According to the Japanese version of the PlayStation website, where that last two models are still up for grabs, their lifespan is “ending soon”, as mentioned in the descriptions. This is not a new approach for Sony, as they did the same thing when they started to prepare people for the end of PlayStation 3’s production, two years ago.
“In Japan, we will manufacture PlayStation Vita until 2019. From there, shipping will end,” Hiroyuki Oda, Sony Interactive Entertainment senior vice president said. “Currently, we do not have any plans regarding a new handheld device.”
However, this doesn’t mean that the company is completely excluding the idea of developing another portable console!
Back to the Vita, seeing that it’s going to be axed is not surprising. After all, it was supposed to be a platform that allowed gamers to enjoy the experience offered by a PS3 or PS4 on the road, but the main mistake was that it was released in a moment in which there wasn’t such a big market for handheld consoles. Sure, there are some amazing titles which you can play on it, but it turned out that it can be very difficult to sell a device like this when a lot of people prefer using their smartphones for gaming on-the-go.
But there is an exception.
Let’s not forget that the Nintendo Switch, a device with almost the same functionality, is still doing great in terms of sales, so we don’t see why Sony can’t follow their example and release a completely new handheld console. In fact, the Japanese company previously mentioned doing something beyond the Vita, but no other details were given.
As a side note, if Sony indeed releases a new portable gaming device, we won’t be surprised if Microsoft does the same thing, taking the “PlayStation vs Xbox” battle to a new territory. But if they don’t have any plans at all to release a handheld device, at least in the near future, then it’s very likely for the PS5 to come without any kind of portable functionality.
And speaking about the Switch, there’s no doubt that if Vita completely disappears, we won’t be surprised if its fanbase actually gets a huge boost, as a lot of people who still love the idea of having a portable console with them all the time need a new, modern device, better than a smartphone, on which they can play whenever they want, no matter where they are. In a nutshell, it’s exactly what Nintendo is offering. Actually, this is what we’re also recommending to anybody who considers getting a PlayStation Vita: look at what Nintendo has in its portfolio and thank us later.
But what if Sony is just bluffing and they’re working at a completely revolutionary product? Only time can tell, unfortunately for fans.
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