Sony is gearing up to enter the handheld console market. A new report from Bloomberg states that Sony is developing a portable handheld console that would allow people to play their PlayStation 5 (PS5) games while on the go.
According to the report, development on this new system is in the “early stages”.
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“Sony’s portable device is likely years away from launch and the company could still decide against bringing it to market, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private plans,” the report reads.
It’s said that the development “builds on the PlayStation Portal”. As opposed to playing games via streaming them from the console over the internet, however, this new device will be an actual console that is aiming at competing with the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo’s upcoming Switch successor. Bloomberg adds that sources told them that Sony’s original plan for the Portal was for it to work as a standalone system “like Valve’s Steam Deck” before it became the streaming device it is.
Sony declined to comment to Bloomberg on the report.
Editor’s Note / Tom Henderson – The new PlayStation handheld started development following the highly successful launch of the PlayStation Portal, which exceeded the company’s expectations.
In addition to PlayStation developing a handheld console, Microsoft is also working on their own handheld to tap into the market. Xbox boss Phil Spencer says that their handheld is still “years away”.
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