Tom Henderson - The PlayStation Portal was very successful and they are paying very close attention to the current handheld market

Mr.Phoenix said:
If I were Sony, I would just not make a handheld. What the portal has shown, is that there is room in the market for a streaming handheld. And I feel that is what they should focus on.

Allow the portal, or its successor, to not just stream games from a user console, but stream everything on the PS store. Allow people buy the PS portal without needing to buy or own a PS5/PS6.

The only thing better the portal needs is a better streaming framework.

A $200 Portal that has access to the entire PS library even if you do not have a console, is what Sony needs to do as far as handhelds go. Imagine having Console-like experiences on a handheld, as long as you have a decent internet and can stomach the streaming lag.
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Yeah best case senario of getting full game compat on a handheld. Gfn works pretty good on the deck (playing Dragon Age Inquisition and gamepass stuff) thats the baseline quality I expect for streaming.
 
jm89 said:
They wouldn't really have to support this native handheld with dedicated games either.

Just would need scaling down, which they can leverage teams like nixxes.
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That's why a PC handheld approach could work, the PC ports would essentially be already done.
Have a Portal verified instead of deck verified.
I'm living in lala land though none of this will happen lol 😂.

nowhat said:
Sony sold off their PC business ages ago, they don't own the Vaio brand anymore.

And what's this about a "Duelsense"? You want to meet at dawn or something?
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Err.. It's the new ai accelerated aim controller. £150 for PS5pro.
 
This is simple. Make PS6 a hybrid console at $499 with a heavy focus on their PSSR tech.

One platform.
All development focus there.

OR

Make PS Portal Pro with Bluetooth, OLED and cloud compatibility.
 
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vivftp said:
The best case scenario that I see, Sony releases a new handheld based on the Portal blueprint, but of course chonkier. This device can natively play PS1, PS2, PS4, PSP games downloaded from PSN. It can also play select PS5 games that have been specifically downported to run on this device, so case by case basis. Additionally, if/when Sony develops an emulator for PS Vita and PS3 games, add those to the above list for native playback. Additionally it can do remote play and cloud streaming.

Package it up and offer it for at least $499 USD. That way the Portal remains a viable option for those who only want remote play (and cloud streaming once it's eventually added) at $199 and those who want the ability to play games natively get their option at $499. Use this gen as a testbed for such a strategy for the handheld device to be released next gen around the mid-way point just like the PS6 Pro.
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I'd love to have a portable PS4. Their recent efforts to put PS1, PS2, and PSP games out on PS4/PS5 could pay off. They'd have a machine with thousands of games instantly available, spanning three decades of gaming history. The existence of such a portable might also incentivize publishers and developers to hasten their efforts to dig deep into their back catalogs.

A portable PS5 would be wonderful, but it might be a few years before such a device could be feasibly produced. In the meantime, a portable PS4 could (hypothetically) stream PS5 games from a PS5 console or from the PS Plus Premium service.
 
Mister Wolf said:
And that worked so well for the Vita, PSVR, and PSVR2.
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Handhelds that requires additional software libraries. We all know this is not going to be like DS that plays a completely unique library it's going to play existing content like a Steam Deck which requires no additional games on Valve's part.
 
Syphon Filter said:
the portal is the worst idea sony ever had, its a piece of shit.
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On behalf of myself and my PlayStation Portal, your reaction amuses the ever living fuck outta me. The fact that it's the best selling accessory by dollar amount in the USA and UK so far this year is just the icing on the cake 🍰
 
they nailed the ergonomics with this shit, it runs circles around any other handheld,
if you can add an actual hw in there while keeping the size and weight similar, and also make the screen oled. sign me up whatever the successor is.
 
damidu said:
they nailed the ergonomics with this shit, it runs circles around any other handheld,
if you can add an actual hw in there while keeping the size and weight similar, and also make the screen oled. sign me up whatever the successor is.
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If we're being real, making it a handheld capable of playing games locally will massively increase its weight. There's just no way around that, at least there's ample space on the back to house the hardware without compromising the ergonomics all that much. How the weight would be compared to other handhelds is anyones guess though.
 
Crayon said:
Idk how they could support a handheld with games.
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Don't give it a dedicated library like the Vita. Let it play PS1/PS2/PSP/PS4 games, and also select PS5 games that're downported to support it (much like how many third party games can work on the Steam Deck and similar systems). Maybe even add PS Vita and PS3 game support if they eventually make emulators for those. Top it off with the ability to remote play and stream from the cloud

Done 😃
 
Im not sure i would be happy with a handheld. It would split their dev teams too much if they focus on making dedicated games for it or it will held back native PS5 games if they want to make ports to it.
 
I loved the Vita. I also have a PSP, and having over priced proprietary storage killed the system. Carrying multiple SD cards was annoying and ruined the experience. I would have like dedicated L1/2 R1/2 instead of touching the back of the unit.
I think if Sony takes what was successful with the Portal and make it into a dedicated handheld, vibrant screen, open/cloud storage solutions, and able to play all available PS titles, it would be a contender with Windows based handhelds/steamdeck
 
ManaByte said:
A PS4 Pro level handheld to compete with the Switch 2, and it plays your entire library of PS4 games.

Cross-gen 4 lyfe.
Chicago Bulls Wrestling GIF by WWE
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Not sure why you would want something that won't be playing most new games that come out.
 
Sony should just stick to Portal as it is.

Maybe allow cloud-streaming on it, or release one that allows it.
 
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Radical_3d said:
Awful take. The deck can play a lot of Steam games. For that to be equivalent in the Sony ecosystem they should have a machine capable enough to play PS4 games. It's hard.
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All they need to do is release the ps6 as the TV product and the handheld that can play all ps6 games at lower settings
 
Killjoy-NL said:
Sony should just stick to Portal as it is.

Maybe allow cloud-streaming on it, or release one that allows it.
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Sony's already stated they're looking into cloud streaming on the Portal. The issue is that the Portal runs Android and Sony doesn't currently have an Android app for cloud streaming. That will need to be in place before the Portal can stream from the cloud. Fortunately once that's done then cloud streaming will also be possible on phones, tablet and Bravia TVs.

The Portal is proof that PlayStation gamers are fine with the idea of playing their games away from the console, so there's no harm in going with a new handheld route so long as it's done right and done smartly. The Portal will still be there, this would be a much more expensive option for those who want some measure of native gaming on the device. Curious to see if Sony goes down this route.
 
James Sawyer Ford said:
All they need to do is release the ps6 as the TV product and the handheld that can play all ps6 games at lower settings
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Oh, just that!? Let me call AMD pretty quickly, then. They'll be relieved the next assignment is such an easy task. To think we don't have a mobile RAM that is fast enough to compare to the PS4 and we just have to have one almost as fast as the PS6 one ready to launch! Such an easy feat!
 
vivftp said:
Sony's already stated they're looking into cloud streaming on the Portal. The issue is that the Portal runs Android and Sony doesn't currently have an Android app for cloud streaming. That will need to be in place before the Portal can stream from the cloud. Fortunately once that's done then cloud streaming will also be possible on phones, tablet and Bravia TVs.
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It baffles me that Sony has been flapping their gums about bringing PS Now/PS Plus Premium streaming to Android and other platforms for years, but they still haven't made any concrete moves.

I'm also still amazed that the PS Portal has been out for so long and still doesn't have this ability. The PS Portal should've had this feature at release. It would have made the device much more appealing to a wider audience.

If the lack of an Android app is what's holding back the PS Portal here, then Sony needs to rectify this immediately. It would solve multiple problems simultaneously.
 
Agent X said:
It baffles me that Sony has been flapping their gums about bringing PS Now/PS Plus Premium streaming to Android and other platforms for years, but they still haven't made any concrete moves.

I'm also still amazed that the PS Portal has been out for so long and still doesn't have this ability. The PS Portal should've had this feature at release. It would have made the device much more appealing to a wider audience.

If the lack of an Android app is what's holding back the PS Portal here, then Sony needs to rectify this immediately. It would solve multiple problems simultaneously.
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Sony hasn't said a peep about an Android app for cloud streaming in years since the early days of PS Now where the plans were scaled back for a time. What I said is just a natural conclusion based on the fact that the Portal runs Android

The Portal has been out less than a year and is still topping the charts. Folks are happy to buy it just for remote play as it is. When cloud streaming is eventually added it'll be a nice extra, of course.
 
Radical_3d said:
Oh, just that!? Let me call AMD pretty quickly, then. They'll be relieved the next assignment is such an easy task. To think we don't have a mobile RAM that is fast enough to compare to the PS4 and we just have to have one almost as fast as the PS6 one ready to launch! Such an easy feat!
Click to expand...

How do you think steam deck works exactly?

Its just highly scalable engines
 
vivftp said:
Sony's already stated they're looking into cloud streaming on the Portal. The issue is that the Portal runs Android and Sony doesn't currently have an Android app for cloud streaming. That will need to be in place before the Portal can stream from the cloud. Fortunately once that's done then cloud streaming will also be possible on phones, tablet and Bravia TVs.
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I missed that.
Not that I personally care about cloud-gaming, but I imagine the feature would boost interest in Portal.
vivftp said:
The Portal is proof that PlayStation gamers are fine with the idea of playing their games away from the console, so there's no harm in going with a new handheld route so long as it's done right and done smartly. The Portal will still be there, this would be a much more expensive option for those who want some measure of native gaming on the device. Curious to see if Sony goes down this route.
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Curious as well.
I still think Nintendo has handheld gaming on lock and if Sony would be happy with performance being similar to PSP, it should do okay. Just a guess, but I don't see them doing much better than that.

But I wonder if would be worth it if would focus on running water-downed version of PS6 games, like some suggest.
Wouldn't that practically make it like Series S and X? We see how that works out.
 
balls of snow said:
I finding im finishing more games since I got the deck. Wonder if sony can do some Cerny magic and get a ps5 level handheld playing current gen games at around 720p.
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Me as well, Steam Deck saved my gaming life in a way Switch never could. I am just playing all the PC games I never had time to, even if they are duds like Fallout 4.
 
On one hand, a PS portable would be great, on the other hand, they would try to force expensive, proprietary memory cartridges and mess it up. Sony has always loved the proprietary stuff on mobile devices, which sucks. I hope they ditch it and go with mainstream storage if they make another mobile device.
 
Spyxos said:
I never thought anyone would want it. I was completely wrong there.
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However, I completely understand how one might initially assume this. I was also extremely skeptical at first, then my wife gave me the Portal for my birthday - and then my way of gaming completely changed. Long RPGs with some grind moments in particular are great on the handheld. And I'm not sure if I could have endured them for 100+ hours on the TV.

I was also pleasantly surprised at how stable the streaming connection is. I hope that Sony builds on this and doesn't mess it up again somehow.
 
Radical_3d said:
Awful take. The deck can play a lot of Steam games. For that to be equivalent in the Sony ecosystem they should have a machine capable enough to play PS4 games. It's hard.
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They would need porting/optimising but Sony already has PS4 games releasing on a handheld through Nixxes.

Depending on the hardware and game a lot of the library should be just as easy to port as on a deck bar licencing. The demanding games might not run that well but that is also true of the Steam library on deck.
 
What does 'very successful' mean? I'd have expected Sony to give numbers if it was that successful.
 
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vivftp said:
Sony's already stated they're looking into cloud streaming on the Portal. The issue is that the Portal runs Android and Sony doesn't currently have an Android app for cloud streaming. That will need to be in place before the Portal can stream from the cloud. Fortunately once that's done then cloud streaming will also be possible on phones, tablet and Bravia TVs.
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I don't buy that. I may be remembering wrong but the PS App at one point streamed from the cloud fine. I believe they don't want to weaken the PS5 by allowing people not to own one.
 
Xtib81 said:
What does 'very successful' mean? I'd have expected Sony to give numbers if it's was that successful'.
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It means it's the best selling console accessory in the US/UK since release month after month. Beating even official controllers. I'd consider that a success.
 
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Xtib81 said:
What does 'very successful' mean? I'd have expected Sony to give numbers if it was that successful.
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It consistently tops the chart of accessories. Also currently the #1 accessory in US in 2024 on a list that includes PS, Xbox, Nintendo controllers as well that are notoriously bad due to stick drifts and often need repurchases.

If Portal isn't a success, then literally all other accessories are a failure.
 
If this was standalone in any way i would 100% buy one.

A friend brought theirs around and it worked fine for when we were playing fall guys / stumble guys as a laugh but I am not 100% sure if it was his internet at all. I am on 1GB but it did break up on occasion.
 
At first I thought that Sony wouldn't be able to make any money from software with a PS4P(ortable). But what if, like with the Portal, they're only after the money for the hardware? I would definitely buy a portable PS4!
 
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I'm sorry but I don't think it can be done. Is its taking Sony 8 years to create 1st party titles, we can't expect these same devs to split resources to cater for their handheld.
Yes it would be nice is a game was scalable to support PS5 and a portable but PS5 has been struggling to run games natively as is, with image quality being the worst culprit.

GeforceNow for me. It's remarkable tech.
 
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