The PlayStation Vita handheld console may be nearing the end of its lifecycle but that doesn't necessarily mean Sony's mobile ambitions are dying with it.
Sony's John (Tsuyoshi) Kodera at a roundtable interview in Tokyo on Wednesday said he believes that rather than separating portable gaming from consoles, it's necessary to continue to think of [portable gaming] as one method to deliver more gaming experiences and exploring what their customers want from portable.
Kodera replaced Andrew House as President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment last October. His words at the roundtable could be dissected in a manner that suggests Sony is at least interested in pursuing a mobile-heavy approach with its next offering, similar to the path Nintendo took with its hybrid Switch console last year.
With Sony reportedly ending production of physical PS Vita games in the near future, the PlayStation 4 entering the latter half of its lifecycle, rumors of the PS5 already making the rounds and the increasing popularity of mobile devices, it makes sense that Sony may be exploring the possibility of breaking free from the living room with its next console. Plus, Nintendo has proven with its Switch that a market does exist for a hybrid system.
Either way, another dedicated handheld like the PS Vita seems unlikely in this landscape.