Last week, Sony honcho John Kodera revealed to Bloomberg that the next PlayStation system won't launch until 2021 at the earliest.
The revelation was disappointing, but understandable. Beyond supped-up graphics and virtual reality improvements, it’s hard to see where Sony can realistically go with their long-awaited next-gen console.
One possible option, alluded to by Kodera himself and kindled by gaming site T3, is a Nintendo Switch-like pivot to portable. Despite the PS Vita’s failure, the Sony PlayStation boss is keen to respond to customers’ changing habits.
In the interview, Kodera said: “In my opinion, rather than separating portable gaming from consoles, it’s necessary to continue thinking of it [portable gaming] as one method to deliver more gaming experiences and exploring what our customers want from portable. We want to think about many options.”
The Nintendo Switch’s runaway success, alongside the industry-shifting dominance of mobile games, means that Sony may place the bulk of their attention towards an upcoming PSP console, which is rumoured to boast 5G and streaming technology.
A flagship Sony handheld will likely boast a much bigger selection of games than the Switch, along with far greater graphical and media capabilities. But it would also pale in comparison to any home-based behemoth Microsoft decide to release.
Whatever Sony's top-secret plans are, the rumour mill has a lot of work ahead of it.
