Sony dropped out of the portable console business a long time ago, but the PlayStation Portable and PS Vita still enjoy a loyal following. The rise of the Nintendo Switch has some Sony fans believing the company should try another portable console, with one concept showing a futuristic take on the established PSP design.
The Sony PSP was released in the mid-2000s and aimed to compete with the Nintendo DS in the portable console market. The hybrid game console/portable media player did not sell as well as the Nintendo DS, but still had many exclusives, overall being a solid competitor.
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One fan who goes by Kashama showed off an edited concept for a "PlayStation Orus" on TikTok, which in the video takes on the approximate control scheme of the PlayStation Vita. The Vita itself shares many design similarities with the PSP, having a widescreen display in between the controls. However, two aspects make Kashama's proof of concept stand out; the screen covers the entire face of the system even around the controls, and the games shown in the UI are PS5 exclusives. It is unclear whether the concept would involve streaming the games from a PS5 system or playing versions of the games on the system itself, but either would be an interesting prospect for a PS5 companion device.
@imkashama PlayStation ORUS ? #psp #choisistateam #LumiereSur #Gaming
♬ PS ORUS - KASHAMA
The system, being a proof of concept, only exists in the form of an edited video. In real life, the idea of such a system would immediately bring about complications; the PS5 is a physically massive system, and with current technology it would be impossible to cram even a fraction of its hardware power into such a small form factor, to speak nothing of the thermal issues it would face. The screen covering the system beyond the controls could prove problematic as well, since if the games were not redesigned in some capacity to fit the screen, many UI elements would be hidden behind the controls.
Despite the issues of a real-life implementation, the idea of a companion system for the PS5 could work out as a modern successor to the PlayStation Portable and Vita. The PlayStation Vita can remotely control and display PlayStation 4 games, and PS5 Remote Play already exists, so the infrastructure for such a device is already there. The full realization of Kashama's concept may not happen anytime soon, but a form of it is entirely viable.
If Sony were to introduce a new handheld, though, now may not be the best time for it with the chip shortages hindering tech manufacturing. Launching something like a new PSP when many players still have difficulty buying a PS5 would be a logistical nightmare, at least as long as the shortage goes on. Still, it is clear that many gamers would like to see a new handheld from Sony in the future.