Sony has officially ruled out another PlayStation-branded gaming handheld.
Speaking to Game Informer about PlayStation’s 25th anniversary, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan reflected on the company’s most recent handheld, the PlayStation Vita.
“PlayStation Vita was brilliant in many ways, and the actual gaming experience was great, but clearly it’s a business that we’re no longer in now,” said Ryan.
The PlayStation executive didn’t say anything further, but his statement certainly doesn’t leave the door open to revisiting the handheld gaming space.
In many ways, Ryan’s stance makes sense, given that the PlayStation Vita infamously bombed. While Sony never released official sales figures for the beleaguered system, it’s estimated to have hit around 16 million units sold since launching in 2011. Sony officially discontinued the Vita earlier this year.
On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch is proof that there is an appetite for high-quality gaming experiences on the go outside of smartphones and tablets. Nonetheless, Sony doesn’t seem interested in challenging Nintendo in this space.
Instead, the company continues to focus on its consoles. The PlayStation 4 recently surpassed the original PlayStation to become the second best-selling console of all time, after only the PlayStation 2. Sony is also preparing the PlayStation 5 for launch in holiday 2020, although details on the next-gen console remain scarce.
Source: Game Informer
