Before smartphones took over the mobile market, most of the console makers were duking it out in the fast-growing market. One such studio vying for a slice of the market wasSony. While its handheld systems could not compete with Nintendo’s DS brand, the consoles are still fondly remembered byPlayStationfans to this day. There will likely never be anotherPlayStationhandheld again, but that does not mean these consoles should be forgotten.
Sony tried twice to make it big in the mobile market. While its first attempt withthe PSP was a commercial success, it failed to capture that same success with the PS Vita. The steep competition from the Nintendo DS brand and the rise of smartphones made the handheld market a very risky endeavor. It did not seem to pan out for Sony in the end, but it was an interesting period in the gaming industry, and Sony’s strong attempts will hopefully live on in some fashion.
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The PlayStation Portable Could Not Compete With the DS
The PlayStation Portablewas Sony’s first major attempt at breaking into the mobile market. The console was announced at E3 2003 and officially hit store shelves in 2005. It was the most powerful portable console at the time, and some believed that it would finally give Nintendo’s handhelds a run for their money. It was known for its advanced graphical capabilities, and it could also be used as a portable media player. Ultimately, it proved to be a critical and commercial success for Sony.
The PSP saw a lot of popular games throughout its tenure that really helped pull people to the console. While the console did share titles likeGrand Theft Auto: Chinatown Warswith Nintendo’s handhelds, it also featured a bunch of acclaimed exclusive titles. One of its biggest titles is probablyGod of War: Chains of Olympuswhich brought Santa Monica Studio’s series to handheld with a brand-new adventure. The PSP also saw titles likeMetal Gear Solid: Portable Ops,Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions,LittleBigPlanet,Daxter,andRatchet and Clank: Size Matters. It was a powerhouse of a handheld console with some stellar titles, but it was not able to dethrone the Nintendo DS.
Over the PSP’s 10-year lifespan, it sold over 80 million units. Multiple variations were released during its tenure which altered the look and feel of the console, with the final version launching in 2011. While it was a commercial success, it ended up selling around 80 million fewer units than the Nintendo DS. The DS was $100 cheaper, and it offered far more versatility with its dual-screen design. It also had juggernautfranchises likePokemon,Legend of Zelda,Mario Kart,andSuper Mario Brosthat are virtually unstoppable. The PSP was more powerful, but the Nintendo DS offered something special that could not be found anywhere else.
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The PS Vita Was Too Little Too Late
Sony would release its PSP follow-up in 2012 in hopes that it could capture the same level of success, but it was far too little too late. The PlayStation Vita was released a year after Nintendo launched the Nintendo 3DS worldwide, and smartphones were already starting to dominate the marketplace. ThePS Vita was a powerful little consolethat seemed to do well at launch, but its sales quickly dwindled. There was just not much to the console, and the lack of support from Sony ultimately proved to be its downfall.
The PlayStation Vita was home to some pretty strong titles, but not enough to give this console the same longevity as its predecessor.Games likePersona 4 Golden,Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation,Uncharted: Golden Abyss, andLittleBigPlanet PS Vitahelped boost the appeal of the system. However, most players seemed disinterested in buying the device. The console was more expensive than the Nintendo 3DS, smartphones were taking over the market, and there was not enough third-party support to pull players in. Sony added services like PlayStation TV and Remote Play to try and give the console a boost, but they didn’t really make a difference.
After Sony launched the PS4, even withexclusive games on the PS Vita, it was pretty much dead. The studio chose to release fewer first-party games for the handheld, and shifted much of its focus to the PS4. This lack of support killed the already dwindling sales numbers, and the PS Vita would go on to be a commercial failure. While the console still had some third-party support with games likeMinecraft, it did not do enough to keep the handheld alive. The console was officially discontinued in 2019, and Sony has no plans for another handheld device.
The PS Vita failed to make an impact, but the Nintendo 3DS did not seem to struggle. After a disappointing debut, the Nintendo 3DS would become one of Nintendo’s most successful handhelds. Just like its predecessor, it was home to juggernaut franchises likePokemon,Legend of Zelda,Super Mario, andFire Emblem. It also saw the first handheld version ofSuper Smash Brosand the latest mainline installment in theMario Kartfranchise. It is very hard to compete with those iconic franchises, andNintendo continued churning out 3DS gamesthroughout its tenure. The studio has since pivoted to the Nintendo Switch, but the 3DS will likely be fondly remembered for years to come.
While the PSP may have been a commercial success, the PS Vita was not able to replicate that success. The failure of the Vita shuttered any more plans for future Sony handhelds, and the studio will probably never try again. There was just no point in competing with thefranchises that Nintendo handhelds had, and the rise of smartphones did not help either. Those same franchises are what made the Nintendo Switch as popular as it is, and will likely continue to drive Nintendo for the foreseeable future.
The days of dedicated mobile hardware from the big console makers are probably gone sincemobile games from Activision-Blizzardand more developers dominate the market now. Nintendo has pivoted to more of a hybrid console with the Nintendo Switch while Xbox andPlayStationseem to be focusing more on cloud gaming. There are still handheld consoles coming out, but the industry may never see the likes of the Nintendo DS or PSP again. The landscape has changed drastically, and it is unlikely that it will ever shift back.
