The problem with introducing a purely PS4 Portable is that it'd be a platform living on borrowed time as the new releases of PS4 games slowly dwindles. Such a device should be made with the expectation of being able to receive new software for at least 5 years, that wouldn't be the case for a PS4 Portable. Yes more legacy software from the PS1/PS2/PSP will also make its way onto PSN that this device could play, but that's a much smaller segment of the market.
Good point, but what I'm proposing would basically repurpose the PS4 "console" as the "portable".
I mean, if you're talking about some scaled-down version of the PS5 that could maybe play
some of that system's games, but not
all of them, then that system already exists...it's called PS4. They really don't need to create a "PlayStation 5 Series S" in the process, as there's not enough benefit that could be gained by doing so.
Keep in mind that we also have to take in consideration the sheer ability to
engineer such a portable in the first place, taking into account physical size, power consumption, heat generation, and battery life. These concerns were raised several days ago when
RetroGamingUK
started a similar thread discussing a portable PS4. Some people even doubted that it would be feasible for Sony to achieve this, even for a 2025 or 2026 release. If they can't reasonably accomplish this with the PS4 chipset, then the feasibility would assuredly be worse for the even larger and more power-hungry PS5. That is the reason why creating an "in-between" system is mostly pointless.
The ony way this would work is if there are enough advancements in chip technology that could make such a reduction in these chipsets both economical and practical. But in that case, we're still circling back to the original question.
- If the PS4 chipset can be feasibly reduced, but the PS5 chipset cannot, then make a portable PS4. You could still play PS5 games through streaming. Maybe you could revisit an actual portable PS5 in a few more years.
- If the PS5 chipset can be feasibly reduced, then make a portable PS5. After all, why setll for anything less? If the system can play all of the PS5 games, then just make that system and don't toy with "in-between" compromises.
This is a best of all worlds scenario where the handheld has a MASSIVE back catalog to fall back on, has the prospect of receiving new software for several years and can still rely on remote play/cloud for the more demanding games. Marketing wouldn't be very difficult, just create a new branding and logo like "PS5 Portable Compatible" and slap that on any compatible game on PSN and you're done.
This would also work with a portable PS4, by the same criteria. Even though the home PS4 console might not be produced or marketed, the chipset would live on as the portable. They don't have to have either the number 4 or the number 5 in the name. If it's instanly compatible with
all PS4 games lock, stock, and barrel, then that's very easy for their marketing to promote, regardless of the name of the system on the box. It avoids the confusion of having to explain why the system can play
some PS5 games but not
all of them, without any assurance that whatever future PS5 games you're anticipating would still be compatible.
