If Switch is successful, will Sony take another stab at handheld gaming?

I don't see why not, SW. Sony is already doing reconnaissance as we speak http://kotaku.com/very-suspicious-man-spotted-at-nintendos-switch-present-1791245801

Your thoughts? I know I want one.

Yes please.

Though I don't know if I can ever bring myself to trust Sony with a handheld device after the Vita, I'm open to having my mind changed.

I did enjoy my Psp for the short amount if time I owned one. Patapon was excellent gem of a game. Sadly I sold it after 2 weeks as friend needed a birthday present for child.

If Sony Could do viable service of say a real good back log of ps3, PS2, ps1, vita, Psp games, good indie support and zero first party new content then I'd probably pick on up.

No they'll just release a Sony switch

God I hope so... If they didn't put the gun to their own head and pull the trigger with the vita memory cards, they would've had the best handheld ever made...

Instead it became the weird cousin you make sit at the kiddie table at Thanksgiving even though he's 35. Thanks Sony.

@dobzilian: that's actually what the vita is right now... So much of sorts legacy catalog and excellent indie support. The vita kicks ass, especially if you're just starting? Oh my god there are dozens and dozens of great Sony games to be played.

God no.

@TheEroica: I was always tempted as did enjoy the original but I've just put it off to the extent that if it's case of I can pick one up for £50 I'd grab one. it's more 3rd party games I'd be interested on than first. The only first party game which I've only put much love into is crash where I brought or played many games in series.

LOL No.

No thanks.

The Pro is their switch.

All you have to do is grow bigger hands, carry pro, a tv and extension cords. It doesn't even need a USB-C port to switch.

No I don't think they should, I bought the PSP enjoyed it and it had great support. Unfortunately the Vita didn't do it for me and Sony seems to have given up on it despite there are games coming out for it in Japan not sure if the West is getting the same games as Japan with the exception to some of course.

Sony? So they can charge for ridiculous memory cards?

no thanks... they killed the Vita with their own incompetence.

I don't think so but I wish they would. They should do a handheld that is backwards compatible and that has games that are handheld-adapted spin offs of their main franchises. Like a side scroller God of War for example. A turn-based strategy for Uncharted, etc. Stop trying to make console games into handhelds, that sucks.

Yes please.

Sony is too incompetent. Look at PSVR, Vita, Wonderbook, etc.

Why would they?

Sony is doing fine with their main console, so why would they be stupid and try to compete with Nintendo's dominance on the handheld market.

So let´s hope not and they stick that cash into the main console and keep developing on that.

I don't see Sony doing that until it's in a healthier financial place to make those kinds of investments. I don't even see how they're going to keep the company out of the red when the PS4 sales slow whenever the generation starts to slow and they're doing research and development and early production for the next consoles. Sure the PlayStation division makes enough to support itself but right now the entirety of Sony relies on the revenues that Sony's gaming gives the rest of the company. Until their other arms of business are profitable again and not dragging the company down, maybe then Sony will have the flexibility to take another risk on a handheld, if Nintendo hasn't locked down the handheld market by then.

It's also important they do this, I mean just look at Nintendo's mistake between Wii and Wii U. Their were good when the Wii was hot, everybody wanted one until nobody wanted one. Nintendo tried to rush the next big thing out too quickly and they suffered for it. They just expected they could pick up where they left off. Nintendo was just too arrogant when they did this, but if Sony relies on PS4's success to keep company propped up then they could rush another system out almost out of desperation and that might lead to some hasty decisions.

@SolidGame_basic:

The Vita is still on. They could announce some new AAA Sony games they'd know would bring the Vita on the map. They can easily do that than starting from scratch.

No that ship has sailed. They tried twice. It's not a very open market. It's kind of Nintendo's turf at this point. According to every suit it's a shrinking market. It wouldn't make business sense.

I think they could pull it off to keep a small spot. I just don't think they'll do it. If the Switch is successful and reels in a big portion of the handheld gamers, that is not going to make it more attractive for Sony to step in.

Sony has commitment issues, so no.

They don't even need to release anything, Vita is still a dope piece of mobile hardware.

In terms of its performance, battery life and controls it's the best device to play core games on-the-go on, at least until the Switch comes out.

Just fucking support it and you're set for a healthy competition with Ninty in that field.

I hope so, the Ps Vita is among my fav. systems this gen and I would love to see some competition against the Switch. The Vitas problem was Sony, they didn't push it at all, they just released it and let it die. But the amount of content 3rd party japanese companies delivered was huuge for a gamer who enjoys japanese stuff.

I hope not

I kind of wish they would. Even with the stupid memory card, the Vita is the most superior handheld gaming system to date. It's biggest flaw is the atrocious abomination it calls a game library. It's sickening and disgusting. It's so awful, I'm honestly embarrassed to admit I'm a Vita owner. It seems so simple...just make some decent games. Look at the DS/3DS...greatest handheld ever. Why? The games! It's not a better piece of hardware. Not even close. I still have enough games I haven't played to take me into 2020 and beyond though. What I don't get. How do they have so many freaking console games and can't come up with more than 5 decent titles on their handheld?

A Sony handheld? LMAO.

Just stick to home consoles and give that dream up.

Nope, they are done with them.

CTRL-C -> CTRL-V -> Right Click -> Rename -> Sony Switch.

@charizard1605: Well, you have absolute trust in Nintendo after the WiiU. So why not Sony after the Vita, which was great hardware.

Hope so. I love my vita. As everyone else says , vita is a great system. Just those memory cards were too expensive.

If handheld history has taught us anything, it's that Nintendo being successful in the handheld market doesn't mean someone else will be too. We've seen Sega (twice), SNK, Nokia, Tiger (many times), Sony (twice) and many others I'm sure I'm missing, all try to take a piece of the handheld pie and fail miserably. There is only enough room for 1 handheld and 2 consoles in this business.

Nintendo rolling both markets into one was something they had to do to survive.

Because Nintendo changed my mind, which is why I said I am open to having my mind changed.

Nope. They'd get obliterated once the idea is even a rumor in the media.

I would want them too, but they probably will wait until closer to the end of the gen

Sony will release another handheld regardless of how the Switch does. The Vita should see a replacement in the next couple years I'd imagine.

So they can leave it to die like they did the Vita? No thanks.

@charizard1605: If the Switch becomes a sensational success, expect Sony to release the PS5 with the same DNA as Switch. So you'll be able to trust them for support, I don't see them releasing a dedicated handheld alongside a home console anymore.

i would love to see them try and make an xperia play 2 that runs on a modified version of the PS4 os (or vita OS), has better integration of the controls and has sonys full backing along with 3rd party support. mobile hardware can put out some pretty impressive results. i mean wipeout on the vita still looks great and the SOC in that is anchient. it would certainly be the most interesting phone to be released in a long long time. with a "thin profit on hardware, profit on the software" approach they could also offer some excellent hardware at a great price.

but with the cost of development and shrinking handheld market i dont think sony will be too interested to be honest.

While it would be more expensive I think MS is in the best position to do it with Xbox One and Surface tablets via play anywhere. They could just make a smaller screened mini tablet specifically for gaming in mind, that slides into some type of controller mod.

Hell no, unless they take the device seriously with games support, otherwise hell no. Stick to consoles

I really can't see sony going back to the handheld market. If they do go back however please..please...don't overcharge for memory cards and wonder why nobody is buying your games.

"If Switch is successful"

It wont.

Mark my words

If so, I hope Sony will make a PS Switch

Of course it will be. It will have Pokemon.