PlayStation is working on a new, handheld console to rival the Nintendo Switch, according to a new report.
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PlayStation has dabbled in the world of handheld consoles before. The Sony PSP was released in 2004 and sold over 80million copies during its ten-year life cycle while the PS Vita launched in 2011 but only shifted between 10 and 15million units before it was discontinued in 2019. Since then, Sony has focused all its attention on the PlayStation 5.
The home console was first released in 2020 and just received a mid-cycle upgrade with the PlayStation 5 Pro. The PlayStation Portal Remote Player for PS5 consoles is also available, allowing gamers to stream their PS5 games via their home wi-fi. However, according to a new report from Bloomberg, a new handheld PlayStation console is in development.
Bloomberg say the console is in the “early stages” of creation. “The product is aimed at expanding Sony’s reach and contending with Nintendo for the portable gaming market, according to people familiar with its development.”
“Sony’s portable device is likely years away from launch and the company could still decide against bringing it to market,” the report continued.
Earlier this month, Xbox confirmed it was also working on a handheld console to rival the Nintendo Switch. The project is still “years away” with Microsoft currently studying the market. “I love us building devices. And I think our team could do some real innovative work, but we want to be informed by learning and what’s happening now,” said Xbox boss Phil Spencer.
The successor to the Nintendo Switch is set to launch next year. Not much is known about the new console but Nintendo has confirmed it will be backwards compatible, allowing gamers to play their library of Switch games on the new console.
In other news, Arcane creators have confirmed new spin-offs are already in development after the League Of Legends-inspired show concluded over the weekend.
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