Handhelds are hot again. Here’s how Xbox and PlayStation could capitalize.

Handheld gaming devices were a huge hit in the late ’80s and into the’ 90s and 2000s, but their market largely stagnated once most audiences turned to home consoles or desktops. . However, with the industry dominating success of the Nintendo Switch (as well as the 3DS handheld before it), the rise of mobile games on smartphones, and the development of cloud game streaming services, games on portable devices are popular again. But will some of the biggest names in the industry try to capitalize?

With the announcement of the Steam Deck Handheld Gaming PC, Valve has (surprisingly) pushed into the handheld gaming market and could make Nintendo beat its own game thanks to the device’s impressive specs and versatility. But what about the Xbox and the PlayStation – what will Microsoft and Sony do to get into the handheld fun? Here’s a look at what the two companies could (and should) do to invest in handheld games in the future.

Xbox: Game streaming, ‘Xboy’ Switch rival

Source: Jez Corden | Windows Central

Microsoft is already poised for success, but why not make an “Xboy”?

Right off the bat, Microsoft is poised to succeed in the portable gaming space with its robust and well-developed Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) services, which are available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriptions. The Xbox Cloud Gaming Game Library includes many of the best Xbox games and continues to grow. Recently, Microsoft even upgraded the service with custom Xbox Series X server blades for top-notch load speeds, performance, and visuals. Xbox Cloud Gaming is also more widely available than ever, as Android, iOS, MacOS, and Windows 10 users can all access it by going to xbox.com/play in a web browser (Android users also have the possibility to use the Xbox Game Pass app). Since Windows 10 (or Windows 11) can be installed on Steam Deck, users will also be able to enjoy Xbox Cloud Gaming on this device.

Something that the Xbox currently lacks, however, is a dedicated portable device that can rival the Nintendo Switch. My colleague Daniel Rubino wrote about why there is no excuse for Microsoft not to make an “Xboy” to compete with Nintendo Switch, and I totally agree with him – especially now that Xbox Game Pass has become a success. global and that Xbox Cloud Gaming has become a very polished and polished experience. Imagine an “Xboy” with Steam Deck level specs that could be used to play Xbox Game Pass titles natively or stream them through Xbox Cloud Gaming. The potential here is just insane, and Microsoft would be foolish not to make a portable device like this.

Sony: Bring PS Vita back to life, improve PS Now

Sony needs to catch up in the portable gaming market, and it just needs to blame itself.

Compared to Microsoft, Sony needs to catch up if it is serious about competing in the portable gaming space. Sony is only responsible for its absence in this market as it failed to properly support and nurture its PlayStation Vita project from 2012. Instead of doubling down and making improvements to the Vita like Nintendo did this with its 3DS when initial sales were low, Sony essentially ditched its handheld and left it to die when it didn’t immediately succeed (“Vita” means “life” in Latin, this which is a delicious irony in this case). Despite the system’s lackluster game library and absurdly expensive proprietary memory cards, many Vita fans swear by the design and ergonomics of the device. If Sony had more confidence in its own machine, the Vita could have thrived.

Sony cannot go back in time and rectify these errors now, but it can revive the PS Vita by developing a modern version of it or using what it has learned from the Vita as the basis for a brand new handheld. If Sony gives it solid specs and support for Playstation now, the company will undoubtedly return to the handheld gaming market.

Speaking of PS Now, Sony may also be making efforts to expand the game streaming service to portable platforms. As it currently exists, PS Now is only supported on PS4, PS5, and Windows PCs. By taking a page from the Xbox Cloud Gaming playbook and making PS Now usable on iOS, Android, and macOS, Sony would have an answer to Microsoft’s game streaming.

Final thoughts

Microsoft and Sony both have great opportunities to grow in the handheld gaming market, and with Nintendo and Valve focusing heavily on the space, I hope the other two gaming behemoths follow suit. To see an “Xboy” do it would be fantastic, and it would also be nice to see Sony relaunch its PS Vita project. The global silicon shortage affecting tech companies around the world will likely delay any attempt to build devices like these, but when it finally passes, I can’t wait to see what Microsoft and Sony have in store for portable gaming. .