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Reported today in The Verge.
The portable PlayStations were Sony at its most ambitious
As we mark 25 years of PlayStation this week, Sony's grip on the home console market has rarely been stronger. The PS4 recently outsold the original PlayStation to become the second bestselling version yet behind the PS2, which will likely never be matched. It augurs well for the upcoming launch of the PS5. One part of the PlayStation story that is often overlooked, however, is Sony's efforts with handhelds. You probably know the broad strokes: the PSP was overshadowed by the hugely popular Nintendo DS, while the PS Vita never took off at all. And now we have the Switch.
But it would be unfair to write off Sony's travails in the portable gaming industry. The PSP and Vita were not only innovative devices in their own right, but the most daunting competitors Nintendo ever faced in the handheld space. They're more than just a footnote in the PlayStation story.
The idea of a portable PlayStation was something that seemed inevitable as soon as it was clear that Sony was serious about games. While the original PlayStation comprehensively outsold the Nintendo 64 around the globe, the Game Boy essentially had the handheld market to itself during that time, so it was only natural to wonder what the new home console leader would be able to put in your pocket.
In Japan, at least, Sony had an answer right away: the PocketStation. In truth, this tiny gadget didn't really count as a console - it was technologically closer to a Tamagotchi or the Dreamcast's Visual Memory Unit than a Game Boy. It was also never released outside of Japan. But with its cute, low-res mini-games that connected to popular original PlayStation titles like Final Fantasy VIII and Street Fighter Alpha 3, the PocketStation w
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