While a lot of the conversation lately has centred on PS6 and whether it will release in 2027 amid the ongoing RAMpocalypse that’s affecting all electronics manufacturers, Sony’s rumoured new handheld has gotten lost in the shuffle.
The new piece of hardware has been mentioned by a slew of different snoops over the past 18 months, and does appear to be a real, in-development product.
And according to a very reliable hardware sneak on NeoGAF – the rock-solid KeplerL2, who leaked the PS5 Pro in its entirety prior to Sony mentioning it – the portable is still very much planned for next year.
In fact, it sounds like it will be a big year for new PlayStation hardware, as he claims both the PS6 proper and its handheld companion will both launch in 2027.
Of course, things could change internally depending on economic conditions and the availability of RAM in the face of AI-led shortages. But these comments align with those of Moore’s Law Is Dead – another reliable hardware tipster.
It’s still not entirely clear how the PS6 handheld will fit into Sony’s strategy. Will it play all games at a lower specification, or just selected ones optimised to support it? Exactly how the platform holder presents this will be key.
Recently it added a low-power mode to the PS5, which some hypothesise is being used as a means of scaling software for a lower spec product.
If Sony can get something like this out for a reasonable price – a big ask in this day and age – then we can certainly see the potential here.
Both the Switch and PC-based handhelds like the Steam Deck have completely changed the paradigm around portables, and by sharing its library with Sony’s full-fat consoles, this product won’t face the same pressures as the PS Vita.
That’s assuming, of course, it’s affordable and supports a good range of software.