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Forums - Sony Discussion - Is a PlayStation Hybrid Console possible, or even probable?

noemie75 said:

Like Peh said, it's not technically possible. Sure, with today's tech Sony could release a portable machine with as much power as the PS4. But it will not be compatible with PS4 games --> this is the problem: you will have to do specific development for each game to make them compatible. PS4 is X86 AMD architecture, this is not a mobile architecture. So they can't do it and will not do it.

Pretty sure Ryzen is x86



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Peh said:

If Sony manages to reduce the power consumption from 120-150 watts (PS4 according to sources) down to 15-20 watts by having the same rendering quality of a PS4, then sure. It's possible.

I believe this is the OG PS4

PS4 slim is 55-110.

Xbox Series S for example is 25-100.

http://energyusecalculator.com/electricity_gameconsole.htm



Its possible. But it also goes against what sony does. It will be a step backward for them.

The switch can exist because Nintendo is not and has never been about making cutting edge console hardware for almost the last two decades now. And how technology works, while in the next3-4 years you can have hardware that you can put in a portable/mobile form factor that is equivalent in power (and maybe even more powerful) than the PS4, that hardware will be nothing like the PS5. It would take another 8 to 10 years before we see hardware that is equivalent to the PS5 in a mobile form factor, and at that time what you can put in a dedicated home console would be ten years ahead again.

And that's the dilemma.

There is no such thing as "hybrid" technology. You have mobile hardware and you have desktop/tethered hardware. The hardware in the switch is quite simply, mobile hardware, its use case just allows it to be plugged into a TV. It's like being able t plug your phone into a TV/monitor. Because you can do that doesn't make that phone a PS5/SX/Gaming PC.

Tethered hardware/technology is and will always be at least 8-10 years ahead of mobile hardware.



It's certainly possible, I'm sure Nintendo's success with the Switch has not gone unnoticed by Sony. And they have done that kind of thing before.
However, they have not really been massively successful in that arena and Nintendo dominates in it so strongly, that a new attempt would be a bit of a gamble, and a costly one at that. I'd like to see Sony succeed in any way possible, but trying to go portable again is risky. It would have to be implemented perfectly in order to stand a chance.
Also, as some of you have pointed out, Sony games don't necessarily lend themselves very well to the portable experience. Their games tend to be about heavy story and cinematic presentation and a small screen doesn't really do justice to that kind of thing or set the mood correctly.



Wman1996 said:

I'll be frank, Sony has certainly taken some ideas from Nintendo over the years. In addition to still making home consoles, do you think Sony would make a hybrid?

The PSP was a hybrid, it was just never marketed as one



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V-r0cK said:
Wman1996 said:

I'll be frank, Sony has certainly taken some ideas from Nintendo over the years. In addition to still making home consoles, do you think Sony would make a hybrid?

The PSP was a hybrid, it was just never marketed as one

SEGA Nomad predates PSP about 9 years.  Nintendo was semi there with Super Game Boy and later Game Boy Player. Then SEGA VMU's which Sony did copy with PocketStation. Sony took ideas from competitors. Sometimes improved on it (analog) and other times made it worse (Sixaxis)



Bite my shiny metal cockpit!

Leynos said:
V-r0cK said:

The PSP was a hybrid, it was just never marketed as one

SEGA Nomad predates PSP about 9 years.  Nintendo was semi there with Super Game Boy and later Game Boy Player. Then SEGA VMU's which Sony did copy with PocketStation. Sony took ideas from competitors. Sometimes improved on it (analog) and other times made it worse (Sixaxis)

The OP asked if Sony would make a hybrid, in which I replied that the PSP was a hybrid. That's all.

Nobody here mentioned that Sony was the first to make a hybrid (cause we all know that's incorrect) but I see you got your anti-Sony radar on max to think that from that simple comment I posted lol.  



They don’t need to, you can play your PS4/PS5 games on mobile through Remote Play, and they may even add PS Now on mobile sometime in the future, if they don’t shut down the service. Besides, I don’t even think many people would be happy with a PS hybrid console, it’s definitely gonna be interpreted as Sony’s ripoff Switch and for good reason.



A hybrid PS4 would technically be possible. Although this probably wouldn't come cheap by any stretch (think PS5 price tag) and the battery life would be worse than on the Switch Lite since the system would get too heavy otherwise.

So yes, technically possible, but commercially bankrupt.



The truth of the matter is that ANY company would love to be in Nintendo's shoes right now and any company would make a hybrid if they could. The only reason Sony isn't doing it because they can't.

With the Switch you code your game once and optimize for console mode, this is an effortless costless task compared to scaling a PS5 exclusive down to run on a handheld, it just turns into a time and money wasting exercise that may or may not be worth the cost, and who wants to find out really