We Can't Ignore The Switch, Says Sony's Head Of Corporate Planning

A portable PS4 would be incredible. However I think the ability to make that product at a reasonable cost is a few years off.

Sony Swap

I think it may actually too late to try and position yourself as a rival to the Switch in the handheld, and possibly in the console space now seeing as how well it's doing now. It's too late and Nintendo just dominates the handheld market.

You left out the most important part of the interview: "Our business model involves selling both the game console and the software for it, so we're working to get more customers paying continuously for content, for example through paid subscription services." This is what Sony plans to do!

Nintendo and Sony selling well is great for gamers.

Sony don't have anything to worry about

A Playstation Portable/Hybrid would have to come with a graphical reduction. Where Nintendo's franchises haven't been hurt by not having the top graphics (because of art styles or just because of a focus on top notch gameplay), I think a lot of PS games would suffer a lot more with a downgrade because of a reliance on cutscenes and character facial expressions and stuff like that (we've already seen the issue with 3rd parties producing for the Switch). Plus Nintendo tend to understand on the go you want a game that you can start immediately and play for 10-15 minutes. PS games tend to be designed with a longer play tme in mind.

Singing quite a different tune compared to a few months back.

I don't see a hybride Playstation coming anytime soon, or anytime at all honestly. PS4 is all about power which most casual gamers seem to want. You can't have the best graphics in a hybride system unless you want it to cost $2000.

With the 3ds/2ds and Switch all handhelds Sony would be bonkers to enter that market again.

This probably means they're gonna rip it off soon. You know, the Sony way.

We need nintendo to start bribing all good devs to steal exclusivities from Sony (Give us uncharted and Horizon zero dawn and I won't have any reason to buy a ps4)

Let sony just stay at home consoles. And Nintendo for the Hybrid.
Nintendo is just genius with the switch, i hope they will do something to upgrade the docking station with a more powerful chip for more graphical power.

How long before super metal Dave 64 pops up on YouTube claiming a new Sony handheld is in the works?

I loved the simplicity of the PSP which was an amazing handheld... I dunno what Sony was thinking with the completely cluttered and mess of a handheld that was the Vita. If they ever plan on going portable again, they better keep it simple like the PSP was if they even want to stand next to Nintendo

@Rhaoulos You realise both Uncharted and Horizon Zero Dawn are produced by Sony owned developers right?

Nintendo released the Wii, Sony released the Move, Nintendo released the Switch, Sony, are you gonna copy them again?

I got nothing against Sony, I got a PS4 and PS3 sitting right under my TV too. But Sony has done it before...

Sony aren't going to copy Nintendo at all, there's really little point in that kind of self-sabotage when PS4 is big in the west as well as Japan. I feel that this comment was more side-eyed compliment than anything else, and they will probably just continue to push remote play as a means of 'countering' any Nintendo success.

Besides, they now have mainline Monster Hunter all to themselves in Japan. In fact, they have a massive bulk of all the third party games to themselves in Japan.

They don't have anything to worry about.

Sony need to get on with making a PSOne Mini.

@NewAdvent Yeah, portable XB1 would be cool too. The concept of your favourite games irrelevant of system being playable anywhere would be fantastic. I like that idea much more than the idea that VR is the future.

@FragRed As a matter of fact, I did not. Thanks for the info.
I guess they'll have to bribe Sony directly... Not sure it would work though.

I love my Switch and I love my PS4. 2018 looks to be AMAZING for PS4 (Monster Hunter World in Jan also!) but sadly nothing really interests me for the Switch in 2018 (so far), just indie ports and old games I've already played.

I sure hope Nintendo has some nice surprises up its sleeves, I'm guessing 2019 will be a good year for the Switch for the bigger new titles to appear.

I think this is less about hardware and more about how well the software on Switch is selling. We are often seeing Nintendo dominating the software charts. Zelda, Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart and Splatoon 2 have been huge sellers and even games like Pokken, ARMS and even 1-2-Switch remain in the charts many months after release. Throw in Pokemon, Dragon Quest or Monster Hunter and this starts to get scary.

@Honelith Quite a few 3rd party Japanese games have been announced for 2018 that aren't old games or ports of indie titles. As for Nintendo games, Fire Emblem is slated for 2018 along with Yoshi and Kirby. Nintendo did not really announce the lineup for 2017 for the Switch until January.. I imagine its going to be the same in 2018.

@BenAV Agreed! I have my PS4 Pro (w PSVR) for home sessions (also PS3 & PSTV for other times). For mobility, I have a bag with my Switch, N3DSXL and Vita. 👍

I still don't like PS4, even though i will buy PS4 just Mainly for The Sims 4 console version. I'm ready with my 6 Punishments for my PS4 once i got the machine.

@Honelith heck yeah!!! Looking forward to that beta this weekend😍😍😍. Also, I agree with ya on the Switch for 2018. Only thing on my radar is Lost Sphere & Project Octopath so far. I'm not a Mario, Kirby, Yoshi, Pokemon, 'overly used Nintendo characters games' fan. Only bought BotW because it's like Skyrim. I have BotW, I am Setsuna, and some indies so far. Hoping some games come out that catch my eye in the near future.

They already left the handheld market, so unless they do more and more price cuts on the PS4 I don’t see what else they can do.
And to think last year the debate was if the Switch was DOA.

Switch is the only innovative and valid platform this gen and consumers are recognising that.

Sony’s, play it cool, we don’t need to worry about Nintendo as Wii U was a cataclysmic failure, attitude may start to wane.

The Switch is an awesome piece of gaming hardware and now Sony’s ears are open it’d be worth putting money on how long it will take until their next copycat brain fart happens to play catch up, just like the “Move” incident.

@Danpal65 the innovation isn’t to dabble into mobile gaming, it is to make the whole home gaming platform fully mobile. Giving the greatest freedom, accessibility and flexibility to your favourite hobby.

No more waiting for the TV, no more waiting till you get home, no more waiting till all your friends are at their screens in their house, all coordinated, you can all log in and team play literally anywhere, anytime

I hope CAPCOM's head of Monster Hunter also says "We can't ignore the Switch"

@NewAdvent "PS4P" and "don't have to repurchase games" means a portable console that has a Bluray slot.

I imagine that would be 4 times as thick as the Switch (for the processors and fans), twice as hot when running, and would only have 30-40 minutes of battery life thanks to a spinning optical disk. :/

If Sony tries to do a hybrid handheld they will get so much hate from gamers because it would be so obvious its just a rip-off.

@Julien I'm archiving this article cause if Sony ever does something like Sony Swap, PS fanboys will never heard the end of it.

Well it makes sense to me if they go the same route Nintendo did. The Vita did sorta try to make home console experiences available on the go, but as I understand, it didn't work very well. So it's not like portable gaming is a new concept to them, I think they could jump in the game too.

Sony will probably let this slide or start publishing some games on Switch to get that sweet portable gaming money. Nintendo has been the leader in handheld gaming since the gameboy launched in 1989.

They did a pretty good job of ignoring Vita though.

@NewAdvent A portable version of the PS4 is the most realistic way to square the marketing circle for Sony if they want a handheld to seriously compete with Nintendo.

However such a console would have a few big compromises.

• It couldn't realistically include a BluRay player - so most PS4 owners wouldn't get the real benefit of being able to take their library on the go.
• It would also be relatively power hungry and/or very expensive.

It would also be risky - promoting developers to scale to working in a handheld mode (meaning their games would be much easier to port to Switch) - and detract from the positioning of Playstation as a brand (which could seriously hurt them in their fight against XBox One X). At the very least it would mean they'd have to carry on making PS4 games for far longer - leaving fewer first party exclusives in the first few years of a PS5.

It's not impossible but I think a side step into the handheld market would be difficult for Sony and I'm not sure they could successfully support a "PS4 Portable" and a PS5. One would find success and the other would fail. The PS5 is too important for Sony to allow it to fail.

@Fandabidozi I buy that, specially if it has Legend of Dragoon.

I see two outcomes. Sony ignores it knowing they're not in the same market space. Or two, they ignore microsoft and move towards acknowledging that power isn't everything and in an increasingly mobile world they need to make/find their own chipset to mimic what Nintendo is doing with a dockable handheld/console hybrid.

They know they can not win on their own merits with a dedicated handheld (twice now, not like they tried on Vita though.) They also have to pander to their market and Japanese aren't sit at home console kids at a slowly increasing rate. They face screwing with MS in a dying front, or they face competing with Nintendo in the mobile that TV docks hybrid market where Nintendo basically has been god amongst game hardware/software makers since 1989.

At least on the handheld side they'd have a good run because they have developer love and unlike the boobs at MS they have a long stable of strong 1st/2nd party franchises they can tap into that don't truly require pushing the uncanny valley of realism to be fun.

Hope there will be a PlayStation and Xbox Switch next.

I think Sony should kind of ignore the Switch. Their attempts to counter Nintendo in the handheld space have failed. Similarly, Nintendo has long ceased bothering to compete in the power struggle for the TV console space--and since Japan is more handheld centric than console centric, Sony needs to find a way to offer its own unique value proposition. What that is, I don't know, I'd be in the game business if I did, but this head to head competition idea serves no one at this stage of the game.

Seriously don't think they are going to try and emulate the Switch. They don't need to and I honestly don't think they really share the same market.

@SomeWriter13
"I imagine that would be 4 times as thick as the Switch (for the processors and fans), twice as hot when running, and would only have 30-40 minutes of battery life thanks to a spinning optical disk. :/"

PS4 Portable should be at least as Big and as Slim as PS2 Slim to be Portable. Otherwise, it will be very Painful to bring Beefy portable PS4 on the go.

@KCMOTO Heck yeah, same thing I do. No lie though, I do wish I could just play everything on my Switch.

Rumored ps5 in 2020, ps5 portable in 2022-23

I loved using Remote Play on my Vita. The only problem is that it's not very reliable. If Sony were to get back into that market, making Remote Play very stable anywhere you go would be awesome. I've got plenty of PS4 games I'd love to play on my Vita, but it's just not stable through the work wifi. I don't even know if what I'm suggesting is possible, but that's what it would take to make something like the Vita almost perfect.

There are more ways than making a hybrid to pay attention to the Switch.

Lower prices on games, particularly when Switch gets an old port.

More marketing.

Lower hardware prices.

Cheaper PS+.

Better games with PS+.

I think all Sony is saying is Switch is competition so know they need to be aware of it and up their game, it doesn't need necessarily mean a hybrid Vita 2. I just means Sony is aware they have competition now which they really didn't have with the Wii U. But there are ways to fight competition without going head to head.

So basically Sony sees that despite all their VR stuff, the real innovation was Nintendo again and like they followed Wii Remotes with the crappy Move, they will now copy Nintendo again and make PS5 portable. Leaders lead, followers follow . Indeed.

I wonder how many customers have a PS4 AND a switch. I think the number is probably pretty high. I'm not so sure the switch and ps4 are competing products even though they are both console. I use my switch about 95% of the time as a portable and my ps4 as my main console.

If history is anything to go by, all Sony needs to do is literally wait for Nintendo's successor to the Switch, possibly called Switch U, to go back to continuing to ignore Nintendo.

Nintendo will mess this up, they always mishandle success. Nintendo's best ideas come when their back is against the wall and they're in full on survival mode (Wii after GCN, Switch after Wii U).

Sony- software is important . We can sell subscriptions.
Nintendo- software is important. We can make more software

vita had 3 problems.

1, technology even they didnt support. which would be the port top center of the original model that was removed down the road. also the rear panel touch screen, even they stopped supporting it.
2, a insanely annoying OS language to work with. so bad many major developers refused to touch the thing because it was such a pain to work with.
3, proprietary sd card with an insane price tag.

sony saw those three problems and abandoned the hardware. which is a loss. its a gorgeous handheld and has lots of potential.

@rjejr Definitely. A reaction to Switch could be "drop PS4 prices aggressively while promote games like Horizon ZD and Crash Bandicoot Collection as a direct alternative to Nintendo's hit games."

Another reaction could be "launch PS5 a little earlier than planned and try to pull 3rd party support away onto a higher power system so that they can't easily port things to Switch".

Vita 2 ....if they dare

I think Sony would be better off embracing the Switch than ignoring it or trying to compete with it. Putting some of their services on Switch might be a more beneficial prospect for them.

I feel if Sony dilutes the market, very sad for all gamers.....

Sure they can.

@Julien

....mhhh Sony * machines

@StuTwo Yeah, stuff like that. Or just market the facts more, PS4, a 4 year old console, is still outselling "hot new item" Switch on a daily basis. Not in Japan, but Japan is only 1 small part of the world, globally PS4 is still on top. So rather than resting on it's laurels, Sony needs to promote more. Maybe go after Switch's graphical limitations. Show footage of games side-by-side on Switch and PS4 Pro. Pro is kinda cheating, but it's an option for gamers. Switch doesn't do 4k, that's all they need to say. They don't need a portable PS4, it's selling just fine.

http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2017/12/ps4_sales_cross_70_million_units_milestone_psvr_passes_2_million_units

I highly doubt at this point Sony would come out with a direct competitor to the Switch. They are doing damn good doing what they're doing now. They've sold 10 million ps4s since June. I would honestly prefer they just keep on the path that their on. Having a ps4 and a switch really is the best of both worlds.

@gatorboi352
"Nintendo will mess this up, they always mishandle success. Nintendo's best ideas come when their back is against the wall and they're in full on survival mode (Wii after GCN, Switch after Wii U)."
Not gonna happen !
Keep dreaming for nonsense.
Hater gonna hate.
Switch will really, really kick your butt, even you have owned one.
If you still NEVER knew how Awesome is Nintendo Switch, Shame on you !

Guess they'll take "inspiration" from the Switch to make a new hybrid console

The big surprise is that the rest of the world is embracing the larger, but portable, dedicated gaming device, not just Japan.

(It shouldn't be a huge surprise, really, as consumers have been slowly learning they don't need to be chained to computer desks to get work done because of new computing form factors, and they don't need to be chained to entertainment systems to get entertainment as they routinely choose to watch videos and casually play games on smartphones and tablets. Nintendo wanted to be on that wave with the Wii U, but the chemistry and timing wasn't right.)

In my view, ignoring the portable dedicated gaming space is at a game company's peril. Sony is obviously taking notice. People talk about the Switch not being direct competition with PS4 or whatever — it's gaming entertainment, it competes.

What Sony will do about it, I don't know, but you'd have a very hard time convincing me there isn't a Sony team working overtime on exploring the feasibility of a new portable Sony dedicated gaming device. It might never be worth the costs, or be able to meet expectations, so maybe it will just be other incentives to get gamers to sit in place rather than game when and where they want. Still, shouldn't Sony gamers be disappointed in Sony if they weren't even exploring hardware options, at this point?

If a Sony portable or lower-power flexible machine is announced within the next two years, I won't be surprised in the least. It would be pretty impressive if Sony could get one out by the end of 2018, but it doesn't seem like it was convinced of Switch impact early enough for that.

Just look at this statement today compared to a previous view from inside the company: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/09/sony_doesnt_consider_handheld_gaming_to_be_a_huge_market_opportunity

In September:
"We have not seen that [handheld gaming] as being a huge market opportunity.
The Vita experience was that outside of Japan and Asia, there was not a huge demand. "
About Switch, "That draws me to the conclusion that they’ve really been additive to the business in the last year or so."

Now, though: "But we can't ignore the Nintendo Switch, which has also captured consumers' attention."

Sony publicly went from "[Switch is not subtracting from our business]" to "can't ignore". Maybe the light bulb that came on is that it's not just successful in Japan.

@rjejr So, here's the problem with "it's selling just fine". PS4 was selling just fine but they still released Sony VR. PS4 was selling just fine, but they still released PS4 Pro. If you look at the immediate future, PS4 is selling just fine.

But, these companies need to look forward years in advance and if public opinion is that gamers would rather have an easier time gaming whenever and wherever they want, Sony doesn't have a competitive piece of hardware for that.

You remember when Wii was selling just fine. Then, a sharp drop-off in sales happened. Nintendo had their lunch eaten by smartphones of all things, because the casual gaming experience was more accessible and portable there. I'd argue that Switch is giving dedicated gamers a similar convenience compared to PS4. People give up some power and features willingly (dedicated controls for Wii->phones, processing power for PS4->Switch) for the convenience it affords (you can play anywhere on both phones and Switch compared to Wii and PS4).

I mean, I'm always skeptical of this, because I personally prefer a nice comfy seat and a big screen. To my eyes, though, the market is beginning to suggest a trend.

@MrMichaelJames I agree with you. Probably the big difference though is that my household has 3 Switches...but only 1 PS4. So Nintendo is at an advantage here. I suppose in my household you can call the PS4 as a home console, but the Switch as a personal console.

The Vita was my dream, which quickly turned into my nightmare. Seriously the Switch so far has done what Sony has no interest in doing with the Vita. I love my PS4, and I love my Switch, I would love to be able to play all games on the go, but I don’t see it.

Sony has no real idea how to support the Vita, or no interest in doing so. Why do I think that changed now? I’m sure they would love to get some of the Switch revenue, but I have doubts they would put in the work so to speak.

Honestly, what does Sony have to fear? They are still the kings of console gaming, and currently, have a 70 million lead over both their rivals. Microsoft is struggling just to stay alive, while the Wii U crashed and burned.

Yes, the Switch's success is great news and this has forced Nintendo's rivals to take notice.

But honestly, all Sony has to do is stay the course. Keep the PS4 alive for a few more years and keep sells strong with great games until the PS5 is ready to go.

Unless Sony drops the ball with the PS5, all they have to do is showcase it and they get back all the attention and all the hype.

I see alot of people on here singing the death of console gaming.

I'm sorry, but I don't see it. The PS4 has sold over 70 million units this generation. How is console gaming dying? Are people going to suddenly drop their controllers to go play games on mobile devices?

This sounds like all the naysayers who kept yelling from the rooftops that handheld gaming was dying while Nintendo sold 60 million 3DS consoles.

Fact is, people are not going to stop playing home consoles. There will be a PS5 and another Xbox in a few years, and they will prove to be successful systems.

I give my props to the Switch, I think its an awesome system that deserves its success. But I doubt we are going to see it kill normal console anytime soon. Already, we are seeing games being limited by the hardware of the Switch.

What happens when even more powerful consoles arrive?

@aaronsullivan "To my eyes, though, the market is beginning to suggest a trend."

The trend isn't just beginning, Gameboy outsold the PS1, DS outsold the PS2. Nintendo handhelds outsell Sony home consoles, that has ALWAYS been the trend. (I know those years are a bit off, but Nintendo handhelds > Sony home consoles has always been true until 3DS). Sony tried w/ PSP and Vita, it didn't work. Why should they try again now against Switch?

Sept 2017, Wii U on the bottom, no Switch, Switch hasn't done or proven anything yet. Why should Sony build a competitor?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/268966/total-number-of-game-consoles-sold-worldwide-by-console-type/

"But, these companies need to look forward years in advance"

Which is why I'm sure Sony is hard at work on trying to balance the power and pricing of the PS5 for launch Christmas 2019. It's too late for them to shift gears on PS5 at this point. They could consider a PS6 hybrid, or a PS4 portable, but between PS4, PS5, PSVR and probably PSVR2 they probably arne't looking to get into a handheld war with Nintendo. One that they'll assuredly lose.

Now I still think Sony needs a handheld in Japan, Vita is keeping up w/ PS4 Pro in Japan, but as PS4 continues to sell I'm beginning to think they won't. Maybe they'll make another phone or tablet that plays old Sony games, but not a dedicated handheld. Maybe a nother streaming device, a PS4 Dualschock w/ a screen on it, basically a Wii U Gamepad over Wi-Fi, but PS5 wont' be a Switch clone, it will be a 4k PS4.

But Sony may come hard at Nintendo if the need arises. Switch can play PS4 games, but probably not PS5 games. 2 years, which means Sony starts promoting it in 1. I'm 1 of those people who thinks PS2 promotion helped killed the Dreamcast. I know Sega was already in trouble and pirating was a big issue, but Sony really played up the PS2. Maybe they'll do the same w/ PS5, try to drowned the Switch out?

@wiggleronacid Maybe it won't be reasonable. Maybe they'll put out a $600 portable PS4.

@MsgBoardGamer "There's no reason to waste R&D resources to release a Sony handheld in Japan."

I think Nitneod said that for years about releasing games on mobile, then they announced they were releasing 5.

Not saying it will happen, just that I prefer to never rule things out, b/c never is a very long time.

This statement does nothing to indicate that Sony is working on a "PS4 Portable." Sony even followed up that comment by stating that they wanted to focus on software services to ensure user engagement remained high and profitable.

What Sony's statement does tell us is that the arrogant, pre-PS3 Sony is not back, which is great for PlayStation gamers.

@rjejr Except Sony has tried twice to break into the handheld market, and both times had major issues that hurt them. The PSP's hardware sold well, but it was plagued by priacy issues that took down the sales of games.

As for the Vita, it sold poorly much everywhere besides Japan.

So, what incentive is there for Sony to make any more handhelds when their home consoles are much better sellers?

The same argument could be aimed at Nintendo, but in reverse. Why would they keep investing in expensive home consoles that have been steamrolled by Playstation, when they could simply take advantage of their control of the handheld market?

Hence the Switch, which is pretty much a beefy handheld with some console features added in.

My point is, what is Sony going to gain by chasing the handheld market? Their strong point has always been selling affordable home consoles that have strong third-party support, great first-party games, and can do other things like let the user play music and watch movies.

Why would they move away from that? It's like Nintendo making a super 4K Home Console. Sometimes, companies have to play to their strengths.

For everyone saying that Sony will make a hybrid with PS4-level graphics, their "portable PS2 with PS2 graphics" turned out to be a good bit below. Their "PS3 in your pocket" turned out to be somewhere between a PS2 and PS3. The $200 PS4 Slim has a huge fan and spews heat (i.e. consumes energy) like a space heater. Taking that level of performance, packing it into something so energy efficient it can run cold and on a battery is something that would cost quite a bit more than a Switch. And Switch has the nVidia contract. AMD isn't really going that direction. And to top it all off PS and XB are x86 dependent right now, and x86 and energy efficient don't go together very well. Sure Ultrabooks manage to have energy efficient x86 CPUs and a huge battery to fuel it. But they also start at over $1k. Sony couldn't move far beyond the $300 Switch price if their goal is to compete with it. They could bump $50, MAYBE $100 above as a premium product, but $400 would be their ceiling.

So they'd need a unique stand alone portable device built for that purpose, with it's own library again. Vita 2.

Shareholders will love that one! Until they figure out it's not a punchline to break the ice.

here comes Sony to copy Nintendo again. Playstion is so overhyped.

@SomeWriter13 same here my Wife and I both own a Nintendo Switch, and we just have one Xbox One in our house.

All Sony knows how to do is copy Nintendo. lol

@aaronsullivan Sony's broader issue (both inside and outside gaming) is that the home of Walkman has in fact NEVER understood portable, despite being arguably the first portable revolution with said cassette Walkman. They may have defined 80's portability but by the 90's they lost the script. Their phones are a disaster, their laptops are/were a disaster, their tablets are a disaster, their portable gaming consoles are a disaster. I heard they actually resurrected Walkman as a DAP and in some partso f the world it's selling pretty well, but in general, sony doesn't "get" portable. Never really has, despite decades of tries. It's a corporate issue.

@rjejr "Sony really played up the PS2. Maybe they'll do the same w/ PS5, try to drowned the Switch out?"

Probably. Won't help a bit in Japan though.

@mainstream05 A $600 Playstation, what could possibly go wrong?

@Caryslan To be fair to the other side of the argument, since when has the fact that a business path is a guaranteed failure with no market that's certain to become a money hole ever stopped Sony from doing it anyway?

@wiggleronacid Not to mention it would basically be a PSP Go 2.0 as the discs would not be playable (Unless it was huge to fit a disc drive). XD

If Sony were to do this, I'd reckon it would be the PS5.

If Sony is serious about their position in the Japanese market then they may as well make a portable PS4 exclusively for the Japanese market. That will go head to head just fine with the Switch in Japan then they could focus the rest of their other market on just the PS4 and PSVR.

Told you all multiple times.

@MsgBoardGamer Haha, yep!

Yeah, at this point a Genuine PS4 Portable would have to be more like a laptop than a tablet, with a price to match. Even gaming laptops really aren't all that great (and can't really run on a battery.) A PS4 in your pocket would be doable for a reasonable price around the time the PS6 comes out. And by then nobody would want one.

If Sony makes another handheld I'll buy it as long as it is backwards compatible with the Vita and still has access to downloading PSP games. The PS4 not being able to play PS3 games is what kept me from buying it.

@Iggy-Koopa " In fact, they have a massive bulk of all the third party games to themselves in Japan.

They don't have anything to worry about."

For now. 😉

@CircuitWrangler3 I guess we will see.

@NEStalgia "Yeah, at this point a Genuine PS4 Portable would have to be more like a laptop than a tablet, with a price to match."

It would have to have some amazing cooling going on inside to stop people feeling like they're handling a cup of coffee whilst playing the latest lootbox stubblegraphicfest as well.

There's no way a device like that could exist without Sony or Microsoft taking a massive loss on each unit.

I don't see how Sony could manoeuvre a hybrid console in to their business model. To use Iwata's words, Nintendo had to start from zero to do it. For Sony to release a hybrid PS4 (that used carts), they would have to abandon the home consoles? I think you can't compare it to Switch and 3DS because they are different consoles. I have no idea lol.

From Nintendo about Sony, to use Théoden's words : "Let them come!"

@NEStalgia "Probably. Won't help a bit in Japan though."

Well if Sony is out of handhelds they're pretty much out of Japan. Sure, they'll sell a few million PS5 to the few million peopel who own a 4k TV b/c MS won't, but they'll be playing 2nd fiddle to Nintendo there.

Meh. It doesn't really matter - if all Sony executives are concerned about is number one in the Japanese charts they wouldn't have a business. Switch is also a handheld that docks - it's not a home console.

I definitely agree with the conclusion of this article. I highly doubt Sony would try to compete with the Switch by copying it, especially after the failure of the vita. I think anyone who believes this confirms a Sony version of the Switch is misguided

@WiltonRoots ... Meanwhile Nintendo makes a profit on every switch. "Winning" in sales units at a loss is like winning the cyanide eating contest.

If course gamers will rant about victory for their platforms sales.

@rjejr they'll buy their exclusivity contracts like mhw to maintain relevance in Japan despite no dominance. Not their preference but it's better than blowing a new billion and brand status on vita2

@wiggleronacid the ps vita was also incredible for what it offered compared to the 3ds but you see how Sony killed it using its own hands.

@MagnaRoader the problem with the original PSP was everyone or almost everyone bought one to run emulators on them thus Sony and developers losing money from bad software sells. Vita's special memory card and poor marketing and no big games killed that. Sony just doesnt really understand the handheld market and should stay making home consoles.

@Lthoise Yeah it was a shame. I actually have a Vita and it was awesome but just had too short of a first-party lifespan.

Seems to me Sony and Nintendo are going in different directions with Sony moving towards VR and Nintendo the portable/home hybrid tablet design.

Good old Sony - you got to love management under Hirai. He has done a great job.

Just keep coming out with the same quality games. And let Kojima and 3rd party do their thing. Most people have both.

I think this is the ideal situation right now. Sony with the powerful home console and Nintendo with the portable. I think both should be able to exist and thrive side by side. Now if only Microsoft and Steam would merge to make a PC console of sorts all would be good in the land of gaming for years to come.

The fact you can have four people in the same room playing on one system, rather than having four people on four separate game systems, making the electric meter spin like a top. This is how Big N has been bringing it for years. It’s even better with the titles they have for Nintendo Switch, each one has been a smash. They’re killing it with quality over quantity, and I love them to death for it.

@wiggleronacid Sony could make something really compelling but they would do what they always do and strap it to expensive proprietary media and memory, etc... the Switch is pretty darn perfect in my opinion. If Sony put out something similar I’d be all over it too. I adore the portable convenience.

They had their chance with the vita and drove it in the ground with terrible western support, bull memory cards + prices and a social media littered concept.

Use standard storage formats, forgett about 3rd party social media and keep your own psn free of "xyz was 2 sec faster than you". Since they had they TV-dock on the psp go, i bet they could have pulled that off with the vita.

Ah and yeah, back touch thing is crap and no R+L trickers?

i don't think sony is really worried about N.

it's 2 different markets. and no; there won't be a ps4 portable. it's not like N said "what's the weakest system we can make". physics are hard. switch 2 will be an x2 with about ps4 performance. 3 will be a bit better, and so on and so forth.

unless you want a 7lb portable or something which some folks do i guess.

True, Sony can't ignore the Switch. But that doesn't mean they have to copy Nintendo and make a hybrid console of their own to get back the spotlight. They can instead come up with something totally different or innovative.

@NEStalgia "they'll buy their exclusivity contracts"

Good one, never even thought of that. But yes, why build a new handheld to port home console games too when you can just pay for exclusivity on your home console. I'll remember that for next time.

Personally, after getting my Switch, my playtime on the PS4 has drastically reduced due to the fact that I'm stuck to one room and have to look at a TV the whole time I'm playing (off-TV play on the Wii U spoiled me) and I'd love for hybrid gaming to be the future of the industry but Sony really doesn't need to worry about the Switch.

@rjejr The trend I'm talking about is that it's not just Japan and the younger set that is interested in flexible dedicated game hardware. As we've discussed the Switch is a big machine for a handheld. It doesn't go in a pocket. It's why we talk about maybe a true portable version of the Switch available sometime in the future. However, this form factor is successful as it is, now. Again, not just Japan with its penchant for ultraportable gaming and not just the traditionally young crowd going for Nintendo's past portable consoles.

To my eyes, it's a new trend. In general, the success of the Switch has been surprising to many, as far as I can tell. Sony included.

I will say that the new home console strategies of Sony and Microsoft and the volatile nature of trying to monetize some of these big budget games makes me very unsure of when and how something like a PS5 would even fit into the near future landscape.

How much do new and exciting do you put into a PS5 when you plan to update it in a couple years... and how many gamers will play the waiting game every other release or every three. With power spread out between popular consoles, how many games will really try and take maximum advantage of whichever one charged the most to be the most powerful? Hard to gauge for consumers and companies, I'm betting.

@aaronsullivan I don't really see any need for a PS5, I only got a PS4 last year, but it's sold 70mil consoles now, how many more can it sell? At some point the early adopters are going to want something new. And the devs are going to want some easy money. Best easy money is selling PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games in 4k or 4k collections. And people are going to want COD and Madden and FIFA in 4k. That's where the money is, those popular games that multimillion $ athletes buy. Well maybe not guys on the Mets, but everybody on the Yankees can afford a new console.
If Sony does NOT come out w/ a PS5 in 2019 THEN people will buy a Switch or an Xbox, b/c people HAVE to buy a new console every Christmas b/c you can't have a tree w/o a big ticket item under it. And they'll need PSVR2. I'm nto sure what else PS5 will have besides a much bigger HDD, maybe 4TB, but I'm sure they'll think of something. Btu people WANT to spend money. New 4k tvs. Peopel NEED stuff to watch in 4k on their 4k tvs.

It' snot just about prettier games, it's about something new to spend money on. If they dont' do it, somebody else will.

Now whether or not that something is a handheld I don't know, it's late and I think I've lost the plot. I'll try to follow up when I'm actually awake.

@MsgBoardGamer
"How do you go from disregrding Sony's statements to now taking stock in them?"
I didn't disregard what they said, did I? I said that earlier comments that were quoted were starting to look silly. I said it seems like they changed their tune. Messages generally do come out slower than internal decisions, but we can only speculate when. That's why it's interesting when their public messages suggest a change in perspective.

The basic take in the first message is "it's [only] additive" meaning it doesn't effect us. The second message, "We can't ignore [Switch]", meaning it is going to effect us if we don't do something.

That doesn't directly lead to Sony is making a portable, of course. I'm simply adding up other observations to suggest that Sony is likely to be looking at that type of option seriously.

I do now see there has been some online speculation about this earlier, but I wasn't even aware of that, and it was idle speculation at most. Now, we have the observable success of Switch, with some key and surprising events bolstering its potential: greater than expected sales of the console in most markets, Zelda and Mario both gunning for game of the year, successful third party releases big and small, and public support of the console from other third parties. For Sony and the rest of the world, much of this was in a question block until recently.

"It's a sensible "stay on your toes" approach, not a desperate "we need a handheld!" cry."
I'm suggesting that they may need a handheld, though, as a "sensible stay on your toes" approach, not as a desperation move. Companies get into desperate situations when they ignore trends. Look at Blackberry when modern smartphones arrived. The leadership scoffed at an on-screen keyboard. Their keyboards were technically better for typing, but the trade-off in flexibility won out.

I don't wish for Sony to have a handheld, by the way. I'd prefer Nintendo to dominate as I enjoy their exclusives and their collective game studio. I'd rather Sony ignore it, honestly, and give Nintendo some long-term success and breathing room so I can get my favorite franchises to continue strong.

Your analogy about custom sports cars is fine, but you have it misaligned. PCs are the custom sports cars. PS4 and XB1 and Switch are in a much closer space where people trade between sporty sedans, mini vans, suvs and whatever they need and is most convenient at the time. ( I don't know, maybe PS4 and XB1 are limited to city streets? and Switch lets you travel wherever you want and go offroad? )

@rjejr Yeah, I should be asleep, too. That scenario, though. People want to buy something new is true to a point, but it doesn't bring the mass numbers in and there's plenty of resistance if a large audience is unconvinced.

You and I have seen games make such giant leaps and bounds in visuals and styles and play methods... it's sort of settling out a bit, in my estimation. Especially in the area of graphics.

They just look a little more real, every year. Which is cool and, honestly, it does get people to buy. But then you play the game and it all sort of just washes away. At least for me it does. Then, i'm all about clarity, understanding what I have to do and doing it and hopefully have a ton of fun.

Yes, there are moments where games give you a chance to take a breath, enjoy a story or character, or just look at something impressive. Zelda: Breath of the Wild can do that with old, old graphics power levels, though. There's way more to that sort of thing than just details and realism.

Anyway, all of this becomes moot if VR and AR takes off in the next couple years. Then, we have a long way to go to hit those diminishing returns again.

@aaronsullivan "Anyway, all of this becomes moot if VR and AR takes off in the next couple years. Then, we have a long way to go to hit those diminishing returns again."

I remember being very worried about VR, people walking around w/ headsets glued to their faces completely shut off from reality. But that was last week. Now I embrace AR, b/c it may help with a lot of societal problems if somebody can just come up w/ a 98% accurate lie detector. Can you imagine every reporter in a room when Trump or Sanders are talking, all wearing Google glass which loudly beeps every time they tell a lie? I mean I should sell that idea to SNL for a comedy sketch, right? I mean it's so obviously funny that's probably already done it already, but if they haven't. But a world full of people all wearing Google glass and we all know when anyone is lieing. Who needs ESP?

So that's my hope for humanity. B/c everybody lies all the time now. Well except the 1%, they don't lie about anything any more b/c they've won. Yes we are the Illuminati, yes it's all for us, yes we own you, yes it sucks to be you. And that's how Trump proves every day he isn't part of that club, b/c he lies all the time. If he were part of that 0.01% he'd be sitting back and relaxing after his election win, not trying to prove every single moment that he's one of them. Once you're 1 of them you dont' have to lie anymore trying to prove it.

Anyway, yes incremental improvements are a thing. iPhones have been out 10 years, 10 models, sold 1 billion. I think that's more than all consoles ever made combined, or really close anyway.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/263401/global-apple-iphone-sales-since-3rd-quarter-2007/

Android does it as well, a new snack every year w/ at least new Samsung Galaxy phones, Note and normal.

And every Christmas it's all about the "new" Cabbage Patch kid or Tickle me Elmo. I felt bad b/c I bought my niece last years "big toy" but fortunately she's only 4 1/2 and didn't have it so she didn't care.

And TVs. Now that everyone has HD, we need 4k. And that's where PS5 comes in. I know Pro kind of does 4k - over at that other website full of hateful people I've abandoned we were calling it PS4K for awhile, sounded perfect - but Sony was smart not to call it 4k, b/c now they can launch PS5 as THE 4k system that won't be held back by non-4k games. That's the biggest drawback of X1X to me, sure, it's powerful, but if every game must also run on X1S then they can only make the game do so much. And I'm guessing in another 2 years time companies will want to stop making makes that also run on PS3 and Xbox360. There aren't many of those left, but still a few. FIFA, PES, NBA2k and Rainbow Skies.

So maybe a PS5 in 2019 wouldn't sell like gangbusters to start, but if FF7R becomes a PS5 exclusive, the fanbois will bite.

Guess I'm just of a mind that there are always 2 systems, cheap one for families - my sister is GETTING a Wii U this year, my wife's cousin got 1 last year - and cutting edge for athletes and Mark Cuban wannabees. PS3 is gone, PS4 fills that roll now - it was $199 EVERYWHERE this year, so $149 everywhere next year, $99 in 2019. And Sony can't run a company selling $99 Slims and $199 Pro's. Which is why I think they'll ditch Slim spring/summer 2019 and have $199 Pro and $399 PS5 Christmas 2019.

There are actually PS4 owners wanting a PS5 in 2018, they will have had enough PS4 after 5 years then. Sony won't, not w/ God of War and Spriderman next year, and The Last of US 2, KH3, Days Gone, Detroit, Dreams. They're going to run out of marketing $ just on exclusive games in 2018, no time energy or money for a new console. And RDR2 will be everywhere. But if all those games somehow make it out by mid 2019, holiday 2019 will be perfect for whatever they have for PS5. FF7R maybe? And that insane Death stranding CGI "movie" Kojima is working on. I can't imagine any scenario that releases on PS4 ever. And BG&E2 in 2018 as well. Maybe.

Sure, Sony has enough they could wait until 2020, and maybe they will, but it all adds up to 2019 for me.

Oh, and that long list of upcoming PS4 games, 90% of which wont' be on Switch, Sony isn't too worried about Switch anyway. On topic.

@MsgBoardGamer I hear most of what you are saying.

I'm seeing a potential shift in trends while companies are forming strategies for their next big moves as reason to speculate, while you are, I think, looking for more direct evidence.

Of course, companies can't wait for a decline in hardware sales or to see their software sales lose out to others to make plans. To use a famous hockey analogy, they have to skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it is.

That's the light I'm looking at this in and I'm trying to see it from the company's point of view. I can't predict what will ultimately happen without more direct evidence, but I'm speculating what might be happening behind the scenes, to then guess at what we might see later.

I still say I'd be surprised if there were not a small group of engineers at Sony researching possible portable platform possibilities. A PPPP initiative.

Just to be clear about a little thing you mentioned, though. There is no "leap in logic" going from "can't ignore" to must change something. I mean, I don't think there is any other interpretation possible.

1. A ball is hurdling at my head. "I can ignore it."
2. A ball is hurdling at my head. "I can't ignore it."

Why did I use each phrase? Maybe I had a helmet on in the first scenario. In the second, I can mean only one thing: I feel I need to change something.

Anyway, cheers.

@rjejr So, on Sony's next console.
Do you think it will be PS5 with games exclusive to PS5 and PS4 Pro? In other words, games made for PS4 Pro need to work on PS4, BUT games made for PS5 will also work on PS4 Pro? This seems like a decent strategy to me, but I really don't know how Sony gamers would react and I don't know how Sony feels/knows about those PS4 Pro customers... are they the kind that will just buy every upgrade so make them upgrade to PS5, they won't mind? Or are they people who waited and will be frustrated that PS5 came too fast? Strange times.

I get funny messages when I bring up a Sony portable: Sony should support Vita more, Sony isn't worried about Switch, Sony is barely holding on and any mistake could make it topple. People are all over the place.

Sony has had a rocky history all because of hubris going from PS2 to PS3 and the long fight there and I think maybe the perception of how PS4 won. Many will tell you it was just because Microsoft hubris and how they paved the way for Sony to dominate, not so much about how the PS4 was planned (though I think it was both, Sony had to have the right machine in that scenario and they did).

Anyway, I think Sony has been unpredictable, the game industry is experiencing some shifts (Switch is successful?!) and confusing messages (you mean people don't want to gamble money on a game they already paid for!?) and judging when this "next generation" is going to drop is going to be a tough one... and maybe the most confusing generational divide of all.

And with that, here's a confusing notion: I'm going to go play some Star Wars Battlefront II on the Windows side of my Hackintosh.

@aaronsullivan "I'm going to go play some Star Wars Battlefront II on the Windows side of my Hackintosh."

Don't yo have grad school work to do? Yours was a funny sentence, I needed to write something.

My thoughts on Sony have changed a bit over the past year or 2 but I mostly consistent on the PS5 being out holiday 2019, being little more than an upgraded PS4 Pro. I do think making it BC w/ PS4 would be the way to go, it lets them drop PS4 Slim entirely, drop the price on PS4 Pro to $199 and have PS5 as the high end $399. I dont' think PS4 or Pro will play any PS5 games, that defeats the purpose of a PS5. But having bc helps w/ uptake b/c the PS4 library is pretty spectacular right now and this year and next will make it even better - RDR2, God of War, Spiderman, Last of Us 2, Days Gone, Detroit, Death Stranding, Beyond Good and Evil 2 someday, Kingdom Hearts 3, FF7 Remastered. So they can put out a PS5 w/ native 4k and have all those games to play. It will basically be a PS4 Pro-er Pro but they'll add just enough to call it a PS5. Like two Gamecubes duct taped together. I'm planning on calling it two PS4 Pro duct taped together regardless. People will buy it for the native 4k and whatever exclusive Sony has up it's sleeve. And of course PSVR 2 will only be compatible w/ PS5. They've sold 2 million PSVR. Not a lot, but it's catching on. With no other new hardware for holiday 2018 on the horizon - it's too soon for New Switch or SwitchBoy - PSVR will be the only new Christmas gift in town for a lot of people. Sony will sell it $199 bundled w/ the camera and a game or two to hook people so they're excited for PSVR2 on PS5.

Now most of that was before the Switch took off, but I think it's too late for them to deviate from the establish PS framework for PS5. PS has sold 100m PS1, 155m PS2, 80m PS3 and possibly 90m PS4. So PS5 won't be a Switch. PS6 might be depending on how PS5 sells.

As for Vita 2, well I've been saying they need one. Most people think I'm nuts, and I am, but I think between continued Vita sale sin Japan and the Switch the world over they need a Vita 2. Not called that, anymore than Switch was called Wii U 2, maybe PSP 3. They've already had PSPgo. (Though they've scrubbed the internet free of any mention of that device.) But I think they need some sort of handheld streaming device. Maybe just a bigger role for the Experia tablet/phone line. They're basically out of Japan if they are out of handhelds. And handhelds are the future. Phones are the future. Once we get phones that can run PSVR nobody needs a tv ever again. Maybe 20 years out, so PS9. Though in 2038, not 2078.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyPQVsdCuRk

But no $90 dock, a $35 optional dongle so it works like an Android tablet and Roku. So yeah, I still think Sony will have something that's held, w/ TV out, but maybe no game line of it's own, just PS4 or PS5 streaming.

Here's the thing about Sony, they don't quit, they keep their R&D departments very busy. Wonderbook, PSEye, Move, PSVR, 3D display, PSPgo. So I think they'll keep trying in the handheld space. Not all out, but like Apple TV, a hobby. Also, and people seem to forget about this, they also keep their software R&D busy as well. PSVue, PSNow, PS+. They almost have to have a tablet/phone/handheld just to justify all the stuff that they stream. So it won't be a dedicated handheld w/ dedicated games, but a streaming device w/ TV out, PS Now takes care of the rest.

Anecdotal evidence. My 15 year old son has a 32" HD TV in his room. He almost never uses it, spends all his time on his 4.5" phone and 20' monitor. Kids don't need TVs, so they don't need PS5. Well maybe PS5, but maybe not PS6. Tri-corders eat your heart out. And why doesn't anybody in Star Wars have a smartphone? They have lightspeed but no phones, ok.

@rjejr Right. Young people are going to be so much less interested in tying themselves to a "station". They've had smartphones, tablets, chrome books their whole life and I think part of the success of the Switch is due to this.

It's not just kids, either. People enjoy bringing their digital lives with them, rather than accessing them at a certain place where others might be in the way.

It's a giant industry trend and I think we are right in an awkward spot, where people have strong opinions about both sides and a meeting in the middle is always going to feel awkward. Witness the reaction to the Switch compared to the success of the Switch.

Sony isn't ignoring this, and I like all the examples you brought up of Sony always trying new things out. Where were you when I was "arguing with the kids"?

I do wonder about the streaming argument... it's almost the Wii U as it is tied to the home location, and you still need the main dedicated device. I mean it makes the point about what your son wants, but doesn't quite tell the story of how to give it to him. But maybe that's where Sony will bring some new, effective ideas to make it all work inside the home and out... I don't know.

@rjejr Oh, and I do have graduate work because its two weeks compressed into a shorter time, but I took most of today off.

Family has snow day tomorrow! So gaming will ensue! Off to the store to buy extra food...

@aaronsullivan "Where were you when I was "arguing with the kids"?"

I read the comments, and while I agree w/ you I can tell you don't need my help. If anything agreeing w/ me is just going to make you look bad, everybody knows I'm a Nitnedo hating Sony fanboi.

We have 2 snow days, about 12" of snow b/c I just bought an electric snowblower off Amazon for $100 that can handle up to 10". I went outside thinking we just had the 8" as forecast but it was 14-16" everywhere b/c of all the drifting. I could see my grass but my driveway was buried. 2 hours later and I'm down to about an inch of ice. We aren't going anywhere for awhile. ugh

@rjejr This guy? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YYPR9F6/ref=sr_ob_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1515185282&sr=8-13
It's not bad and a good middle ground, if you can handle the cord and keep up with the snow cover.

We opted to just not go and clear the driveway so far. Not sure that's smart, but it is more relaxing. Same thing with us on the wind creating drifts. We line up the two vehicles one in front of the other and it blocks the drifts from going over the driveway... sometimes. We didn't do it last night.

Also, you're always welcome in my discussions, baggage and all. (But I also understand avoiding them. lol)

@aaronsullivan My wife was soaking your packages in buckets of water before, she's going to be freakin' out when I tell her you're hacking my Amazon shopping list. Amazon say's I bought that on Nov 28th. And it's a good little machine for the $92 I paid for it, if, as my neighbor says, we didn't get 16" of snow. He offered to lend me his "real" snow blower next time if I needed it. Hopefully no time soon. I used to line up our cars, but now I keep my wife's in the garage and mine off to the side buried until I need it, so it's a straight shot down the driveway. Which isn't that bad, unless we get 16". That's a lot no matter how I get rid of it. I'm surprised the 10" machine did just explode when I opened the garage door and we just saw this huge wall of snow in front of us, half a foot above the top of the blower. Not nearly as high as the snowplow truck wall at the bottom of the driveway. We needed some white walkers and a flying dragon to take that down.