Are handhelds making a comeback?

[Smokey]

Do you think handheld consoles such as the Nintendo 3DS, Gameboy or Playstation Portable or PS Vita are gonna be making a comeback? Do you think it's time for Sony specifically to throw their hat back into the ring and try a new handheld to compete with the Switch?

 

[Shortie]

I feel with how successful the Nintendo Switch and the Switch Lite have been, it would be a good time for companies such as Sony to maybe try their hand at a newer handheld but take a leaf out of Nintendo's book and allow it to play the latest games that are ported over to the handheld such as Fortnite, Apex Legends, Fall Guys and such. I really feel that if a company like Sony can do that it would be a huge success.

 

[Riberet19]

It seems that this thread predicted the future, Sony has announced its Playstation Portal console that will be its portable version of the PS5 and I think it will make a close competition to what is Nintendo Switch, I think Sony knows that it has a lot of potential in terms of portable consoles, it was quite successful in its day with the first version of PSP, but I think Nintendo is still quite above in that particular market.

 

[Grant]

I don't think they're ever gone away in popularity. The switch for example is a hybrid handheld and that's the talk of the town. Then you got the steamedeck and other handhelds pooping up. So yeah maybe they are somewhat making a comeback.

 

[Heatman]

Personally, I don't see the gaming handheld consoles like the Nintendo 3DS, Gameboy, Playstation Portable or PS Vita making any viable comeback in the gaming industry. Even if they did, most people have moved on from it to matter too much. Nintendo Switch handheld is the only console that matters today. We are all waiting for the new Nintendo Switch console because it's due for us to get a new one.

 

[Reverie]

I think handhelds are coming back. Adults and kids both want to have more ease in bringing a system with them for travel purposes, or just while in the car and etc. I think we will see more and more handhelds as we move foward.

 

[Ravenfreak]

I don't see handhelds really coming back at least from the three main gaming companies. I know Sony just announced a new handheld but it's just a remote play device that allows you to play your PS5 games on the go so it's not really a handheld device. The Switch is a hybrid console and handheld, so Nintendo will not be making any other standalone handheld devices anymore. Microsoft never made a portable Xbox, they're the only gaming company around currently that never got into the handheld market. Mobile devices are getting more powerful and with the recent announcement of the iPhone 15 that can play AAA titles I think there really is no need for a true handheld system anymore. I know there's the Evercade, it's a handheld device that has collections of retro games and some homebrew games that were released on a few retro consoles like the Super Nintendo. I think those are the only handheld devices that are going to be released. It's a shame though I loved the Gameboy Advance and the 3DS. I never really played the PSP before despite owning two of them nor the Vita.