PlayStation’s new console already being roasted by fans: ‘I don’t want it’

It certainly is looking as if everybody wants in on a slice of the handheld gaming pie.

We are, of course, just a couple of weeks away from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 but it unexpectedly appears as if competitors from Xbox and PlayStation are looming on the horizon.

Microsoft is reportedly working on two handhelds; one of those is supposedly a collaboration with Asus, whilst the other is being made in-house.

Neither have been publicly revealed, but Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has made it clear that the handheld market is something that the company is actively interested in.

It’s also believed that Sony is working on a similar product for PlayStation.

Little is known about the device, but it is due to be a standalone console rather than something like the pre-existing PlayStation Portal which relies on a PS5 connection.

Xbox insider HeisenbergFX4 recently took to Neogaf to ‘confirm’ that “a full blown PS handheld is coming”.

They added, “True, it won’t fall in the Portal pricing, so I guess it’s not a refresh of the Portal. Timing wise somewhere around the PS6 launch.”

Of course, I have to urge you to take information from such a source with a hefty pinch of salt.

Would you be interested in playing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet on the go?

I can somewhat see the appeal of a PlayStation handheld, especially if you live a more transient lifestyle.

Personally, I think I’d rather stick to console and it looks like I’m not alone in feeling that way.

“If it doesn’t use overpriced proprietary memory cards then I don’t want it,” wrote Reddit user BrianScalaweenie, making reference to the PS Vita.

“I’m not sure if there’ll be much interest in this vs just owning a Switch 2. I expect it’ll be closer to a Steam Deck vs a Vita in that you’ll basically just play PS4/PS5 games,” added mattysauro.

“I don't think they can recapture the magic that the PSP and PS Vita had. Those systems were good [be]cause they had a powerful catalogue of games,” commented Grintastic, reflecting my own concerns.

Sony’s first-party studios are already releasing console games three to six years apart; I’m not exactly sure they have the time and resources to develop handheld-exclusive titles.

And is a ‘PlayStation on the go’ a good enough concept without exclusives? I suppose only time will tell.