Opinion - The Rise of the Handheld Console
There's a new version of casual consoles
The news regarding video game hardware has been getting confusing as we enter an era where the old one-device model is slowly fading. The gaming community has become so big that even the hardcore gamer has split with a new community we can call “the enthusiast,” it has created a struggle among the platform makers on how to reach audiences. On one hand, we have gamers who want all the bells and whistles with graphics and performance. To reach this audience, a push has been made to make more expensive consoles that meet those needs. We have seen this technically even with the base systems, but now, with the PS5 Pro, we are getting consoles made to attract these specific individuals and get all the accolades from Digital Foundry types.
Then we have people like me, who are hardcore gamers who aren’t as obsessed with graphics as others but want them decent enough to be provided in a box. In some ways, the Xbox Series S and cheaper versions of consoles, such as the digital PS5 and Xbox Series X, tackle this. But there is one type of gamer I’ve been wondering what will happen to in the future regarding these devices. These gamers barely get brought up in conversations about hardware, the kids who have to convince their parents to buy them a system, or people who can’t stomach paying in the mid to high hundred+ mark. This, as well as a new round of gamers, is where handhelds will dominate.
The Nintendo Switch may be compared to the Atari VCS or NES because handheld gaming has been the most popular ever since I followed the industry. Even I, who tend to play my Switch on a TV, have become more and more interested in playing these games in handheld mode. Part of this is due to my busier schedule as a dad and the fact that the living room TV isn’t always free the way it used to be. Kids, meanwhile, are growing up on mobile devices. The days of kids having their first gaming experiences on a system, even a Nintendo one, are over. My niece and nephew play on their iPads, and even my daughter is starting to get into mobile games. As they grow up, they won’t be as experienced with traditional game boxes tied to your TV. This and the rising price of video game consoles are, in my opinion, going to create a lane for a new replacement of what certain consumers would have bought a console for in the past decades with the rise of more handheld gaming devices.
It’s not only the traditional video game system space, either. We now have gaming PC handhelds like the Steam Deck, ROG Ally, MSI Claw, and more, with the Steam Deck in particular becoming more and more popular every year that passes. With a world that is becoming filled with more things to do, more focused outside the living room, and more tech-based, it makes sense for gaming to look beyond the classic TV and computer setup. The consumer base is asking for handheld consoles, and Nintendo has been delivering.
The successor to the Nintendo Switch has started to leak out, and we know it’s a matter of when, not if, it’s revealed this year. According to the leaks, Nintendo seems to be playing it safe and will deliver a stronger console that tries to get as close as possible to at least Xbox Series S-style graphical fidelity. The system looks like it will look similar, and I don’t mind that. Nintendo probably sees this as an iPhone 4 moment rather than an N64 moment. With graphical fidelity starting to hit the ceiling and the potential for Switch to reach the PS2 mark in units sold, they don’t need to reinvent the wheel and take a risk. As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I guess that the Switch 2, and yes I expect that name, will launch with a $399 model and potentially a $449 model. I see them doing one price cut in the future and maybe a cheaper handheld-only version. By playing it safe, they keep a good chunk of their audience and have the SNES of this new handheld premium space. I am confident in Nintendo’s next system, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have competition.
The gaming PC handhelds are nice, but we all know that the traditional big three are the ones we look at when defining the industry. I’ve gone back and forth on this, but I firmly believe we will get an Xbox handheld before the decade ends. While it likes to be used as a pillow to beat up on, I am a fan of the Xbox Series S. But I think Microsoft messed up by not going for a handheld for their “starter” device. I think they fix that next time and have a pretty powerful handheld that has the option to dock. This could potentially be a nice win for them, as a handheld with a Game Pass subscription could be my primary gaming source. The last piece of advice I would give Microsoft is to price it as cheaply as possible. I know they need to make sure they make a profit, but if they can get one out at about Switch 2 price levels, they could have a killer device.
That leaves PlayStation. I feel that PlayStation is the one brand that badly wants to keep the old traditional console model because they’ve dominated it for so long. However, I do see the company finally starting to show signs they know the industry is changing. There is a report that they are working on two chips for the PS6, pointing to a two-device structure. I don’t think they go a Series S and X route. I think they may, keyword may, be making a handheld. The PlayStation Portal does seem to be Sony checking on the potential market for a handheld device. If they release one, it would set up console gaming as a split with handheld devices for the money-conscious gamer and kids and then slightly more expensive boxes for the enthusiasts. It would be a change from what we’re used to, but one that does provide more options.
As I’ve said a million times, the future of gaming in the next decade-plus is certainly going to be interesting. I expect handheld gaming to become a bigger part of that story, and the industry will adjust to meet the multiple different needs of consumers. There are other bigger problems in the industry, but I think this approach could be a long-term fix, especially to address the kids growing up on mobile devices. It’s going to be pretty exciting to see these devices launch.
I really keep thinking about a SteamDeck but just can't pull the trigger. It's a lot of money for something I'm not sure I'd use enough.
Crazy that everyone said handhelds were over in the 2010s, due to the rise of mobile. I'm with you, I definitely see them making a triumphant return in the next few years, if only because people want to play on portable devices, but they don't necessarily want to play mobile crap.
Thanks for the post!