Playstation "Playman" Handheld Rumors

[Rick Dangerous]

There are some rumors milling (could like some articles, but they are all pretty similar) that Sony is working on a handheld "switch killer."

 

Anyone think they are actually working on something like this, or are these completely unfounded internet rumors?

 

Discuss..

[Punisher5.0]

The playman.....lmao

 

I think the Vita was enough of handhelds for Sony. I think it will be too risky for them.

[Rick Dangerous]

The playman.....lmao

 

I think the Vita was enough of handhelds for Sony. I think it will be too risky for them.

 

Good Point. People always talk about what a dismal failure the Wii U was....but look at Vita lifetime sales. That thing was an even bigger disaster for Sony..

[zzip]

Vita came out during the height of the mobile phone/tablet craze, when many people were deciding between buying say tablets or portable game devices . Portable game devices suffered because tablets were seen as more practical. This is similar to how in the 80s people started buying home computers instead of consoles. We know consoles came back in a big way after that. Same could happen with mobile gaming devices. for a few reasons:

 

* tablets/phones are not designed to be gaming systems. Touch screen is terrible for many types of games, adding a real controller makes these devices more unwieldy and less portable.

* Ecosystem: Nintendo and Sony have high-quality ecosystems. Compare that the app-store of your favorite phone, lots of cheap shovelware that is a clone of each other and spams you with ads constantly, also constantly nags you to post to social media and annoy all your friends. That's not to say there aren't quality games in these stores. But the ratio of good to bad is much worse.

* People never actually say "well I have enough tech, I'm not buying anymore". Instead they get bored with what they have and look for something new to spend their money on/ ask Santa for, etc.

* Switch shows that lots of people will buy a mobile device that isn't a traditional phone/tablet type device. This might be the sign that people are getting bored with the smartphone/tablet revolution and looking for something different. A generation raised on tablets may discover deeper gameplay or new genres that don't work on tablets.

 

Sony seems to want to cover all bases in gaming. They were in mobile early, they got into the streaming market, and into VR. If there's a mobile resurgence, I don't think they will skip it.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

Good Point. People always talk about what a dismal failure the Wii U was....but look at Vita lifetime sales. That thing was an even bigger disaster for Sony..

 

I do believe the Vita has sold more than the Wii U. If it hasn't, it's close, and since it still does well in Japan and is still nominally in production, it almost certainly will without issue. Of course, at 13 million units or so, that's not saying much.

 

As for the original posting, here's what I think is the most likely theory for BOTH Sony and Microsoft. Once they're able to cram the ORIGINAL PS4 and Xbox One capabilities (not the Pro, S, or Scorpio) into a Switch-like device, that's when we MAY see something. That's another plus to requiring all future software to be compatible with the original spec. Otherwise, since the consoles are selling just fine, there's no reason to try and launch yet another platform.

 

EDIT: Decided to write more words on it, although it just rehashes the same point here.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Bill Loguidice

[Tanooki]

I'd have to agree with both the above posts. Sony won't bail. PSP may have got snuffed out by piracy and things but did well and the Vita hasn't been a wowing success but not a failure and is still ticking with new releases at a slow pace so if it hasn't passed WiiU (which I'd be surprised) it definitely will in the end and then some.

 

Because it's Sony and they have their odd basket of IPs they control along with some companies who just blindly ride their coat tails anywhere they won't be lacking for support. Given how the Vita was much like a handheld PS3 while the PSP approached PS2 like levels, it goes without saying Bill there is very likely right. If they can eek into a Switch type device the hardware capable of doing what the original PS4 can do (since the newer games are required to be able to run the base console system) and run the same coded and designed software they'd likely jump in. They're all about digital this and that even more than Nintendo in many ways plus they love shilling their crappy overpriced proprietary storage devices too. I could see a handheld PS4 with a good sized bit of permanent internal storage (1-2TB) and then another custom memory card/slot where you can add more later. They'd easily peddle it in the $300-400 range and probably like Switch with a TV dock option and I bet it would make bank. You'd have a long many years of PS4 back library plus the new that keeps rolling out.

 

Microsoft, probably would do the same too, though they have to be a bit more wary not to cannibalize their Windows and Surface environment. Surface itself is moving beyond being tablet as their newest one out/to come?(I don't follow closely) is a laptop.'

 

Nintendo got into the whole game of BC with handheld games years ago. GB ran through GBA (minus micro.) The DS still runs on any 3DS and pre-DSi ran GBA only too. Now you have Switch and this one, since it's just a one system does all market there, it just is what it is, and we've seen the hardware tear down, that sucker is like lego inside, totally snap in place upgrade modular and using their flavor of Android like OS there it screams both upgrades but staying power with the software. Sony and MS are doing this with their pro boxes of their original years old systems now too. They're all in on staying long with what they got because they can just play the tablet/computer racket of part upgrades as it's far cheaper than trashing a system and starting over every 5 years or so.

[Flojomojo]

IF they could miniaturize the PS4, it would be awesome in a lot of ways:

 

1. new Sony handheld, duh!

2. slow the march to a whole new console (is it me, or is it too early for PS5?)

3. give them relevance in the handheld space again

4. kick Nintendo in the ass and make them competitive

[Bill Loguidice]

IF they could miniaturize the PS4, it would be awesome in a lot of ways:

 

1. new Sony handheld, duh!

2. slow the march to a whole new console (is it me, or is it too early for PS5?)

3. give them relevance in the handheld space again

4. kick Nintendo in the ass and make them competitive

 

I REALLY don't think we have to worry about a PS5 or Xbox One Two for a very long time. Considering Xbox One Scorpio is going to play at least some games in full 4K (something not many PCs can even do for a variety of reasons), it seems like these architectures have a lot of life/years ahead with the planned incremental upgrades every few years.

[zzip]

IF they could miniaturize the PS4, it would be awesome in a lot of ways:

 

1. new Sony handheld, duh!

2. slow the march to a whole new console (is it me, or is it too early for PS5?)

3. give them relevance in the handheld space again

4. kick Nintendo in the ass and make them competitive

I don't think there will be a PS5 until 2019 minimum. They may reveal it early next E3 if they start feeling heat from Scorpio though, similar to how MS revealed Scorpio at E3 last year.

 

I think the biggest barriers to PS4 miniaturization are its cooling requirements- loud fans have always been a common complaint. Maybe the slim doesn't have this problem? Also storage:

500gb of flash memory is not cheap, and real hard drives are bulky and consume more power. I would love to have a PS4-compatible portable though!

[Bill Loguidice]

I don't think there will be a PS5 until 2019 minimum. They may reveal it early next E3 if they start feeling heat from Scorpio though, similar to how MS revealed Scorpio at E3 last year.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you think they can't just do a PS4 Pro 4K instead of doing a PS5? I don't think we've seen any indication that the plan from both Sony and Microsoft is not to just continue to iterate as long as it's physically practical. Given how PCs work, that could be much longer than the traditional 10 year max console cycle.

[Austin]

There are some rumors milling (could like some articles, but they are all pretty similar) that Sony is working on a handheld "switch killer."

 

Anyone think they are actually working on something like this, or are these completely unfounded internet rumors?

 

Discuss..

 

They had the chance already with the PSTV and the Vita. They totally f'd that up, so no, I don't see them taking another stab at the handheld space.

[Eltigro]

Sony tried copying Nintendo with the Move. That was a flop. Think if they come out with a Switch competitor that they'll also make sure not to produce enough of them? If they're gonna copy the technology, they may as well copy the manufacturing strategy, too, right?

[Tanooki]

^Yeah, if Sony did that, hopefully the manufacturing system behind the Nintendo Classic Edition, MS too. >:]

 

Seriously though, cooling would be the issue with a switch like Sony handheld, but looking at how they did the Switch there could be a possibility of it sooner than later if they can eek out the same wide sketchy range battery life of the Switch does in handheld mode.

 

The PS4 Pro though and the Scorpio, they're the 4K devices and get games up to that level, or at least scale games from X level to that (like they now have a 700 to 900p game and call it 1080p output neglecting the scaled word in there. Both companies in so many words for a bit now have said it got too costly to stick the old console model both for them but also game makers having to invest heavy into kits and learning, and then to have them outdated and pointless a few years later. They both jumped on the PC-upgradefest band wagon so they can just slap in some new compatible parts that do better and can make things look and do things notably nicer than the stock model without alienating the existing base as the games work on both. That's the new model of the home console market, keeping people happy with hardware you can beef up further with revisions taking a page right out of the android tablet playbook basically. Switch is designed as such too as I said with all those pop n' swap parts for every bit of it. As they can get faster CPU/GPU chips there with better cooling (like Tegra2 vs the Tegra2017(for 4K shield TV and in Switch) you could see a future switch with that Tegra2 out there which is faster, cooler, does more cool stuff, but can run the old stuff as well just not as nicely. It's just going to be how it is for cost savings. Notable gains with incremental internal changes.

[godslabrat]

Sony's fans: "Nintendo is so lame! Why don't they make a real console like Sony?"

 

Sony: "Damn, we gotta make a crossover because Nintendo did."

 

Nintendo pulled it off because they aren't able to compete with Sony, so they're playing to their strengths. Conversely, Sony knows the PS4 as a set-top console is a strength for them, and that their portables have ranged from "decent" to "sad". For Sony to try a crossover would be for Sony to give up a business model that's proven successful for them, and exchange it for one that's proven to fail. I'm sure Sony is at least tinkering with a crossover system in R&D, but I doubt it will be released unless it looks like they're losing serious market share to Nintendo.

 

Though, if this does happen, I think all talk of Nintendo going under should be banned. Deal?

[Schizophretard]

I think how they handled the Vita and PSTV there is too much risk because their install base wouldn't trust that they wouldn't get burned again. It would be something like the reverse of Nintendo releasing a Wii U 2.

[Jess Ragan]

Oh for fuck's sake. Give it up, Sony. You can't beat Nintendo in the handheld market, especially with smartphones clogging up the landscape. Just make like an Xbox and GO HOME.

[boog]

I like using PS4 remote play on the Vita... that's close enough to a Sony Switch for me. No need for a new handheld.

[roots.genoa]

Well, even if Sony wanted to release a Switch-like PlayStation, It wouldn't be technically feasible until several years at least in my opinion. Even miniaturized, the PS4 Slim is like 20 times bigger than the Switch. So a handheld as powerful as the PS4 would probably cost $1500 and offer a battery life of 5 minutes. :\

[Stewart_Pidd]

They should work with Nintendo and make a handheld system together. The "Playboy"...think about the marketing!

[zzip]

Out of curiosity, why do you think they can't just do a PS4 Pro 4K instead of doing a PS5? I don't think we've seen any indication that the plan from both Sony and Microsoft is not to just continue to iterate as long as it's physically practical. Given how PCs work, that could be much longer than the traditional 10 year max console cycle.

Comments from Sony indicate that won't be the case. Microsoft's comments OTOH suggested they might do just this.

 

PS5 might be backwards compatible with PS4 if they stick with AMD, but PS4 probably won't be forwards-compatible.

 

Personally, I'm against making consoles PC-like. The reason consoles can push performance beyond what a PC of the same spec is capable of is because every console has the spec, and therefore developers can optimize very deeply, and use precise timings, etc (like how people still squeeze performance out of the 2600). When you are writing for hardware with different CPU speeds, different # of cores, different GPU specs, etc. You have to write your software more generically and begin to lose the chances for this deep optimization.

[zzip]

Sony tried copying Nintendo with the Move. That was a flop. Think if they come out with a Switch competitor that they'll also make sure not to produce enough of them? If they're gonna copy the technology, they may as well copy the manufacturing strategy, too, right?

People saying Move is a flop are ignoring that they are back on the market as the preferred controller for PSVR.

[Rick Dangerous]

People saying Move is a flop are ignoring that they are back on the market as the preferred controller for PSVR.

 

A good way to move a warehouse full of them...lol

[MCHufnagel]

Well, even if Sony wanted to release a Switch-like PlayStation, It wouldn't be technically feasible until several years at least in my opinion. Even miniaturized, the PS4 Slim is like 20 times bigger than the Switch. So a handheld as powerful as the PS4 would probably cost $1500 and offer a battery life of 5 minutes. :\

Replacing the disc drive for a card reader and the hdd with a M.2 stick or a sdxc slot would seriously reduce the size and power consumption of the PS4. Now I don't know if it could obtain the same size as the Switch though.

[Tanooki]

Perhaps it would reduce the power consumption, but how far would it be reduced or grown when you figure out the power draw required for all the parts the stock PS4 has within it right now on top of the general need of a handheld to have say a Switch sized screen to be able to cleanly and clearly relay all the intended detail and depth of a game because much smaller you're going to lose out. CPU, GPU, RAM, etc all have a voltage pull so even if you could remove the blood sucking mechanical parts the blu-ray drive has going for it and the classic hard drive in there too I don't think it would be enough.

 

It's why I said maybe a few years on that other post before. I could see them do it, but like now, a year or two out, probably not the case. But they are with MS sticking to this PC-lite style of growth now to save them and game makers money by having a system that requires the stock original works with all games along with the newer hardware with the 4K or 3D output too all on the same disc.

[Schizophretard]

Replacing the disc drive for a card reader and the hdd with a M.2 stick or a sdxc slot would seriously reduce the size and power consumption of the PS4. Now I don't know if it could obtain the same size as the Switch though.

That reminds me of their failed PSP Go because without a disc drive people would probably have to buy their games again.