PS Vita successor could come with PS6

In recent months, a new rumor has gained traction in the gaming world: Sony is working on a successor to the PS Vita, its latest generation portable console, launched in 2011.

The speculation initially came from YouTuber Moore’s Law Is Dead, also known as Tom, who claimed that Sony would be collaborating with AMD to develop this new handheld device.

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A new PlayStation portable console?

According to Tom, this new console wouldn’t follow exactly in the footsteps of the PSP or PS Vita, but it would be able to run PS4 games natively, with the possibility of running some PS5 games if developers released special updates, similar to a “Pro patch”. This would represent a huge improvement over the PS Vita, which stood out for its library of exclusive games, but never achieved the commercial success expected.

The rumor also suggests that Sony would be looking at the current market of hybrid consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch, to create a device capable of competing in that niche.

The ability to run PS4 games natively on the new handheld console would give Sony a huge advantage, as players would be able to access a vast library of titles without having to rely on streaming or limited exclusives.

Credibility of the rumor

It’s worth noting that Tom, the person behind this rumor, is ranked as “Tier 4” on the Gaming Leaks and Rumors subreddit, meaning he’s not considered the most reliable source.

However, his recent track record has gained more credibility, especially after his predictions about the PS5 Pro’s specs were confirmed during a recent Sony presentation. This new, more solid reputation lends weight to his previous claims about the supposed successor to the PS Vita.

Still, it’s important to note that Tom himself stated that the new handheld console had not yet been “approved for release” when he shared the information in February. The project was reportedly in the “High Level Design” phase, meaning that Sony had not yet decided on many important details, such as the final design of the console.

Furthermore, there is a possibility that the project could be completely abandoned before any public announcement is made. So even if the information is correct, there is still no guarantee that the PS Vita’s successor will ever hit the shelves.

Rumored specifications and comparisons with the current market

According to anonymous developers who allegedly spoke to Tom, the new handheld console could utilize 18 CUs (Compute Units), which would grant the ability to run all PS4 games directly on the device, without the need for streaming or limited exclusives like those seen on the PS Vita.

The console would apparently have around 2 Teraflops of graphics power, which would put it ahead of a base PS4. This approach would be similar to Valve’s Steam Deck, allowing players to directly download and play their existing digital games.

However, some analysts believe that until the possible launch of this new console, it could be outdated compared to the more advanced generations. Tom suggested that the device could be positioned as part of the “PlayStation 6 family”, serving as a more affordable alternative for the Japanese market.

First PS Vita was not very well received

With the huge success of the Nintendo Switch, which has revolutionized the hybrid console market, it makes sense that Sony would want a slice of that market. However, the big challenge will be reconciling the launch of this new device with the technological advances that will be available in two or three years.

Remember that Sony already had its experience in the portable market with the PSP and PS Vita. The PSP was a success, but the PS Vita, despite its advanced hardware, ended up suffering from a lack of continuous game support and could not compete with the popularity of mobile devices and the Nintendo 3DS at the time.

Fonte: thegamer