Report: Sony Developing Standalone Portable Gaming Console to Compete with Microsoft and Nintendo

Sony has reportedly set its sights on creating a new portable gaming console, aiming to go toe-to-toe with industry giants Nintendo and Microsoft. This upcoming device is expected to let players enjoy PlayStation 5 games regardless of where they are, setting it apart from the PlayStation Portal, which is designed more for remote play. However, don’t hold your breath just yet, as this standalone console might still be a few years from hitting the shelves. Sony has the opportunity to tweak or even scrap the project altogether in this interim period.

In a similar vein, Microsoft CEO Phil Spencer recently noted that developing a hand-held Xbox device is still some time down the road. Given this timeline, it’s interesting to see Sony mirroring this slow roll-out strategy. Meanwhile, Nintendo remains a formidable force in the handheld gaming market, with its next-gen Switch anticipated to drop sometime next year.

When asked about these plans, a Sony spokesperson gave no comment.

In the portable gaming arena, we’ve seen significant progress over recent years, especially with Valve’s Steam Deck, which has been generating quite the buzz, especially its newer OLED model. This momentum has invited a slew of new players like Asus, Lenovo Legion, Logitech, and MSI into the mix, shaking up the competitive landscape. The main advantages for both Microsoft and Sony stem from their expansive game libraries, as well as their ability to secure new intellectual properties and a host of developers—be it indie or AAA studios—who create either exclusive or cross-platform titles for them.

For Sony, developing a portable console compatible with PS5 titles means crafting the right hardware, paired with firmware that’s specially optimized for this new format. However, at this early design stage, there’s still a chance Sony might pivot away from this vision or even abandon it entirely.

Reflecting on the history of portable gaming, Sony isn’t a newcomer. It previously made its mark with devices like the original PlayStation Portable, PSP Vita, and PSP GO. Bloomberg initially reported that the PlayStation Portal was to be an independent platform, but Sony actually shifted to creating a remote play device instead, featuring an 8-inch screen that streams games from the PlayStation 5 via WiFi.

Even though the PSP had its moment in the sun, Sony now faces fierce competition. Beyond rival consoles, they’ll contend with cloud gaming services that don’t rely on specific hardware—thanks largely to leaders like Nvidia’s GeForce Now and Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming offerings.

Opting for portable gaming offers a chance to capture an audience that might not resonate with traditional PC, cloud, or console experiences. Should Sony choose to forgo this opportunity, it risks being the outlier in the handheld gaming domain, not having a dog in the fight.