In a recent statement, Sony’s Executive and PlayStation Senior Vice President, Eric Lempel, emphasized that the upcoming PlayStation Portal peripheral is not intended as a direct competitor to similar systems like the Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation Portal marks Sony’s return to handheld gaming, but with a unique twist. Unlike previous standalone handheld consoles like the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita, the PlayStation Portal is designed as a gaming handheld peripheral specifically meant to work in conjunction with the PS5.
The system was initially unveiled as “Project Q” earlier this year and was later officially named the PlayStation Portal with a release date set for November 15, 2023. Initial reactions to the PlayStation Portal were mixed, with some drawing comparisons to the Nintendo Wii U gamepad and suggesting that it could have been more akin to Nintendo’s Switch or Valve’s Steam Deck. However, Eric Lempel clarified that the PlayStation Portal is not meant to compete with Nintendo or Valve’s hardware.
