Sony may be building a handheld PlayStation 5 to take on Nintendo’s Switch
Play has no limits… Sony might make a big bet on portable gaming with a handheld PlayStation 5. The PS5 has smashed records as Sony’s most profitable console, raking in $100B+ in sales since its 2020 debut (recall gaming’s boom during the pandemic). Now Sony’s reportedly building a portable PS5 with more capabilities than its handheld PlayStation Portal (which requires Wi-Fi and can stream only from a PS5). The handheld PS5 is said to be years from launch and could be scratched altogether.
Portable problems: Sony phased out its PlayStation Portable console in 2014, and in 2019 it discontinued its handheld PlayStation Vita, a flop.
Spotting a Squirtle… from plane seat 7A. Nintendo’s handheld Switch has become a gaming phenomenon, selling 140M+ units since its launch in 2017 (it’s the third-best-selling console ever). Handheld consoles accounted for half of overall gaming market share in 2022. While Switch demand has cooled in recent years, gaming on the go remains hot. Mobile games make up half of global gaming revenue and are expected to bring in $93B this year ($41B more than console games).
Meet your customers where they are… Often that’s on the go. The PS5 is the gold standard for high-end gameplay and exclusive franchises like “The Last of Us.” But a portable version could expand Sony’s reach to gamers on the move and help it compete with Nintendo, which will reportedly launch its Switch 2 next year. Microsoft has also confirmed that it’s working on a portable version of its Xbox.