PS5 handheld prototyped by Sony, capable of playing console games natively

Sony is developing a handheld gaming device that will play PlayStation 5 games, sources have told Bloomberg.

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In a bid to expand its foothold on the hardware market, Sony is now experimenting with a new handheld that is capable of playing PS5 games while out and about. Sony is aiming at delivering console quality gaming while on-the-go, potentially similar to the range of handheld PCs from Valve and other major hardware-makers like Lenovo, ASUS, and MSI.

The device, sources tell Bloomberg's Takashi Mochizuki, would be a major iteration of the existing PlayStation Portal handheld with a significant power leap. The $199 PS Portal has become a hit for Sony, who has said their line of accessories is "highly profitable" for the games division.

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Sony is no stranger to the handheld market. The PlayStation Portable (2005) sold a strong 76.4 million units in its lifetime. The PSP's successor, the PlayStation Vita (2011), was less popular with 16 million units sold.

The new PlayStation handheld isn't due out for years from now, but when it releases, it will contest Nintendo's relatively unchecked dominance of the handheld market, at least when it comes to closed-garden console gaming.

Microsoft is also reportedly developing one such gaming handheld capable of playing Xbox games natively on-the-go, potentially as well as via cloud gaming thanks to built-in modems.

This new ecosystem could allow for a higher level of competition across hardware devices that enjoy better profit margins. Microsoft's new Xbox handheld could be the first ever Xbox console to be sold at a profit, even if it is a hybridized handheld-console.