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Possible new PlayStation Portal model pays homage to the Vita's OLED

While much of the focus on PlayStation's next steps is the PS6 and PS6 Portable , the two-year old PlayStation Portal could be getting a revamp according to those pesky internet rumours.  Update : Hints at pricing are around £/$250-299 for the new model, but everything remains deeply in rumours territory. Presumably to hit the 10% (currently 7%-ish) adoption rate among PS5 owners that would make it a bone fide hit gadget.   As the improvement in connectivity and streaming tech, proven by many gamers enjoying their PS5 or PlayStation Plus streamed content from around the world, an updated Portal Pro could be on the cards.  Possibly featuring a 120Hz display and an OLED screen in honour of the mighty Vita, that'd be cool. Assuming the 120HZ streaming is solid, an OLED would be the more welcome addition, especially with the latest generation of technology offering QD-OLED (Quantum Dot-OLED), WOLED (White-OLED) and other buzzy titles for smarter display.  Whatever ...

Bring the games! What will Sony add to its slim launch event?

Sony could announce a diamond encrusted Vita, skinnier than a baby ant at its upcoming launch event next week. It still won't sell, that is without some exciting titles to juice gamers' interest and to make a very big splash.

UPDATE: Sony says don't expect any game announcements during this event. Do these marketing idiots ever stick their heads out into the real world? Here's a shiny new gadget... with nothing new to do on it -- holy shit!

So what can Sony offer us? We know there's a fair few games on the way, but beyond Borderlands 2 and the army of indies, people need something new to get excited about. We've already seen an anglicised version of Freedom Wars, which might be good for the cognoscenti, but unless there's a blockbuster movie coming along with it (perhaps an all-star sequel of sorts to In Time) it looks pretty niche.

So, what's off the radar, neatly avoiding the perennial suspects of GTA, CoD and so on? It seems likely that some more JRPGs are headed our way, but between NISA, Atlus and Idea Factory, we're doing pretty well on that front.

So, maybe Sony's buddy Sega will have some good news in the guise of a new Shenmue, Grandia or Skies of Arcadia title (or, more likely, a remake). Looking back west, Sony's own studios have got the first rush of PS4 titles out of the way, are any of them pining for Vita development, or is the big boss keeping them focused on driving the PS4's momentum?

Whatever Sony does show off will define the year for the handheld, one or two big-name games may give it a future in the eyes of other developers. If there's nothing but cast-offs, ports and retro chic, then the Vita is dead, as far as the dream of the traditional console experience goes. Is that a bad thing? Kind of, given the Vita's launch ambition, but I'm quite happy paying a few quid a month for some gaming nuggets over the periodic GotY titles. It would just be nice to have a choice!

What do you fancy playing on your slim Vita (or your OLED original) later in the year?

Currently playing on my Vita/PS3/PS4/PS5


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