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New Front in Console Wars- Psp 2/Xboy/Switch 2/Steam Deck 2/Others

Which one?


  • Total voters
    116

ChoosableOne

ChoosableAll
The rumors about Microsoft and Sony releasing handheld consoles are increasing day by day and we can say for sure that new versions of the Switch and Steam Deck are coming. So, which one seems more appealing to you and why?

My choice would be Switch 2, of course, but Nintendo games are too expensive and rarely go on sale. That's the only negative thing about it.
 

Codes 208

Member
switch 2 only because the original works so damn well. An xboy would just be a more xbox centric rog ally which, meh.

Psp2 would be cool though. I still wouldve preferred that over what we got with the portal. but i definiget why that’d be harder to make a dedicated handheld console again (especially after the vita failed spectacularly)

Though regarding xbox, An xboy would likely work better than psp2 because hypothetically they could just make a handheld version of the series s including the os/ui, so there wouldnt be the need for dedicated ports
 

bender

What time is it?
I don't think Sony will split their development efforts between two platforms again. The types of games that Sony builds these days also isn't conducive to portable play. It's a problem we saw with the Vita and that problem would be worse today.
 

nial

Gold Member
I don't care how, I just want to see the likes of Astro Bot, Death Stranding and Demon's Souls running natively on a PlayStation handheld.
 

KyoZz

Tag, you're it.
Xboy?

That 70S Show Lol GIF by Peacock
 
I don't think Sony will split their development efforts between two platforms again. The types of games that Sony builds these days also isn't conducive to portable play. It's a problem we saw with the Vita and that problem would be worse today.
Different age now though.

Handheld technology has reached a level such that Sony can get a ton of content from previous gen refreshes + the mobile market to make it a very viable platform in its own right.

I could see a new Sony handheld doing very well if done right.
 

JordiENP

Member
The thing is we already know how amazing xbox and ps games look. So it's not gonna be anything surprising, while Zelda, metroid and mario with ps4 graphics will shock the world.
 

DJ12

Member
Whichever one is most powerful that let's me put Linux on and use as a portalable emulation device.
 

Mr Hyde

Member
Switch 2 and the next ROG Ally is what interests me. A Playstation handheld would be cool, but after Vita I don't trust Sony to be dedicated to a new portable device. I'm also not very fond of closed ecosystem regarding handhelds after playing on the Ally. Switch is enough for me in that case. Don't need more of it.
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
A playstation portable console that allowed me to download every game from my PS library to play on the go? 😋

My word. I'd fap myself into oblivion if Sony announced that. I'd pay whatever the cost. I'd even let them drill my wife if that was the asking price.

Xbox handheld would be pretty cool as well.
 

Audiophile

Member
Not gonna happen but I just want an actual portable-handheld console again that'll go in my coat pocket and not a small tablet with controls stuck to it. Everyone is obsessed with large screens which results in something that needs to go in your luggage. I'd totally go for something smaller, more compact and flat pill-shaped that you can just whip out in a split-second.

PSP was 4.3" and PSVita was 5"; each at 1.76:1. I'd totally be fine with a quality 1.78:1 5.5-5.7" display with a tough but minimal bezel.


pspock.png

+5G / Wi-Fi6E / SD Expansion Slot

The appeal in this is that it'd be the only actual truly portable device in the vein of older dedicated gaming handhelds. A non-existent market segment at this point.

I'm not really interested in a PS5 or PS6 in my hand, for those experiences I'd rather use the actual consoles on a proper display. But for everything else I'd love something small and ergonomic; not just for play but for travel.


An alternative could be providing two options:

A PSP "Pocket" with a 5.5" 900P display (psvita-inspired design with triggers that fold in and lock).

A PSP "Portable" with an 8" 1080P display, a 30-50% GPU bump and twice the internal storage (portal-inspired design).

Otherwise with the same hardware, software, functionality and visual theme/stylings.


I really don't wanna see Sony go the route of a main home console which uses a dockable handheld like Ninty; as in a system that's configured so that it requires flagship games to run on limited hardware. You can scale resolution, fps and fx, but fundamental game function and simulation could end up getting hamstrung. XSS is bad enough, that'd be a whole other level.

A separate, dedicated handheld system that gets a boost from being docked as well as having a display output would be fine (perhaps it could even pair with the PS6 in various novel ways). But I'd like the main home console to primarily remain its own thing pushing technical boundaries.

Of course, the big issue with a dedicated handheld with its own experiences is you need more resources to produce them. They'd require a bunch of smaller teams putting out at least two solid first party AA+ titles a year, plus a bunch of third party support. Though the appeal of unifying the entire back-catalogue (licenses-permitting) would help, given that more rudimentary or nostalgic experiences fare better on handheld.


I think the wider market has gone full circle and I think there's a gap between Switch & Steamdeck. The OG PSP was very successful by all measures except comparisons to the Nintendo DS; and the PSVita was -- in my eyes -- very badly timed due to the big mobile transition and the narrative around both handhelds and consoles in general supposedly dying; the nail in the coffin was poor support in terms of software/hardware/marketing from Sony as their resources seemed to be all-in on recovering from the PS3's rough start and prepping for PS4.
 
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Fbh

Gold Member
Unless Sony/MS sell their handheld at a loss with unmatchable performance/features for the price I don't see much appeal in their handheld offerings.
I'd rather get a windows/steam OS device which will have a much bigger library of games, access to multiple stores with cheaper games, no need to pay for multiplayer, access to mods and emulators, etc.*

But I'll probably just get a Swich 2 which will have worthwile exclusives.
 

Hudo

Member
Sony need to beef up their first-party in order to be able to support two platforms seriously.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
An old new front. We had a lot of handhelds competing in the 90s. None ever really got close to the Game Boy, but I owned and enjoyed my Game Gear.
 

El Muerto

Member
Seeing how Sony didnt support the Vita and let it die, and gave us the portal, they are out of touch of what their main audience wants. Switch is only good for first party games like Mario/Zelda/DK. I could go for an Xbox handheld if it can play games on a Series S level. But my money is on a Steam Deck 2. The Steam Deck is great, build is great too. Valve listens to their customers better than anyone, adds features if requested either from a minority of users or majority. And using Linux makes makes it a much better experience than Windows.
 

IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
Sony need to beef up their first-party in order to be able to support two platforms seriously.

No need.

The way I envision a new Playstation handheld is that it'll be able to download and handle the games in your existing PS library. So basically it'll just run PS5/5 games.

Very much like how the Steam Deck works. I buy a game on Steam and then (depending on the game) can play it on my PC or Steam Deck.

That's the way it'll have to be for any PS or Xbox portable.
 

CrustyBritches

Gold Member
Here’s my questions about a theoretical PSP or Xbox handheld: what’s in it for Sony or MS to support your existing library? And if they “port” games then would rebuying games you could stream from your home console really be appealing to people? Do people really want Sony and MS 1st party being spread thin making “exclusives”?
—-
For me, Steam Deck 2 is the only system I’m getting. I think Valve knows what they’re doing, and the Deck is already the best handheld on the market.
 

Zannegan

Member
I voted Switch 2, but I'd definitely want a Steam Deck 2 as well.

I'd be tempted by MS and Sony handhelds, but it would depend on how many of their games are exclusive and how many run on Steam Deck. Neither of them has put out enough exclusive games this gen to get me to jump in, so I think I could stand to wait and see.
 

Hudo

Member
No need.

The way I envision a new Playstation handheld is that it'll be able to download and handle the games in your existing PS library. So basically it'll just run PS5/5 games.

Very much like how the Steam Deck works. I buy a game on Steam and then (depending on the game) can play it on my PC or Steam Deck.

That's the way it'll have to be for any PS or Xbox portable.
A handheld with PS5 performance would cost like $700+ and/or have a battery life of an hour. So if they make a down-specced PS5, we*ll end up with the same situation Microsoft are in with the Xbox Series S, where the devs have to target that spec. And people on this very forum have been bitching and moaning about the existence of the Series S, believing it to be responsible for all evil in the world.

Sony should instead open up PSVR2 for PC use via OpenXR. It's a nice HMD and it's a fucking shame that it's chained to the PS5.
 

Drew1440

Member
Not sure how big the portable market is for these kinds of systems, reminds me of the fifth generation of consoles where you had the 3DO, Jaguar, N64, Saturn, PlayStation, PCFX, Apple Pippin, Philips CDi and Amiga CD32 all released in the same generation.
 

Chastten

Banned
I don't think the word 'wars' quite covers it. I think 'massacre' is the better term.

The only time anyone could put up a fight against Nintendo in this space was the PSP and I don't see Sony throwing massive amounts of money at a new handheld when they barely have the manpower to supply the PS5 with enough games.
 
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IDKFA

I am Become Bilbo Baggins
A handheld with PS5 performance would cost like $700+ and/or have a battery life of an hour. So if they make a down-specced PS5, we*ll end up with the same situation Microsoft are in with the Xbox Series S, where the devs have to target that spec. And people on this very forum have been bitching and moaning about the existence of the Series S, believing it to be responsible for all evil in the world.

Sony should instead open up PSVR2 for PC use via OpenXR. It's a nice HMD and it's a fucking shame that it's chained to the PS5.

It wouldn't cost £700.

We already have a handheld that can run gen 9 games in the SteamDeck. No reason why a slightly more powerful PS handheld couldn't run PS5 games and cost a reasonable amount. We also have to consider this handheld (if the rumours are even real) is a few years away at least. By the time this thing is out it would be a number of years more advanced than Valve's SD.

Sony could then sell it for £699.
 

Audiophile

Member
Great thing with dedicated handhelds if they can actually get the units out there is they can put out lots of A+/AA/AA+ stuff, each with a much smaller budget.

When it comes to dedicated handheld titles the expectations are different. Much more straightforward, rudimentary experiences are acceptable, unlike flagship home and high-end hybrid systems.

If Sony could get reasonably-priced hardware with an acceptable power profile into enough hands, they could likely drop four+ solid AA games for the price of one big AAA blockbuster on the PS5/PS6. The visuals don't have to blow your socks off but instead just be solid/consistent and they can focus instead on tight, fundamentally enjoyable mechanics rather than vast scale.
 
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cireza

Member
I really like tabletop mode with my Switch OLED, so I will pick any device that offers quality tabletop mode like this with a good controller paired to it.
 

Maogp

Member
PsVita 2, Xboy (lol), Switch 2 and Steam Deck 2. I'll buy all of them. Bye home consoles, MUCH better the handheld way.
 

phant0m

Member
Most interested in a PSP2 that had access to PS1, PS2, PSP and Vita libraries. Maybe PS3/4 ports. No physical media, no proprietary storage or chargers.

That said, I also think it’s the least likely to happen.

Switch 2 is a given. Big N going to do great things on the platform with DLSS, I may end up ditching my Deck if it’s fully back compat with OG Switch.
 
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