Is Sony Revisiting Handheld Gaming?
After the unexpected success of the PlayStation Portal, Sony may be rethinking its stance on handheld gaming. Despite previously abandoning the market after the financial failure of the PS Vita, Sony is reportedly working with chip manufacturer AMD to develop a new handheld system.
What We Know So Far
The upcoming Sony handheld console is rumored to be a standalone device, similar to the PlayStation Vita. While there are various rumors circulating, the partnership between Sony and AMD is the most credible information available.
The Rise of Digital Gaming
There are suggestions that the new handheld console may be digital-only, following the trend of many storefronts moving towards an all-digital marketplace. With the increasing popularity of digital game purchases, it's likely that the upcoming console will align with market trends.
Pricing and Lessons Learned
The PlayStation Vita's financial failure in the West can be attributed, in part, to Sony pricing the console above the market average. Additionally, the cost of special memory cards for the Vita was comparable to Nintendo's 3DS console. Hopefully, Sony has learned from these mistakes and will price the upcoming console more competitively, similar to the successful PS Portal.
The Competition
In addition to Sony's rumored handheld console, there is speculation that Xbox is also considering entering the handheld gaming market. This move would complement the extensive library of games that Microsoft has on PC.
Stay Tuned for More PlayStation News
If you're interested in reading more about PlayStation, be sure to check out the games available for free with PS Plus Essential in February.
