PlayStation Portal in our country officially costs PLN 999, but due to huge demand, the consoles are currently unavailable both in Poland and in the world until stocks are replenished (it is said to be April 2024). Sometimes there are stores that have kept some of their “stocks”, but sell them at a much higher price (up to PLN 1,500) or offer single items “in a package with PS5 Slim”. It’s a shame to write about private ads on popular auction sites, where the price seems to be one big absurdity.
PlayStation Portal seems to be an interesting addition to the PlayStation ecosystem, allowing gamers to enjoy PS4 and PS5 games anywhere in the house, without having to occupy a TV. However, the “new PSP” is not a true portable console because it cannot run games locally, but can only stream them from the PS5. This means that it requires a constant connection to the PS5 and a Wi-Fi network, which limits the device’s mobility. Additionally, PlayStation Portal doesn’t have its own game library or any other multimedia features (you won’t run YouTube or Netflix), which makes it dependent on a stationary console and less attractive to gamers who are looking for a complete portable experience.
Is Sony working on a true portable console?
Recently, however, there have been rumors that Sony is in the early stages of developing a new portable console that will be able to run games locally, rather than just stream them. According to a source nicknamed Moore’s Law is Dead (YouTube channel), Sony intends to use a custom AMD APU processor, which will have 18 computing units and will provide backward compatibility with PS4 games. Sony’s new portable console, which is tentatively called “Vita 2”, is reportedly in the “High Level Design” phase, which would mean that the device could premiere within the next two years. It is not known whether Sony’s new portable console will be part of the PS5 generation or whether it will be similar to the PS6 announcement.
These rumors have not been confirmed by Sony or any other reliable source, so they should be treated with great caution. However, if they turn out to be true, they may mean that Sony has not given up on the portable console market and wants to try its hand at this segment again. It’s possible that Sony was inspired by the success of the Nintendo Switch, which has sold over 130 million units, and the emergence of new competitors such as Valve Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, and the upcoming AyaNeo Pocket S. It is also possible that Sony wants to offer players something more than PlayStation Portal, which is treated by many as an appetizer to something bigger. Finally, we also have rumors about a portable console from Microsoft, which also seems to see potential in the handheld market – although I would rather bet that the Redmond company will focus on streaming games with Xbox Game Pass.
Summary
Sony has a rich history of creating consoles, including portable ones, that offered high-quality graphics, sound and gameplay. However, the Japanese did not manage to achieve as much success in the handheld market as Nintendo, which dominated this segment with its devices such as Game Boy, DS and Switch..
Sony only recently released its PlayStation Portal, which is a portable game player for the PS5, while testing the reaction of gamers. Rumors suggest that Sony may be working on a new handheld console that will be able to run games locally and be compatible with PS4 games. If these speculations turn out to be true, it may be a sign that Sony does not intend to give up the portable console market. And perhaps it will once again become the company it once was, when it surprised us with its innovation and creativity.
2024-02-12 11:39:50
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