By Sagar V. Mankar Rumors suggest Sony is secretly developing a powerful new handheld dubbed the PS Vita 2 to challenge Nintendo’s dominance in portable gaming.
The portable gaming scene has been heating up lately.
Nintendo continues to dominate with its Switch platform.
However, new rumors suggest Sony may be prepping its own handheld console comeback to challenge Nintendo.
The Source of the Rumors
The rumors stem primarily from gaming YouTuber and hardware leaker Moore’s Law is Dead (MLID).
He claims that Sony is actively developing a PS Vita 2 handheld in partnership with AMD.
This adds credibility given AMD’s involvement in the PS4 and PS5 architectures.
MLID states the device will use a custom AMD processor with graphics power comparable to the PS4.
This opens up backward compatibility with digital PS4 titles.
Intriguingly, he also suggests it may natively support scaled-down PS5 games too.
Development Stage
Allegedly the project is currently in ‘high-level design’.
So there’s no finalized spec or release date yet.
That means Sony could still cancel it.
But if all goes well, a 2026 launch could happen.
Alternatively, it may align with the PlayStation 6 in 2027.
Power and Performance
The rumored AMD chip with 18 compute units(CUs) means its graphical capabilities may match the PS4.
Support for PS4 games seems highly likely.
And while less powerful than PS5, the potential for downgraded PS5 titles is there.
Sony’s experience with mid-gen console upgrades shows they can scale graphics across platforms.
The goal seems to be a handheld that provides a high-end console gaming experience.
But final performance remains to be seen if the project progresses.
Why Now?
Sony dominates the home console space.
But its original PlayStation Vita released in 2011 struggled against the Nintendo 3DS despite its impressive visuals at launch.
Currently, the portable gaming market is ripe for disruption following the Nintendo Switch’s success.
Several gaming PC makers like Asus and Lenovo now offer handheld devices too.
Xbox also venturing into handheld consoles.
Last year Sony got success with the PlayStation Portal, a “remote player” designed to work with the PS5.
So entering the portable hardware market aligns with Sony’s ambitions.
Gamers Want It
And portable players are hungry for more options.
The Switch’s hybrid design resonated with gamers.
And many fondly remember the PlayStation Portable.
So rumors of a powerful mobile PlayStation have unsurprisingly stoked excitement.
The Road Ahead
For now, it’s a waiting game.
The PS Vita 2 may never materialize.
But if Sony commits, it could be a game-changer.
A true high-end handheld PlayStation would be an enticing proposition for players.
We’ll be watching closely to see what unfolds.