Reports suggest that Sony is in development of a new portable console. This information was shared by Bloomberg, emphasizing that the aim isn’t to create another version of the PSP or PS Vita but rather to take a different approach. According to Bloomberg, this device would be capable of natively accessing the PS5’s library of games without relying solely on cloud gaming services. This indicates Sony’s strategy to integrate this portable console closely with its home console ecosystem for shared resource utilization and to avoid producing an independent product. Considering Sony’s previous challenges with the PSP and PS Vita, which did not achieve anticipated success levels, it appears that Sony intends to learn from these experiences. Additionally, in light of the Nintendo Switch’s successful hybrid model, there are indeed aspects worth exploring.
Sony has indeed explored this avenue as the latest update to the PlayStation Portal allows the accessory to now operate independently, no longer requiring a connection to a remotely powered PS5. Other examples that could convince Sony to enter this market include the successes of PC laptops like the ROG Ally, which enable users to enjoy the same games and catalogs already available, particularly through Steam. Given that Microsoft also aims to develop an Xbox Portable, it appears that all major players are interested in capturing a share of this highly attractive market segment.
