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[RetroGamingUK]

With rumours of Sony getting back into the handheld market thanks to the success of the Switch and the launch of several PC based handheld, I'm starting to think this could be a good idea.

- Unlike PSP and Vita it wouldn't require its own set of games developing from scratch, thus avoiding the chicken and egg scenario

- PS4 is still getting new games, a lot of devs don't seem to want to drop it

- At this stage it wouldn't be too expensive to make and sell

- Software support would be low risk as all games would easily work on PS4 and PS5 home consoles

- It technically wouldn't be using the same chipset as PS4, it could be emulation instead, but it needs to be simple in terms of what games will run and what games won't, which is the reason people choose consoles

The only real negative I can think of is that it would prolong cross-gen even further, at least until they released a PS6 Portable around 2032.

What do you guys think?

 

[Senua]

Nah. Everyone already had a PS4 and played those games, I'd rather get a PC handheld and have access to decades worth (thousands upon thousands) of games + emulation

 

[Rockman33]

A new handheld needs to play current games. This is silly.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

A new handheld needs to play current games. This is silly.

Nothing's stopping devs from making new games for PS4, it would compete with Switch 2.

 

[HogIsland]

Sony should make a Playstation x Vaio PC handheld running SteamOS with Playstation exclusive tweaks. (ex: official remote play)

Releasing a handheld device that only plays PS4 games is insane in 2025.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Nah. Everyone already had a PS4 and played those games, I'd rather get a PC handheld and have access to decades worth (thousands upon thousands) of games + emulation

If this took off, there's no reason why developers couldn't support it for the next 7 years at least.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Sony should make a Playstation x Vaio PC handheld running SteamOS with Playstation exclusive tweaks. (ex: official remote play)

Releasing a handheld device that only plays PS4 games is insane in 2025.

Why would Sony make hardware that runs PC games? They'd put Steam on PS5 if they thought it would make sense.

Again, nothing would stop developers from making new games for years to come.

 

[jshackles]

If they made a portable PS4, I'd be pissed if it didn't play my existing (disc) games. Which it obviously wouldn't.

If you're gonna make a handheld, just make a new thing.

 

[Bojanglez]

Nah. Everyone already had a PS4 and played those games, I'd rather get a PC handheld and have access to decades worth (thousands upon thousands) of games + emulation

Not everyone wants to mess around with setting up emulation and 'ripping' their CD/DVD/BluRays.

Lots of us have massive digital catalogues on PlayStation, spanning decades, that would be nice to have on an official modern device.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

If they made a portable PS4, I'd be pissed if it didn't play my existing (disc) games. Which it obviously wouldn't.

If you're gonna make a handheld, just make a new thing.

A new standalone handheld like that would be no more powerful than PS4 anyway.

 

[tmlDan]

It should run PS5 games at lower res/fps like a steam deck and have cloud. It cant just do PS4 games.

 

[Senua]

Not everyone wants to mess around with setting up emulation and 'ripping' their CD/DVD/BluRays.

Lots of us have massive digital catalogues on PlayStation, spanning decades, that would be nice to have on an official modern device.

Well emulation was just a bonus at the end, you still have access to the many thousands of games on PC over the decades.

 

[Mr Hyde]

I love handheld gaming so probably yes. But I would probably be better off with a PC handheld. A ROG Ally X would be superior in anything Sony would produce in the handheld space.

 

[Judge Magister]

I love PSP. Vita's catalog is worse but still has a few gems like Killzone Mercenary.

I don't care about PS Portal / Steam Deck / whatever, but i understand that it's the trend nowadays.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

It should run PS5 games at lower res/fps like a steam deck and have cloud. It cant just do PS4 games.

But then you potentially screw up PS5 games by introducing a Xbox Series S tier that all developers must conform to.

 

[TintoConCasera]

A portable PS4? I might already have one!



Give them a few more weeks/months to fix and optimize and I could see this working quite well on the Deck,

 

[clarky]

Nothing's stopping devs from making new games for PS4, it would compete with Switch 2.

Then why label it a PS4 handheld. I think the better question is would you buy a PS handheld that is as powerful as a PS4? The answer would be 100% yes.

 

[MAtgS]

A portable device that natively play Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 instead of cloud stream? What a novel concept!

 

[tmlDan]

But then you potentially screw up PS5 games by introducing a Xbox Series S tier that all developers must conform to.

thats why there is also a cloud option.....

 

[HogIsland]

Why would Sony make hardware that runs PC games? They'd put Steam on PS5 if they thought it would make sense.

Again, nothing would stop developers from making new games for years to come.

sony makes pcs. sony makes pc games.

 

[Sleepwalker]

No, I have a steam deck.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Then why label it a PS4 handheld. I think the better question is would you buy a PS handheld that is as powerful as a PS4? The answer would be 100% yes.

So it would be like PSP and Vita where it has its own set of games?

Sony wouldn't be so stupid, Nintendo realised this and decided to stick to a single format this generation.

 

[Josemayuste]

Nope, I already have one, it's called: Steam Deck OLED baby.

 

[Gambit2483]

Isn't that basically a Steamdeck? And it also plays new games and retro games from all platforms?

Nope, I already have one, it's called: Steam Deck OLED baby.

This.

 

[Shin-Ra]

No, it wouldn't be supported by first party or third party devs.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

thats why there is also a cloud option.....

Not everyone wants cloud gaming, we want games that run natively on the hardware.

 

[Radical_3d]

Nah. Everyone already had a PS4 and played those games, I'd rather get a PC handheld and have access to decades worth (thousands upon thousands) of games + emulation

How is this Newell champion in every console thread that I step upon? Are there no amazing new PC hardware and software news threads filled with exciting speculation? Are people getting coupons for getting gamers switching from console to PC and I'm missing it?

 

[RetroGamingUK]

No, it wouldn't be supported by first party or third party devs.

Surely there'd be less risk for developers if…

1. They knew their games could also run on PS4/5

2. The format was already supported by software from day 1

 

[Hookshot]

Sony wouldn't support it with new games, it would be the VR all over again. They'd be better off opening their back catalogue up to Steam to get money from the handheld PC market.

 

[Senua]

How is this Newell champion in every console thread that I step upon? Are there no amazing new PC hardware and software news threads filled with exciting speculation? Are people getting coupons for getting gamers switching from console to PC and I'm missing it?

Don't feel threatened by other people's preferences mate, there's no need to be upset.

 

[Zannegan]

You could shrink PS4 hardware down to run in a handheld, but why? Is perfect emulation of old games really worth being shackled to such an inefficient, outdated chipset?

Hardware generations are about more than just power. It's why the Switch was able to limp along for so long with impossible port in spite of having a fraction the power of its competitors.

A literal handheld PS4 generation would be a terrible idea as it would be missing important hardware features that would not only allow it to run modern software more efficiently but might even be the key to getting certain games to run at all.

They'd be better off releasing new hardware and then making a dedicated effort to get majority of the PS4's library running on it through emulation.

 

[clarky]

So it would be like PSP and Vita where it has its own set of games?

Sony wouldn't be so stupid, Nintendo realised this and decided to stick to a single format this generation.

No, it would be like the switch where it has its own games but Sony can also sell you the games you already own.

Nobody would buy a PS4 only handheld, we've already played those games to death. im not buying The last of us yet again.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

No, it would be like the switch where it has its own games but Sony can also sell you the games you already own.

Nobody would buy a PS4 only handheld, we've already played those games to death. im not buying The last of us yet again.

Like I've said, there'd be nothing stopping new games from coming out.

 

[Radical_3d]

Don't feel threatened by other people's preferences mate, there's no need to be upset.

I got a laugh reaction from you. That's all I wanted UuU

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Wouldn't it be better of perfecting the PS Portal technology with the Portal 2 as then you'd be able to play both PS4 and 5 games.

 

[clarky]

Like I've said, there'd be nothing stopping new games from coming out.

So not a PS4 handheld then? A handheld thats as powerful as a PS4 like i said.

 

[Roufianos]

Nah. A portable PS4 would be a guaranteed flop and, as for a new device, Sony can barely support PS5.

 

[Three]

How is this Newell champion in every console thread that I step upon? Are there no amazing new PC hardware and software news threads filled with exciting speculation? Are people getting coupons for getting gamers switching from console to PC and I'm missing it?

Everyone played the 3400 PS4 games already he'd rather have the decades older Steam games for obvious reasons.

So not a PS4 handheld then? A handheld thats as powerful as a PS4 like i said.

PS4 is getting new games my friend. If it gets new games the PS4 can get the same ones.

 

[nkarafo]

Eh, after the original Game Boy i can't say i have enjoyed portable gaming that much. Except maybe with the GBA when i was serving in the army for a couple of years but then i had no other choice for gaming.

I just prefer the performance, big screen and nice speakers a home console/PC provides.

 

[clarky]

Eh, after the original Game Boy i can't say i have enjoyed portable gaming that much. Except maybe with the GBA when i was serving in the army for a couple of years but then i had no other choice for gaming.

I just prefer the performance, big screen and nice speakers a home console/PC provides.

Yeah but what you going to do when your on a beach and you don't want to speak to the Mrs? GBA Mario Kart got me through a few vacations ill tell you.

 

[clarky]

Everyone played the 3400 PS4 games already he'd rather have the decades older Steam games for obvious reasons.


PS4 is getting new games my friend. If it gets new games the PS4 can get the same ones.

I realise that. But you might as well call it playstation portable. No point shackling it with a label from last gen.

 

[Radical_3d]

If they do it they should have the same hardware that nVidia is selling to Nintendo. Way to guarantee a shit ton of ports. If that's backwards compatible with PS4 the better but the main point is what I stated: keep close to that 150 million machines selling brand.

 

[ReBurn]

Not after Vita, no. I don't think they would properly support it with first party content.

 

[Shin-Ra]

Surely there'd be less risk for developers if…

1. They knew their games could also run on PS4/5

2. The format was already supported by software from day 1

It wouldn't be directly compatible with PS4 or PS5 versions of existing games so it's another version they need to optimise for a platform nobody has any belief or care for.

 

[diffusionx]

According to this website, the most power efficient PS4 in existence uses 75 watts of power while gaming.

Energy Efficiency

Networked standby and standby power consumption.

www.playstation.com

A handheld system needs to be around 15W. So, how is this going to get accomplished? You need to do major engineering work all to play games on hardware that is really outdated. Really dumb.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

So you want a miniature PS4? Is it possible right now? Also it won't play anything else, there will be no new games coming for it unless developers develop for it, and why would day?

 

[Senua]

Everyone played the 3400 PS4 games already he'd rather have the decades older Steam games for obvious reasons.

Obvious reasons like their being over 10x that amount of games on steam. heh

 

[SGRU]

No, I will not buy any new Sony system. At least no until it reaches two years of healthy first party support and it has a moderated price.

 

[Esppiral]

Locked to the Draconian PSN store prices? Hahaha lol no!

 

[LavitzSlambert]

I'd definitely consider it. That's what I was hoping the Portal to be - since the Portal actually does nothing the PS Remote Play app doesn't already do except for double as a controller that you probably already own.