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Topic: New Sony handheld?

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Mahe

http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/sony-handheld-patent-switch/

For gamers who are in love with their PS Vita’s there might be hope for the future.
Sony has filed a patent for what looks to be a new portable handheld system --

This patent comes as a major surprise to Sony handheld fans. Especially after head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, confirmed in 2015 that with the advent of mobile phones, the climate for dedicated gaming handhelds was not healthy.

While the PS Vita is beloved for its treasure trove of obscure Japanese titles, it hasn’t sold particularly well. Since its release in late 2011 in Japan, the PS Vita has sold a total of 15.25 million units. That’s a far cry from Sony’s previous handheld, the PlayStation Portable, which sold 80.82 million units.

PS Vita successor inbound?

Edited on by Mahe

Mahe

kyleforrester87

Nah, this was mentioned in the Switch thread, just seems like another patent that will never come into existence..Unless Switch sets the world alight, like the Wiimote did

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

Mahe

I don't see the patented system being as much like the Switch as some news sites have speculated. It looks more like a PS Vita successor. Besides, it was patented in 2015, a long time before any Switch reveals, or even before a lot of the Switch rumors started going around. This is Sony's own thing.

Mahe

kyleforrester87

@Mahe I think it was patented around the time there were rumours of Nintendos next machine having a screen integrated on the controller, so it would be in line with that. Either way, I dunno, I just don't see it.. Still, never say never, anything could happen!

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

Mahe

Quote from the article:

It looks a lot like the Wii U touchscreen controller

Why are you guys bringing the Switch into this? That Sony patent looks nothing like the Switch, or the Nintendo patent in that article, or even the Wii U Gamepad.

And here's the thing: Sony already has a home console. It's the PS4. What they don't have is a viable handheld, now that Vita is dead. Why would Sony patent a Switch-like system, when PS4 is doing so well? Why are you thinking that instead of taking it as what it looks like, a patent for a Sony handheld system?

Vita was already dead in 2015, the Nintendo patents from 2015 don't correspond to this at all, and Switch wasn't even revealed back then. Thinking that this is Sony's "response" to Switch is nonsense.

Mahe

kyleforrester87

@Mahe Well errr..it's a controller with a screen built into it, which is what the NX was rumoured to be, around the time this was patented. The NX became the Switch. That's your link.

Parents get filed all the time, but anyway it's a "wait and see" situation. Very much doubt there is anything pending at this moment in time. Just my opinion

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

Mahe

kyleforrester87 wrote:

@Mahe Well errr..it's a controller with a screen built into it, which is what the NX was rumoured to be, around the time this was patented. The NX became the Switch. That's your link.

"Controller with a screen built into it" only describes every handheld ever made, as well as the Wii U Gamepad. And with the existence of the Wii U Gamepad from way back in 2011, why would Sony take until 2015 to patent their take on the concept? That theory and "link" make zero sense.

Mahe

themcnoisy

@Mahe The Vita isn't dead to me, Im only just getting into it and the system is brilliant. But as everyone and their dog has stipulated we need more on board memory and the ability to use everyday SD cards if Sony is to bring a new handheld to the table.

The Switch comparison is fair, due to the fact its about to release and its mobile!

Edited on by themcnoisy

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Tasuki

Companies do this all the time. Just cause they patent something doesn't mean anything. Do you know how many patents a companies files and nothing comes out of it? Look at the Wii heartrate sensor thing Nintendo patented several years ago as an example.

Sony is done with handhelds it doesn't taken a genius to know or see that.

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Rudy_Manchego

Also, while we may not have been aware of Nintendo's move to a portable touch screen device, Sony may well have been. Corporate espionage, leaks dropped from the supply chain etc. Happens all the time.

Sony, like most tech companies, explore lots of ideas and product lines that never get a release but they patent everything they can, just in case. In fact, sometimes patents are sold as an asset.

I've no doubt that Sony have considered the hand held market but I think with the release of the Pro and PSVR, they have enough new hardware to support. To be honest, I think if the Switch was a barnstormer of a console and sole up the wazoo then Sony might enter the market. However, the question is still out whether there is a good enough market for high end mobile device gaming.

Now I may be an idiot, but there's one thing I am not sir, and that sir, is an idiot

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Nei

I love the Vita, honestly the most I have loved a handheld since the GBA but I don't think there's a market for another dedicated portable gaming machine. I mean the 3DS is considered a success and it sold like 60 millions....the PSP sold more than 80 the generation before and was almost considered a flop - that market is shrinking fast thanks to cellphone gaming.

Never belligerent but always uncompromising.

Rudy_Manchego

@Feena Absolutely- anyone that releases a handheld gaming machine would need to accept it will be a niche product. At the same time, you won't get triple AAA devs to support a niche device. Tablet and Cellphone/mobile games have taken away 'casual' gamers from handheld devices.

Now I may be an idiot, but there's one thing I am not sir, and that sir, is an idiot

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Octane

@Mahe Removable controllers though. That's essentially what the Switch is, so I can understand the comparison.

Octane

BAMozzy

@KratosMD Sales are not always an indication of success. If Sony were to release a PS5 in Q4 2018, a year after Scorpio, and don't manage to sell as many PS4's as they did PS3's, will that be considered a 'failure'. At 55m after 3yrs, Sony would need to sell 25-30m in 2years to equal the PS3, despite a slowdown in Hardware sales.. It would need to sell 100m more to match PS2 so was the PS3 a failure because it sold a LOT less than the PS2. The PS3 didn't manage to beat the PS1 either and to date is the weakest selling Playstation. Of course the PS3 had much more competition from the Xbox360 this time around and of course the Wii too.

The NES was Nintendo's best selling (home) console and then its been on a downward slope until the Wii, so was the SNES, N64, Gamecube all failures?

Mobile gaming also had a lot of competition and growing from the Mobile phone, tablet sector that wasn't there before. Kids nowadays have smart-phones and maybe don't want or need a handheld gaming device like they had before. I used to use my handheld on the school bus but nowadays, most kids will be on their mobile texting, checking their facebook or playing games on that instead.

Point I am making is that success is not necessarily always down to sales figures and beating their predecessors sales figures because the market changes. For Nintendo, the sales of handheld devices still kept them profitable, still kept them able to make consoles and games.

Edited on by BAMozzy

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kyleforrester87

@KratosMD I get what you're saying to a point but I can't agree that, for example, the 3DS isn't a success just because it didn't sell more than the DS. If it's profitable, it's a success.. maybe not such a BIG success, but a success regardless. Like winning a football match 1-0. Sure, 5-0 is better, but a wins a win!

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

Mahe

@KratosMD That's very well put. I would have replied with some of the same things but you took the words out of my mouth, err, keyboard!

@Octane Switch's detachable controllers were not in any way known in 2015. Most of the mock-ups had touch screens that went around the buttons etc. And these PlayStation controllers look better than Switch's, anyway.

Mahe

kyleforrester87

@Mahe Coincidence or not the patent has ended up very much like the Switch, I think it's more than reasonable to suggest this thing will never see the light of day in any form unless Switch happens to revolutionise the way people play games. At that point Sony may review its patents looking for a slice of the pie.

Imminent Sony handheld incoming? Nah!

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

Octane

@Mahe Well, I don't think Sony has copied Nintendo, because as you said, nobody knew what the Switch was in 2015. Regardless of that however, the end result is two similarly shaped devices, so I can understand why people compare the two.

Octane

Rudy_Manchego

Personally I think it looks more like a tablet with some controllers. Sony makes tablets and at one point were pushing mobile games and PS Now streaming. I wonder if that was a concept for combining the two.

Now I may be an idiot, but there's one thing I am not sir, and that sir, is an idiot

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