• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

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.
Yes, Microsoft absolutely should as soon as they can squeeze Series S hardware into a handheld. They absolutely should not treat it as a separate platform though, that’s a terrible idea. And Sony probably can’t as the generation will be over before they can get PS5 hardware in portable format.
 

ChorizoPicozo

Gold Member
You crazy:

QVKLCKN.gif
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
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.
Pretty demanding games, yes, but not PS5 games, and not PS4 games. It can run PC games. So if Sony were to sell a handheld PlayStation that plays PS4 games, it would have to be hardware that can run every game. The amount of work that went into Steam Deck compatibility is tremendous and still ongoing and that is an open platform. Sony can’t go and retroactively patch every PS4 game.

And that is just PS4, PS5 is far more demanding.
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Would be the most gigantic waste of time in the industry. Even Sony's VR punt is a better idea.

Microsoft should be working with Valve on native Game Pass app integration with SteamOS. Sony's games are already coming to Steam individually.
 
Last edited:

FBeeEye

Banned
There is no dedicated handheld gaming market. There's the Nintendo Switch niche market and there's the mobile phone gaming market. Microsoft and Sony would rather focus on the latter.

It's not 2001 anymore. That ship has sailed. Give it up. No more on this.
 

ReBurn

Gold Member
Phones and tablets are absolutely another beast, quite different from handhelds.
You literally hold them in your hands. They work exactly like handhelds except for input. But there are tons of external input options for phones and tablets. Plus they're the top devices people currently use to play games on the go. And most modern smartphones have no trouble rendering 3D video game graphics.

Most people outside of enthusiast forums like this are going to want to use the device they have. The size of the mobile gaming market proves it. The heyday of the dedicated gaming handheld is over.
 
Steam Deck is already running all current games. But yes, totally I could see that bullshit discourse.

What? What's that mean? Any argument? Anything to add to the discussion or just drive by posts?

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.

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.

Phones and tablets are absolutely another beast, quite different from handhelds.

Why? The Stream Deck already showed that new handhelds can bring new stuff to the table.
Not worth losing focus on the console market and exclusives going to the new portable.
 

.Pennywise

Banned
How old are you OP?

You crazy:

QVKLCKN.gif
Ok guys, I'm reporting your posts. I'm not a guy that usually report posts because I just don't want to bother mods with meaningless stuff. But your posts are just drive by troll posts that don't add anything to the discussion, just pure trolling stuff.

Probably not... the future for both Sony and MS are prob just supporting other companies mobile/stream devices
Mobile market (smartphones) is not the same as the (handheld) consoles market. As well as I said, these consoles can work as streaming devices.
No need when you have Xbox Cloud and smartphones
Not the same by a mile.
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.🤦🏻‍♂️
Switch and Steam Deck already 'compete' (totally different markets) with those stores and they do really good. I don't know why people mix console market with mobile market. Totally different beasts that could touch just tangencially with handhelds.
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!
Steam Deck already has an SSD...
You intentionally made that poll with those options to get a middle finger sticking up shape, didn't you?
I'm sorry, what? You're just trolling or?
A supplemental handheld device for the PlayStation/Xbox ecosystems would be incredibly niche, just like the Steam Deck is.
Switch and Deck have already proven the market is not niche at all.
Would be the most gigantic waste of time in the industry. Even Sony's VR punt is a better idea.

Microsoft should be working with Valve on native Game Pass app integration with SteamOS. Sony's games are already coming to Steam individually.
Why do you think would be a waste of time?
There is no dedicated handheld gaming market. There's the Nintendo Switch niche market and there's the mobile phone gaming market. Microsoft and Sony would rather focus on the latter.

It's not 2001 anymore. That ship has sailed. Give it up. No more on this.
Do you think the astonishing Switch sales numbers are 'niche'?
 

GymWolf

Member
Steam Deck is already running all current games. But yes, totally I could see that bullshit discourse.

What? What's that mean? Any argument? Anything to add to the discussion or just drive by posts?

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.

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.

Phones and tablets are absolutely another beast, quite different from handhelds.

Why? The Stream Deck already showed that new handhelds can bring new stuff to the table.
Of course i put my subjective angle, my mind is still not a communist place, why i should be happy for something that i don't care about and that is gonna actively damage the output of some studios for the games i actually care about?
 

GHG

Gold Member
Argument please.

Console hardware is typically a low/negative margin business especially when R&D is factored in. It's better that these companies keep it simple and focus the remainder of their resources on creating more games.

If you are desperate for a handheld console that plays all the games that appear on these consoles then I've already mentioned a solution.
 
Last edited:

.Pennywise

Banned
Console hardware is typically a low/negative margin business especially when R&D is factored in. It's better that these companies keep it simple and focus the remainder of their resources on creating more games.

If you are desperate for a handheld console that plays all the games that appear on these consoles then I've already mentioned a solution.
I'm talking about competence and options rather than looking for my best subjective option. I know the existence of the Deck, I mention it several times in the OP, no need to act cocky.
 
Still carry a Vita around, great for Atelier & Nep on the go, so wouldn't mind Sony taking another stab at it but they probably won't again unfortunately. Microsoft would probably only do one for streaming GamePass on a dedicated device as opposed to a phone, but I can't see them doing that either as it works well enough on mobiles.

I don't think either will try the handheld market. Switch & Steam deck got it all sewn up.
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Why do you think would be a waste of time?

Myriad reasons. The Vita already died on its ass. The Steam Deck exists and Sony are moving more and more of their games to Steam more and more, and Microsoft can verily easily broker a deal in regards to getting Game Pass on there natively (you can already sort of load it on anyway since it's just a portable PC). You can already get Sony and MS exclusives on their consoles and PC, unlike Nintendo where you HAVE to buy a Switch.

Mostly though mobile phone gaming is colossal whether GAF wants to admit it or not and both companies are clearly making a big push to make that part of their business model.

If we see a dedicated handheld from either company in the future I'll do a giveaway for one on GAF. It's a gigantic waste of their time and resources in today's market.
 

Kagero

Member
I was really high on the idea of Sony making a handheld but the Steamdeck actually made me reconsider. Triple A games are meant for the big screen. I barely touch my steamdeck :( because there are too many concessions like small UI and controls never feeling quite good enough.
 

.Pennywise

Banned
I don't think either will try the handheld market. Switch & Steam deck got it all sewn up.
This right here is pretty interesting because I remember people saying the exact same when the Deck was announced. All the likes of "Switch already has taken all that market, this will be DoA".

Goes to show how we understimate the market.
 

rofif

Banned
I've tried my hand with handhelds (sick) and that is Deck... and while cool I admit that handhelds are not for me and I just can't play real big games on it. Everything is too small and I am not comfortabe enough.
And it's too big for simpler games...
Handhels should be good for games like platformers, nintendo games, enter the gungeon and so on... So Smaller handheld with simpler games - yes.
But as they would do it to compete with deck? no
 

ChorizoPicozo

Gold Member
As I already told you:

Smartphones.

If you don't understand this or need a wall of text to see the point, you are hopeless.

Everybody has a smartphone. They are more than capable to offered good enough performance.

You could use add-ons to make them more like a handhelds.

Steam deck "success" is niche when you see the actual size of the mobile/portable market.

Nintendo had to merge their home console, handheld development into one.

If MS/PlayStation try to make handheld devices, they have to support it with content:

1. Xbox is barely able to make games for it's console

2. PlayStation is about to lunch VR

4. Game development is getting longer and more expensive: It would be easier and smarter to:

a) make a mobile version of your game just like Genshing, Call of Duty, Roblox, Apex, The Division, Warzone etc...

b) streaming.

conclusion:

No.
 
This right here is pretty interesting because I remember people saying the exact same when the Deck was announced. All the likes of "Switch already has taken all that market, this will be DoA".

Goes to show how we understimate the market.

People were really saying that? even though they cater to different markets? Little Timmy down the street ain't gonna ask his mom for a Steam Deck for crimbo, it'll be a Switch, but his dad might get a deck for himself.
 
Ew. No.

The last thing Sony needs is to spread its talent between 2 completely different pieces of hardware. And honestly? The way things are going it makes no sense anymore. Even Nintendo got that since 2017.
 
No. I don't think anyone will support two platforms again, now that hybrids are feasible. It's too difficult to support two separate libraries of games.

But, if Sony or Xbox went that route, it would mean significantly weaker hardware
 

Markio128

Member
Ok guys, I'm reporting your posts. I'm not a guy that usually report posts because I just don't want to bother mods with meaningless stuff. But your posts are just drive by troll posts that don't add anything to the discussion, just pure trolling stuff.


Mobile market (smartphones) is not the same as the (handheld) consoles market. As well as I said, these consoles can work as streaming devices.

Not the same by a mile.

Switch and Steam Deck already 'compete' (totally different markets) with those stores and they do really good. I don't know why people mix console market with mobile market. Totally different beasts that could touch just tangencially with handhelds.

Steam Deck already has an SSD...

I'm sorry, what? You're just trolling or?

Switch and Deck have already proven the market is not niche at all.

Why do you think would be a waste of time?

Do you think the astonishing Switch sales numbers are 'niche'?
The Steam Deck looks like a cool device, but also a little unwieldy to me. I can’t imagine Sony being able to produced a handheld console as sleek as the PS Vita with all the gubbins needed in todays market - and that is the only way that I would be attracted to the idea.
 

NinjaBoiX

Member
I can see the position of “look how much money Nintendo are making with Switch”, but I think that’s precisely the reason that I think Sony and MS would be foolish to try and muscle in.

Sony and MS are good at making home consoles, they’ve been market leaders for years. But Sony’s last portable didn’t exactly set the world on fire.

Nintendo’s last home console flopped massively, yet they’ve always had success in the handheld space.

Stick to what you know and all that.
 
Last edited:

analog_future

Resident Crybaby
I'm talking about handheld consoles, which is quite different from mobile market.

That's my point though. The age of it being reasonable for Sony or Microsoft to build a handheld console is over. Cloud gaming and mobile gaming have eliminated that need and the R&D and investment and marketing, etc.. etc.. into building a traditional handheld is no longer worthwhile.
 
Last edited:

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
.Pennywise .Pennywise join us
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.
Keystone has been shelved though
 
Not too long ago I was a firm opponent of said companies to get into the handheld space. I think I get it now. Some people are really short on free time and have tons of responsibilities, especially family and work related stuff on their plate. Add to that an inability to game in the space you're in for the couple of minutes rest per day and you have a handheld customer. I'd like to see what Sony and/or MS could offer in that space in 2023. Tech has advanced quite a bit since the Switch which never had a good OS/Services infrastructure to begin with.
 

reksveks

Member
I can see MS just largely copying Steam and others to do so.

I do wonder what Sony would do re: os and games.

Do they use steam os?
Do they only keep the same port delay?
 
Last edited:

Rudius

Member
It's not needed. We have good options in the form of portable PCs in the higher end and cheap Android handhelds in the lower end.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
The MS struggles to put out a steady stream of competent games for their home console and you think they'll be able to fully support a home console and mobile platform simultaneously?
No one ever said that they would make a handle-held platform. The argument was about a Xbox One or Series S portable edition. Thats just a handle-held version of existing home consoles.
 

Three

Member
Voted no, but only because I think they wouldn't fair well against the switch. If Sony wanted to they could try and sell a midrange phone that doubles as a handheld platform and see how that goes but I'd imagine sales won't be high enough to maintain.
 
No one ever said that they would make a handle-held platform. The argument was about a Xbox One or Series S portable edition. Thats just a handle-held version of existing home consoles.

MS is not even capable of doing this right; based on their own comments on the lack of their ability to invest in both software and hardware at the same time with X1X.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
MS is not even capable of doing this right; based on their own comments on the lack of their ability to invest in both software and hardware at the same time with X1X.
Yeah yeah MS bad evil. They already have been making tablets with x86 hardware for a decade. And this portable Xbox discussion is bought up because it has been rumoured to be an internal prototype for a long time.
 

Exede

Member
Ok guys, I'm reporting your posts. I'm not a guy that usually report posts because I just don't want to bother mods with meaningless stuff. But your posts are just drive by troll posts that don't add anything to the discussion, just pure trolling stuff.


Mobile market (smartphones) is not the same as the (handheld) consoles market. As well as I said, these consoles can work as streaming devices.

Not the same by a mile.

Switch and Steam Deck already 'compete' (totally different markets) with those stores and they do really good. I don't know why people mix console market with mobile market. Totally different beasts that could touch just tangencially with handhelds.

Steam Deck already has an SSD...

I'm sorry, what? You're just trolling or?

Switch and Deck have already proven the market is not niche at all.

Why do you think would be a waste of time?

Do you think the astonishing Switch sales numbers are 'niche'?
Believe me my question is on topic. Sony will after the PSP and Vita never ever touch handhelds again. And MS always sayed they have no interest. Thats why i asked how old you are maybe youre simply to young to remember this. Thx for the report, good thing this isnt Era
 

Fbh

Member
The Switch works so well because in being a hybrid it allows Nintendo to focus 100% of their output on it. And Nintendo has a first party offering that, at least in sales, destroys both Sony and MS combined.
Sony/MS would have to divide their attention between their home consoles and portable ones unless they decide to use their handheld as a baseline for which all games are made which would suck and probably piss off a significant part of their core audience.

With that said I still think MS could afford to release a solid portable Windows device, maybe with some custom Xbox/Gamepass app you can launch into. But then again they are probably better off just supporting existing devices, making Gamepass as easy as possible to access on Steamdeck, ensuring the game that should run well on it actually do so, etc.
 
Top Bottom