Sony might be working on a new portable gaming device that plays games directly. According to hardware leaker Moore’s Law is Dead, this handheld console will use a special kind of processor found in other gaming devices.
It will let you play games without needing to stream them, like the PlayStation Portal does. Plus, it can run games that were made for an earlier PlayStation console.
🎮 Fast Facts: PSP 2 is on the Way
- 🤫 Sony is reportedly working on a PSP 2 or PS Vita 2.
- 🙌 The new handheld could run games directly, not just through Remote Play.
- 💪 It will be powered by an AMD APU.
- 😩 But don’t expect it to be released soon.
Games might get a “pro-like patch” to improve performance to PS5 quality. How this would work is still unclear.
Moore’s Law is Dead says the PSP 2 is in the high-level design phase. However, it’s at least two years away and hasn’t been approved for launch yet.
As with all internal projects, it might never be released or could change a lot over time. The “exact specs” of the PS Vita 2 are speculative according to Moore’s Law is Dead.
Sony’s PlayStation Portal is very popular. It’s still sold out even though it costs $199 and only streams PS5 games via Remote Play. Fans would likely buy a native PlayStation handheld.
With the success of the Switch, Steam Deck, and portable PCs, the market seems ready for handheld gaming again. This comes after a decline when smartphones became popular.
It’s uncertain if Sony can beat Nintendo in the handheld market. However, they will need to support the PSP 2 better than they did the PS Vita and PSVR 2.
PSP 2 Price: What Will It Cost?
If Sony decides to launch a new PSP 2, it could be more expensive than the PS Vita, which was released in 2011. Back then, the PS Vita cost more for models with Wi-Fi and 3G. Sony’s PlayStation Portal costs less than the PS Vita. The Nintendo Switch, released in 2017, was less than the PS Vita and might cost more than the PS Vita.
PSP 2 launch date: When will Sony’s next handheld arrive?
As mentioned, there’s no guarantee that a new handheld console will be released, as plans can change.
If it does come out, it likely won’t be for at least two years. This would mean it would compete with the next version of the Switch, expected in early 2025, and possibly a new Steam Deck.
In the coming years, we also expect more portable gaming devices from different companies. The latest one to join the market is the MSI Claw.
Updates to other popular handhelds are also expected. This means a new handheld console will face competition from more than just Nintendo.
The Potential Power of PSP 2: What Can We Expect?
The previous handheld gaming devices didn’t quite achieve the visual quality promised, but came close. More recent handhelds now surpass these earlier devices. If a new handheld is released, we can expect significantly improved graphics.
Manufacturers aim for new handheld games to match or exceed the visual quality of current console games.
There are rumors that some games might receive updates to improve performance. An industry insider suggests that new handhelds may be capable of running current console games, though retailers are unsure of these plans.
Current smartphones can run some high-quality games, albeit with reduced settings. A new handheld should offer even better performance and graphics.
New handheld devices may feature custom hardware, similar to high-performance gaming devices. Manufacturers often collaborate with hardware developers for such devices.
New devices may not require proprietary memory cards, which have increased costs for previous models.
