Sony confirms PS6 will go ‘beyond the living room’ amid handheld rumours

A PS6 handheld looks inevitable (Sony Interactive Entertainment) PlayStation’s CEO has once again teased that Sony ’s PS6 will have a portable offshoot, as they ‘evaluate’ their approach to the console’s price. Sony hasn’t confirmed anything about its next generation console plans yet, but a stack of rumours and teasers suggest it will have a handheld component. The big question is what form this handheld will take – whether it’s a streaming device like the PS Portal, a standalone system like the PS Vita, or a hybrid akin to the Nintendo Switch. Sony hasn’t given any clarification on this topic, but it has emphasised how the PlayStation 6 will go ‘beyond the living room’ in a new Q&A.  Speaking in a newly published Q&A with investors , Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino was asked how PlayStation plans to bring back players who migrated to PC during lockdown, at which point he began talking about trying to break away from the living room. ‘PlayStation has long been strongly associated with the idea of playing in the living room,’ Nishino said. ‘However, in recent years, more users globally have been using personal monitors. In response, we are selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers to break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’ and to broaden usage scenarios. Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. ‘For the next generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that is unique to PlayStation. This includes not only technological advancements but also an expansion of usage styles, enabling a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.’ Unless these ‘usage styles’ relate to some kind of PlayStation dishwasher, the only reasonable assumption is that he’s talking about a portable device. In the same Q&A, Nishino discussed the price of its next generation device, where he implied that – taking into account rumours about PlayStation 6 hardware costs – it will be an expensive piece of kit. ‘As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside Japan,’ he added. ‘At present, however, sales are proceeding as planned, and we do not believe this has led to a decline in customer demand.  ‘As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses. At the same time, we are carefully monitoring the market and continuing to evaluate our approach. We believe it is important for us to make every effort to ensure that customers fully understand the value we provide in relation to pricing.’ If Sony does