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PS4 Portable - would you buy one?

Would you buy a PS4 Portable

  • Yes

    Votes: 56 32.4%
  • No - Sony should make a different handheld

    Votes: 49 28.3%
  • No - I don’t want a Sony handheld at all

    Votes: 68 39.3%

  • Total voters
    173

Three

Member
Obvious reasons like their being over 10x that amount of games on steam. heh
I'm more laughing at your idea that everyone has played all those ps4 games. I have a backlog as long as my arm. I don't doubt steam library is 10x more (of mostly shovelware releases too).
 
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Obvious reasons like their being over 10x that amount of games on steam. heh

Why don’t Sony just throw their entire console business in the bin and just make Steam Machines instead that only play games from Steam.

Let’s just have no competition to Steam at all shall we and have everyone clueless as to what games will run on their hardware.

There’s a reason people choose consoles and closed platforms, even if you don’t like it.
 

Senua

Member
I'm more laughing at your idea that everyone has played all those ps4 games. I have a backlog as long as my arm. I don't doubt steam library is 10x more (of mostly shovelware releases too).
I was quite obviously exaggerating, but a handheld being shackled to a previous gen makes less sense than an open one which has access to all gens, don't you think?
 

nkarafo

Member
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.
Well, if i'm on a beach i rather swim or something since i can't do that anywhere else.

See, as an adult i realized i don't have to play games all the time. When on a vacation i'm taking a time off everything. Not just work but also videogames. I can still play games for the rest of 350 or so days of the year.
 

Holammer

Member
No, I don't want one. But I still think it's a pretty good idea, better than the Portal. It's powerful enough and there's a huge library of games available, heck... it's still getting new PS4 compatible games.
The CPUs available today would be much better than OG 2013 hardware, so it would allow for "PS4H" enhanced games.
 

Three

Member
I was quite obviously exaggerating, but a handheld being shackled to a previous gen makes less sense than an open one which has access to all gens, don't you think?
Shackled in what way? PS4 is just referring to its expected power. PS4 is getting new game releases and has a library that spans decades too because it got rereleased classics resmasters and remakes. People have massive libraries on it so It makes sense. The switch has sold 100x more than the Steam deck for one.
 
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Senua

Member
Shackled in what way? PS4 is just referring to its expected power. PS4 is getting new game releases and has a library that spans decades too because it got rereleased classics resmasters and remakes. People have massive libraries on it so It makes sense. The switch has sold 100x more than the Steam deck for one.
They are minimal and for how long? PS4 has basically no backwards compatibility. If the device had full access to PS1/2/3 BC then that would be enticing but the way Sony do things, that ain't happening.

The Switch is Nintendo's current console lol, completely different to a secondary sony Handheld which we know would not get unique games like Sony used to do in the past, they learned from that mistake.
 

damiank

Member
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.
It's about new APU to run also PS4 games, not shrinking PS4 APU which would be waste of everything lol.
But then you potentially screw up PS5 games by introducing a Xbox Series S tier that all developers must conform to.
Unlikely. Handheld would be on his own being able to run PS4 games like PS5 and patched PS5 stuff if devs would do that. It wouldn't be mandatory to PS5.
 

Bartski

Gold Member
no way in hell

Jim Carrey Reaction GIF by Laff
 
Isn't this already a thing? Remote play? I've never used it, but isn't it just streaming your PS4 to your mobile device?

Anything else would mean not being able to use retail discs, which means a no go.
 
I was quite obviously exaggerating, but a handheld being shackled to a previous gen makes less sense than an open one which has access to all gens, don't you think?

You love PC and Steam, we get it.

But for tens of millions of people PC and SteamDeck isn’t for them.

They like the simplicity that comes with consoles, that’s what I’m suggesting Sony continue with this handheld.
 

Three

Member
They are minimal and for how long? PS4 has basically no backwards compatibility. If the device had full access to PS1/2/3 BC then that would be enticing but the way Sony do things, that ain't happening.
They're not really minimal there are a lot of older games on PS4. They were resold during the PS4 gen though rather than a library carrying forward.
The Switch is Nintendo's current console lol, completely different to a secondary sony Handheld which we know would not get unique games like Sony used to do in the past, they learned from that mistake.
The "lesson learned" from PSP and Vita was still 60x more successful than steam deck. I think you're too caught up in hating the platform. If they built PS4 scaled games it can run across all their platforms. It doesn't have to be "unique" switches best selling games were Wii U ports.
 
I've owned, and still have them, the PSP, Vita and now the Portal, so I might as well get the next Playstation handheld system. Absolutely I would.
 

Natsuko

Member
Hmm, difficult. Probably not. I like handhelds. But I'm not interested enough to play the old games again in large amounts. I do play some older games. But enough to justify a new handheld? I'm too stingy for that. And I'm too infrequently on the road to necessarily need a handheld in addition to the Nintendo Switch (soon 2). I can already play all these games on my consoles. I would find a handheld that is its own thing more interesting. Exclusive games, nice things that are specifically made for it and stuff like that. Things that give me a reason to buy the thing. Not just another device to play games I've already played.
 

Senua

Member
They're not really minimal there are a lot of older games on PS4. They were resold during the PS4 gen though rather than a library carrying forward.

The "lesson learned" from PSP and Vita was still 60x more successful than steam deck. I think you're too caught up in hating the platform. If they built PS4 scaled games it can run across all their platforms. It doesn't have to be "unique" switches best selling games were Wii U ports.
There's a reason there's no Vita successor mate, it's really that simple. The steam deck is expensive so it's obviously not going to sell brilliantly, but I'd rather pay the extra for the incredible library on offer. Also I don't hate anything, you're just very invested in those devices so see my differing opinions on them as an attack on your choices.
 

clarky

Gold Member
Well, if i'm on a beach i rather swim or something since i can't do that anywhere else.

See, as an adult i realized i don't have to play games all the time. When on a vacation i'm taking a time off everything. Not just work but also videogames. I can still play games for the rest of 350 or so days of the year.
The beach was an example. May i suggest you leave the house for more than 6 days a year
 
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Quasicat

Member
I would…as long as I could play the other consoles through Premium streaming. Of course, I say this and yet this is what my Steam Deck already does. I can play the PS4 games that I want to play either natively as PC ports or streaming which works flawlessly on the Deck.
 

Three

Member
There's a reason there's no Vita successor mate, it's really that simple.
And what reason is that? The fact that you think Sony would be stretched to make games for it? We're not talking about custom made software anymore for Cell or ARM. How would it be different from Playstation games like Horizon zero dawn, spiderman etc already running on the steamdeck? It would be a lower spec x86 machine.
 
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Fbh

Gold Member
If it's like $200 maybe.
Otherwise if I just want a portable that can play Ps4 era games I'd much rather get something like a Steamdeck where there are more games available, at a fraction of a price, with bonuses like mods and emulators and not having to pay a monthly fee for multiplayer
 

Mibu no ookami

Demoted Member® Pro™
The PSP sold 80 million units and is the 11th best selling system in gaming history... Selling nearly as many units as the GBA. It is the 5th best selling handheld system ever (including the Switch, 4th if not).

There is evidence that a PlayStation handheld with software support can sell serious units. The biggest problem has always been software support. By making it a scalable system that plays existing console games, you solve that problem. The software support is largely guaranteed.

Making the PS4 games play natively, ensure that a number of GaaS games are confirmed for the handheld with no work needed by developers. The best selling games on the market are largely PS4 games already, even non GaaS games like Hogwarts Legacy.

Imagine you have the choice of buying a Switch 2 and a PSH and you want Hogwarts Legacy. Switch 2 might boost that game, but PSH is going to play the PS4 version at least with enhancements due to PSSR. Even without PSSR, the PSH version is going to be better.

If the Switch 2 launches for 400, sony can aim for 450 and be competitive with more power and unlike the DS vs PSP with more games.

PS5 games can be scaled down for the system just like the PS5 Pro scales up. This is for games like Wukong and Spider-Man 2. The key is to ask yourself how many games are exclusive to this generation and how much work would be to make them all work on PS5. The answer is not many and not a lot.

For 450 with PlayStation 4/5 based architecture and PSSR to make up the power difference, sony could probably make a handheld for 450 or 500.

Switch 2 is going to be minimum 400. We all know that. If Nintendo was interested in selling more Switch OLEDs they wouldn't be selling it for 350 still. Rumors suggest there will be two skus, cheapest being 400. If true we can speculate on how much of a difference the skus will have.

Will it be 400 for a lite version that is portable only? Will the difference in skus just be LCD vd OLED? Will the difference just be on board storage?

I think a lot of people complaining about the PS5 Pro's price are in for a rude awakening on the Switch. They're going to ride the Switch 2 for the next 5+ years, this thing isn't going to be cheap.
 

Deerock71

Member
I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of my Steam Deck OLED, and I just purchased the Uncharted Collection and Ratchet and Clank 4. They don't really need to.
 

Preseznik

Neo Member
Nah, I figured out I don't need handhelds a long time ago.

But if it were a current gen handheld I'd consider it, just to see how it is.
So a PS5 or current Xbox handheld.
 

Agent X

Member
PS4 is getting new game releases and has a library that spans decades too because it got rereleased classics resmasters and remakes.

There is evidence that a PlayStation handheld with software support can sell serious units. The biggest problem has always been software support. By making it a scalable system that plays existing console games, you solve that problem. The software support is largely guaranteed.

Both of these are good points.

If Sony were to create a portable PS4 (as opposed to a "completely new" portable), then they'll start on Day One with thousands of games.

Customers who previously purchased downloadable PS4 games can instantly carry over their existing collection to the handheld. They don't need to repurchase games, or wait for a developer to port over a customized (and sometimes watered-down) version. They'll know exactly what they can expect to get, and they can get it right away.

Publishers and developers will be happy because they can continue selling their already existing games for several more years. They don't need to hire some developer to port over a customized (and sometimes watered-down) version.

Most small to mid-range games still get PS4 versions. However, a lot of high-end games are starting to skip PS4. For those games, one or both of the scenarios could occur:

1. The PS5 version of the games could be playable through streaming.
2. Depending on the scope of the game, some games that get ported to Switch (or its successor) could also end up getting ported to the PS4 hardware after all, since they could be played on both the PS4 and its portable counterpart.

PS4 has basically no backwards compatibility. If the device had full access to PS1/2/3 BC then that would be enticing but the way Sony do things, that ain't happening.

No system (portable or otherwise) that's currently being sold on the market has full access to all of those games. Also, having a Blu-ray drive on a portable (to handle physical games) would make this type of portable bulky and unwieldy.

Sony has made some great progress to get digitally downloadable versions of PS1, PS2, and PSP games over to PS4. In many cases, they even honor cross-buy for previous purchases of digital PS1/PSP games from the PS3/PSP/Vita. We might never get true, full backward compatibility, but the situation is significantly improved from where it was just a year and a half ago.
 

Crayon

Member
On the rare occasion that I'd want a console on me, I just take a vintage one. They come in different sizes from a swan to a big comfy lynx. Most actually go in a pocket, though. The games take less time to settle into. Batteries last long. I take one with here and there. Neo Geo Pocket, DSI, GBA, all nice pieces for when you have to hurry up and wait somewhere.

If I wanted a modern portable, it would be one of those android emulator ones. Even a switch is too much. To big, short battery, uncomfortable to play on.
 

Gambit2483

Member
The Switch OLED convinced me This Is The Way. 😆
I was extremely tempted myself, but I said I'd wait to see what Nintendo is offering with Switch 2 before pulling the trigger.

It's a good investment either way though, especially when it comes to portable retro gaming. Enjoy man! 👍
 
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