Sony May Be Preparing to Enter the Handheld Gaming Market Again

Sony, a major player in the handheld gaming market, may be preparing for a major comeback, particularly after Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, revealed that Microsoft is also venturing into handheld gaming. Following a series of credible reports, speculation suggests that Sony could unveil the new handheld as early as 2025. This has sparked speculation that Sony could be gearing up to launch their portable console.

Sony too play a long way back in the handheld gaming industry. This company first launched in the market in 2004 in Japan and 2005 in North America through PlayStation Portable (PSP). Facing listed competition from Nintendo’s DS, the PSP formed a key part of Sony’s portable gaming line-up, selling more than 80 million units over its decade on the market but failing to topple its foe.

The product that succeeded the PSP was named PlayStation Vita and was released in the market in 2011; however, its sales have been estimated to be between 15 to 16 million. Nevertheless, people with an interest in portable graphics cards continue to seek such products, particularly after the launch of Nintendo Switch in 2017. The Switch, which allows users to seamlessly switch between portable and TV gaming, has sold more than 146 million units as of September 2024, proving the enduring popularity of handheld gaming.

Sony’s rival Microsoft has recently announced that it plans to launch a portable console in the future, expanding pressure on the PlayStation maker to revisit the segment. It was also revealed that the company is indeed working on a portable gaming device but still could only be considered several years in the making.

Sony, on the other hand, has implemented PlayStation Portal, a transportable device that enables PS5 owners to remotely broadcast their games over a residential internet connection. PlayStation Portal, which differs from handheld systems, has also garnered recognition. Estimates indicate that between 420,000 and 630,000 units were sold after its November 2023 release. This success has likely demonstrated the necessity of handheld gaming, suggesting that Sony may be in the process of developing a new handheld console.

Expect Price:

According to analysts, the new device could cost anywhere between $300 and $500. Considering the increase of the gaming technology cost and given the fact that Sony had always been using premium pricing, such a price range would not be a wonder.

For comparison, the console PS Vita cost $249.99 for the Wi-Fi model at the time of its launch whereas the PlayStation Portal is currently available for $199. Now that there are high-performance gaming handhelds, such as the Steam Deck, it is believed that Sony’s new device should be priced similarly, but it should also offer better performance capabilities.