Summary
A credible source has alleged that there are two distinct chipsets in development for thePlayStation 6, possibly alluding to a separate console that will launch alongside the next-gen machine. This further lends credence to the heated speculation surrounding a newPlayStationhandheld, and if this report holds true, fans could see it accompany the PS6.
ThePS6 is several years away from releaseat the very least, but rumors of the console’s development have already begun to surface. Court documents from Microsoft’s legal proceedings to acquire Activision Blizzard in 2023 had let slip that Sony was targeting a 2027-2028 launch window for its next-generation console, and a more recent report stated that Sony finalized a deal with AMD back in 2022 to design and manufacture the PS6’s chipset in order to preserve backwards compatibility. Work on the PS5 successor is clearly running full steam ahead, then, but it appears Sony may have more hardware up its sleeve.
Rumors of a new PlayStation handheldhave been cropping up more frequently in recent months, and a new report from reputable hardware insider KeplerL2 suggests that this fabled handheld could release alongside the PS6. In a NeoGAF forum thread speculating over the PS6’s price,KeplerL2 claimedthat there are two separate SoCs (System-on-a-Chip) in development for Sony’s next-generation console. The insider is uncertain about whether this implies a “Series X/S situation” or ahome console and handheld combo, but said that one of them will “probably” be affordable.
Sony Potentially Developing “Affordable” PS6 SoC for Next-Gen Handheld Console
It seems quite unlikely that Sony would go the Series S route with a cheaper, less powerful next-generation console, as several game developers have decried the budget Xbox. These optimization woes for the Series S even led to 2023 Game of the Year winnerBaldur’s Gate 3postponing its Xbox launch. Sony has maintained a developer-friendly position since the PS4 days, so a budget PS6 appears an implausible prospect. Handheld consoles, on the other hand, have exploded in popularity in recent years thanks to the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
With reports ofSony paying close attention to the handheld marketas well, the possibility of a new PlayStation handheld starts to look increasingly believable. These are ultimately rumors, though, so they should be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism. However, with the Nintendo Switch 2 retaining its predecessor’s handheld form factor, Valve hinting at a Steam Deck successor, and Microsoft purportedly working on a next-gen Xbox handheld, it only seems like a matter of time until PlayStation jumps back on the handheld bandwagon again.
PlayStation 5
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is part of the ninth console generation and debuted with a launch lineup that included Demon’s Souls and Astro’s Playroom. The console comes with a Blu-ray disc, although a digital-only edition is also available for a cheaper price.
