According to the latest news, Sony is developing a PlayStation handheld similar to the PSP/PS Vita. It is said that the handheld will support PS4 games when it is released. Rumors of this handheld console first appeared in February, and in March there were reports that Microsoft was also developing a gaming handheld console.
The latest revelation comes from Russian journalist Anton Logvinov, who has previously accurately leaked news about Death Stranding and Horizon: Zero Dawn coming to PC. Although there are some doubts about Logvinov's revelation, another well-known whistleblower Moores Law Is Dead (MLID) also agrees with this rumor and believes that Sony is about to launch a handheld system similar to PS Vita. MLID has previously accurately leaked PS5 Pro specifications.
In addition, Logvinov claimed that the PSP-like console will support PS4 games at launch, likening the device to a Steam Deck, which is somewhat similar to what MLID said in February. MLID stated that the handheld console will be equipped with a customised AMD accelerated processing unit. It will also be backwards compatible with digital versions of PS4 games, and run PS5 games through "PS5 Pro-like upgrade patches." He hinted that the device will be part of PlayStation's next-generation hardware family, possibly launching alongside the PS6 or later.
During a recent earnings call, Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed that half of PlayStation’s monthly active players are still playing on old consoles. As of March 31, 2024, SONY has sold 59.2 million PS5 units and stated that 118 million monthly active users on PlayStation Network are distributed between PS5 and old consoles (mainly PS4).
Additionally, reporter Stephen Totilo points out that Sony Group Chief Financial Officer Toki Hiroki specifically emphasised this point during the earnings conference call. The company believes that the PS5's active user base will further increase as players continue to transition to next-generation consoles.
Although the PS4 accounts for the lion's share of the old console's 59 million active players, the PS3 user base is also quite active. According to a presentation leaked by the previous Insomniac Games hack, PS3 still has a whopping 2.3 million active players as of early 2023. That number may be down a bit, but it's still pretty impressive considering the longevity of the console.
We have yet to confirm other details or the Malaysia release date for the device. As of now, we should wait for more confirmation from Sony. Hopefully, everything goes well.
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