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Is it time for Microsoft and Sony to enter the handheld consoles market?

Should Sony and Microsoft make handhelds consoles?

  • Yes, they totally should make handhelds

  • No, they shouldn't make handhelds

  • Only Microsoft should enter the handheld market, I don't think Sony would be good enough

  • Only Sony should enter the handheld market, I don't think Microsoft would be good enough


Results are only viewable after voting.

.Pennywise

Banned
With the Switch monstrous sales, most people using the console just as a handheld (instead of docked); and the big success of the Steam Deck release. It's obvious people like handheld gaming and that there's quite a big market space for it.

As well as how people has already adapted to (and adopted) the console market to having plenty of options (Switch, Switch Lite, Switch Oled, PS5, PS5 Digital, Xbox Series X/S)...

Should the big companies Microsoft and Sony (re)enter the handheld console market?

Please argument your answer.

In my opinion, the Steam Deck has shown how good is to have more options in the market (in this case to the only previous option most gamers had in the handheld space which was just the Switch). And I mean, BIG companies with a BIG foot in the gaming space. Because we know there's plenty of handhelds out there, but the Steam Deck also showed how important is to have a big company backing the hardware product with big support by first and third parties alike.

And yes, I know and I'm addressing the elephant in the room: streaming. I know these companies are pursuing stream gaming. But with the recent news of Xbox Keystone getting canceled and the handhelds success, it just shows how people really like one more over the other. As well as not to say that handhelds ARE awesome streaming devices dedicated to gaming.
 

Graciaus

Member
The Steamdeck made those irrelevant and Nintendo has the entire market since Sony abandoned it. I do think Sony could make a comeback if they heavily focused on Japan and don't sabotage themselves again with proprietary memory cards. No point in Microsoft trying.
 

PuffyCan

Member
I expect microsoft to do it down the line, having a portable Series S would make a lot of sense.

Sony could, but it would split their teams between VR, PS5 and handheld, I don't think it's a good idea.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
Switch is obviously a great success but far below Nintendo at their peak where Wii and DS sold 250 million units combined.

The market has obviously changed a lot since then. The primary appeal of Steam Deck and Switch are the ability to play the same games you can play on TV, or on your desktop, or whatever. Unless Sony and MS could do that, I don’t see why people would spend hundreds of dollars to support a totally distinct handheld with a separate library of games.
 
SONY: PS4-spec Xperia phone with PS OS & Android dual-OS boot options, PS+ integration, controller dock with DualSense buttons, triggers, analog sticks and expanded cooling feature (can turn on (when docked) or off (when in portable mode). Able to natively play PS4 games in base PS4 BC mode, preferred platform for Sony mobile games, Remote Play for PS5 game streaming.

Would NOT be its own independent platform; rather think of it as a portable legacy device for PS4 games on-the-go, mobile games and streaming device for PS5 games all in one platform.

MICROSOFT: No portable; focus on Project Keystone as cheap(ish) game streaming device. High-quality AV1 decode hardware built-in, push it as an Apple TV alternative, bundled with a universal remote. Wifi 6 and ethernet built-in.

I expect microsoft to do it down the line, having a portable Series S would make a lot of sense.

Sony could, but it would split their teams between VR, PS5 and handheld, I don't think it's a good idea.

You won't get a portable Series S until a few years from now, unless it's "portable" as in the form of a laptop.

4 TF in a PS Vita or Switch form-factor just isn't going to be possible unless probably on cutting-edge 3nm or even 2nm (which isn't even available yet and won't be for a few years).
 
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kiphalfton

Member
PS has shown they provide barely any software support for their non-home console hardware (PSP, PS Vita and PSVR), so hard no.
 
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Kacho

Gold Member
Man I’d love to seem them do their own Steam decks. It ain’t happening though. Steam is taking a bath on every unit they sell and I doubt Sony/Microsoft are willing to do the same for a niche device. Plus Microsoft seems content with their option to stream games on mobile phones even though that blows.
 

Kagoshima_Luke

Gold Member
Sony has been providing day one Steam Deck Verified support for all games, so they kinda have entered back into the handheld market.
 
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analog_future

Resident Crybaby
Microsoft is already attempting to enter the handheld market via Xbox Cloud Gaming/Razer Kishi/Backbone controller/Logitech G Cloud.

They'll further expand into the handheld market by investing into making games for Android and iOS.

They aren't making an Xbox portable though, nor should they.
 

.Pennywise

Banned
Switch is obviously a great success but far below Nintendo at their peak where Wii and DS sold 250 million units combined.

The market has obviously changed a lot since then. The primary appeal of Steam Deck and Switch are the ability to play the same games you can play on TV, or on your desktop, or whatever. Unless Sony and MS could do that, I don’t see why people would spend hundreds of dollars to support a totally distinct handheld with a separate library of games.
Nobody talked about separated library of games. It's a given that handhelds now play the same games you do in the TV with a joystick.
 

sainraja

Member
They just need to focus on how they can be present in the mobile market. Sony has been testing the waters but both need to fully embrace it (not at the expense of their current business model).
 
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Knightime_X

Member
If and ONLY IF they make games specifically for the handheld.
For the love of fuck, DO NOT attempt to shoehorn port games to handhelds like they do with switch.

Just because you CAN get it to run on switch doesn't mean it looks or runs good by any means of the imagination.
Most if not all switch ports are fucking abysmal.

Either rebuild from the ground up or design exclusively for.
Otherwise, don't bother touching handheld anything.

I don't care if it looks like a ps2 \ ps3 game.
It needs to be 60fps and resolution native to the screen without textures looking like mud.
 
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.Pennywise

Banned
Microsoft is already attempting to enter the handheld market via Xbox Cloud Gaming/Razer Kishi/Backbone controller/Logitech G Cloud.

They'll further expand into the handheld market by investing into making games for Android and iOS.

They aren't making an Xbox portable though, nor should they.
I'm talking about handheld consoles, which is quite different from mobile market.
In Sony's case, wouldn't it be re-entering the market?
Yes, as stated in the OP.
No. Just Nintendo and PC handhelds are more than enough.
Are they tho? Switch is pretty weak already, and the Steam Deck cannot cover demand yet.
No. Switch, Steamdeck, mobile and tablets are enough. I'd rather Sony and Microsoft focus on console/PC games.
But there's plenty of games that work both on consoles/PC and handheld consoles.
PS has shown they provide barely any software support for their non-home console hardware (PSP, PS Vita and PSVR), so hard no.
That was long ago tho.
No. Concentrate your focus on your main player.
What's that? What's the main player?
Man I’d love to seem them do their own Steam decks. It ain’t happening though. Steam is taking a bath on every unit they sell and I doubt Sony/Microsoft are willing to do the same for a niche device. Plus Microsoft seems content with their option to stream games on mobile phones even though that blows.
The Switch has proven it's not a niche device
Sony has been providing day one Steam Deck Verified support for all games, so they kinda have entered back into the handheld market.
I'm talking about hardware, not software.
 

SmokedMeat

Gamer™
Sony failed in the handheld market.

Microsoft has cloud and Steam Deck support, so why bother?

Waste of resources.
 
With Windows installed on my Steam Deck I can play Everything available on PC. Thats all the Steam, Epic, Gamepass and the few Sony and growing available.

I'm not gonna even look at anything mobile from Sony or Microsoft unless it has that PC ability. Make it cheaper and weaker or more expensive and more powerful but if it's locked down to one console store then forget about it.
 
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.Pennywise

Banned
It looks like MS and Sony are only interested in streaming now, so I very much doubt it.
These devices can also stream
No. PS Vita aged like milk.
That's from another gaming era
They just need to focus on how they can be present in the mobile market. Sony has been testing the waters but both need to fully embrace it (not at the expense of their current business model).
Why do people keep mixing handheld (consoles) with mobile market?
Argument please.
 

GymWolf

Member
No.

They already waste too much money and fracture their teams on stuff that i don't give a fuck about like multyplayer games and gaas and shit, i don't want nd, sm and guerrilla to waste devs on mobile projects, they are never as good as the main games on home console and usually just a way to brag about what graphic is possible on a portable console.

Let the gimmicks and the portable shit to nintendo and valve please.
 
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diffusionx

Gold Member
Nobody talked about separated library of games. It's a given that handhelds now play the same games you do in the TV with a joystick.
So what does the hardware look like and how does Sony/MS ensure that everything runs on it well? The Steam Deck is comparable-ish to the PS4 at best but it’s running at a resolution that no PS4 game ran at so how do you do it? And that is just PS4. The PS5 and Series X are pretty decently specced machines with a fairly large power draw.

That is the problem with doing it after your consoles come out, you really need to do it before or at the same time as Nintendo did, and then you are introducing inevitable consequences.
 

Iced Arcade

Member
The switch is both so classifying it was a handheld is telling half a story.

Smartphones eliminated handhelds just like they eliminated portable music players. whether anyone likes it or not.
 
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The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
Microsoft already are.

Game cloud. While it only has GP library there's rumors it will also be able to stream your digital library down the line.

Otherwise not really.
 

old-parts

Member
No they shouldn't attempt it.

1) Nintendo Switch is a handheld console with bespoke games.

2) The Steam Deck is a PC pretending to be a handheld console, it relies of the fact that PC games are not programmed to specific hardware and fills in the gap for those games that are not possible on Switch or do not appeal. Valve also has money to burn and a compelling interest to ensure Steam is not reliant on windows hence why its spending lots of money on linux projects to make games work in SteamOS.

Playstation and Xbox have nothing to offer going against the Steam Deck, their back catalogue will not run as it's coded to specific hardware/software and their platforms are more restrictive than Steam.

Could they make unique handhelds like the Switch requiring dedicated ports, sure but why, its a whole lot of money to spend for a risk of little to gain. Both clearly see streaming as their way to go, far less cost intensive and as internet infrastructure improves it creates more possible customers without having to sell them a dedicated handheld.
 
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Topher

Gold Member
I've always enjoyed handheld gaming going back to the Sega game gear so I'm voting yes. Mobile (smart phone) gaming doesn't do anything for me but I'd love to see Sony and MS compete with Switch and Steam Deck.
 
Sony had a fantastic device in both the PSP and the Vita. The PSP did really well but the Vita was a disaster despite actually being a really nice piece of hardware. I can't imagine another Sony portable wouldn't be viewed with much skepticism at this point.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
People are already mad at xss.
They won't accept a console like that.
The people upset about XSS are upset that people like it despite it not being as powerful as the other systems. They just can't handle that XSS is good for what it is and that it has a place market. These are usually the same people upset about the Switch. It's selling like crazy despite "power" and they just don't like that.
 
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sainraja

Member
These devices can also stream

That's from another gaming era

Why do people keep mixing handheld (consoles) with mobile market?

Argument please.
I am not mixing them up. I am saying instead of having a separate dedicated handheld device, they just need to make our mobile phones that handheld device.
 

sainraja

Member
Sony should try to partner up with Apple and push gaming on iOS devices. It is a lost opportunity right now.
 

Flutta

Banned
No it’s a highly competitive market. You are basically competing against mobile/tablets and Switch. Yeah it’s a waste of resourses imo. Also to even have a small chance they need to go in 100% not half ass it like they usually do. They need content to compete with App Store, Play store and Nintendo, so yeah got luck with that…



Looking at you VITA.🤦🏻‍♂️
 
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Markio128

Member
I’d only be interested if Sony were to release a handheld with a hard drive, but it would need to be an SSD, so not sure how feasible that would be!
 

.Pennywise

Banned
Could you imagine the discourse around handhelds holding back the generation if this were to happen?
Steam Deck is already running all current games. But yes, totally I could see that bullshit discourse.
Smartphones.
What? What's that mean? Any argument? Anything to add to the discussion or just drive by posts?
No.

They already waste too much money and fracture their teams on stuff that i don't give a fuck about like multyplayer games and gaas and shit, i don't want nd, sm and guerrilla to waste devs on mobile projects, they are never as good as the main games on home console and usually just a way to brag about what graphic is possible on a portable console.

Let the gimmicks and the portable shit to nintendo and valve please.
Well, seems like you put your own subjective view to an objective one. Like I'd you don't like multiplayer and GaaS games it's ok, but you cannot deny that's what most people are looking for.
So what does the hardware look like and how does Sony/MS ensure that everything runs on it well? The Steam Deck is comparable-ish to the PS4 at best but it’s running at a resolution that no PS4 game ran at so how do you do it? And that is just PS4. The PS5 and Series X are pretty decently specced machines with a fairly large power draw.

That is the problem with doing it after your consoles come out, you really need to do it before or at the same time as Nintendo did, and then you are introducing inevitable consequences.
Well, you've just answered your own question. The Stream Deck has already shown that we're capable of having powerful enough handhelds to run pretty demanding games in a little screen.
The handheld market belongs to phones and tablets now. They're better off figuring out how to get their IP onto devices that already exist.
Phones and tablets are absolutely another beast, quite different from handhelds.
Other handhelds are useless nowadays when smartphones and the switch exists.
Why? The Stream Deck already showed that new handhelds can bring new stuff to the table.
 

PuffyCan

Member
You won't get a portable Series S until a few years from now, unless it's "portable" as in the form of a laptop.

4 TF in a PS Vita or Switch form-factor just isn't going to be possible unless probably on cutting-edge 3nm or even 2nm (which isn't even available yet and won't be for a few years).
That's why I said down the line, node shrink and better CPU / GPU arch could make it possible. Anyway that's the only way I see them making an handheld.
 
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