Sony All but Formally Challenges Nintendo to a Trial by Combat, Developing a Portable Rival to the Nintendo Switch

Well, folks, it looks like Sony is finally directly throwing down the gauntlet to its long-time rival, Nintendo. Per Bloomberg, Sony is developing a handheld console meant to challenge the Nintendo Switch. Reportedly, the portable console is in its early stages of development. However, it appears as though the goal is to create something that will have the power and fidelity of the PlayStation 5!

“The product is aimed at expanding Sony’s reach and contending with Nintendo Co. for the portable gaming market. According to people familiar with its development,” Bloomberg reports. “Sony’s portable device is likely years away from launch and the company could still decide against bringing it to market, the people said. Asking not to be named discussing private plans.”

So, yeah, a hush-hush Sony project has come to light. The PlayStation Portal seemed to be Sony’s foray into workshopping a heavy-hitting portable console. Though it was reportedly meant to rival the Steam Deck, Sony would focus its efforts on live-service titles. To varying degrees of success. Helldivers 2 pretty much levels the live-service playing field beyond any other missteps, though!

sony and Nintendo seem to be heading toward portable console warfare

So, what makes this especially interesting is the history between both companies. For those of you who may not know, Sony and Nintendo used to be best friends back in the day! …Or as “best friends” as two companies could be, anyway. VentureBeat actually took an excerpt from the book, Replay: The History of Video Games, a section of which discusses the Succession-esque clash between the two!

“On May 28, 1991, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Sony proudly revealed that it was working with Nintendo to create a version of the Super NES with an in-built CD drive. The two Japanese companies had been working together in secret on the project, tentatively titled the Nintendo PlayStation, since 1989 and with the hype about CD-ROM reaching fever pitch, Sony’s announcement should have been a highlight of the trade show,” the excerpt begins.

“But behind the scenes, all was not well. Since agreeing to the alliance, Nintendo had become increasingly nervous about Sony’s intentions, fearing that it wanted to use the project to muscle in on the games business. Nintendo’s paranoia was justified. Ken Kutaragi, the Sony engineer who initiated the whole project, saw the partnership as the first step to achieving his dream of getting Sony to start making game consoles.”

Seriously, read the rest of the story. It’s such a Game of Thrones level of intrigue and backstage politics! And, so, Sony is readying its armor and steel to meet Nintendo and the Nintendo Switch on the portable battleground. The winner? I suppose we’ll have to wait and see!