Sony is said to be developing a new handheld console capable of playing PlayStation 5 games.
According to Bloomberg, Sony Interactive Entertainment is in the “early stages” of developing the device, which is still years away from a possible launch.
“The product aims to expand Sony’s reach and compete with Nintendo for the portable gaming market, according to people familiar with its development,” Bloomberg wrote.
The concept could be based on the recently launched PlayStation Portal, which is a portable console capable of streaming PS5 games over the cloud, but cannot play titles natively.
Any portable PlayStation release could also compete with Nintendo’s upcoming successor, the Switch, and with Microsoft’s plans to potentially release a similar Xbox device.
Earlier this month, Xbox boss Phil Spencer confirmed that Microsoft is working on portable gaming prototypes, but claimed that any potential device is still years away.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Spencer said Microsoft is working on prototypes and considering what it could do, and has asked its hardware team to analyze the market and “develop its vision based on what it learns.” Any device will take a few years to arrive, he said.
In the short term, Xbox will focus on making its app work better on existing handheld devices and partnering with hardware manufacturers to ensure their products sync, he added.
