Sony’s PlayStation Portal, a remote-play device for streaming PS5 games over Wi-Fi, is a far cry from a true successor to the PSP and PS Vita. However, a new Bloomberg report suggests that Sony is exploring the development of a dedicated handheld gaming console capable of playing full PS5 titles natively.
Unlike Portal, this rumored device would play games locally, eliminating the need for an active internet connection. This would make it a truly portable console rather than simply a streaming device.
Sources familiar with the project indicate that the handheld is still “years away” from release, and caution that Sony could cancel development before it reaches the market, given its early stage.
Handheld gaming has experienced a revival, fueled by the popularity of the Nintendo Switch and more recent entries like the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. With Microsoft also rumored to be developing a handheld Xbox console, the competition in the portable gaming market is poised to intensify in the coming years.
That being said, Microsoft’s handheld console is also years away from seeing the light of the day. Knowing the age-old PlayStation and Xbox rivalry, both tech giants could launch their own iterations side by side years into the future. By that time, other rival consoles will have matured quite a bit, so we can expect to see something exceptionally powerful in the making.
We will share more details once they become available.