Definitive return of portable consoles

The forerunner of this type of console, the Nintendo DS, launched in 2004, sold 154 million units. On the other hand, in its eagerness to compete, Sony managed to stand up to the competition with its PSP, with 82 million units sold.

Undoubtedly, portable consoles were a resounding success in the video game industry.

Cell phones changed history

But, at the beginning of the next decade, everything changed. Smartphones captured as much attention as possible, but most curious is that portable consoles are back in fashion now.

Undoubtedly, the Steam Deck or the Nintendo Switch is to blame for this.

Attempted renaissance

In 2011, Nintendo tried to revive itself with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, but it managed to sell only 76 million units. Sony launched the PS Vita in 2012, but due to its high price and limited game catalog, it was a resounding failure for the company, which sold only 12 million units.

There was no doubt that people were more interested in desktop platforms such as PCs and consoles or mobile video games on their smartphones. This undoubtedly made portable consoles less attractive, and both the industry and users were moving away from the portable format.

Nintendo Switch

Once again, Nintendo hit the nail on the head by launching the Nintendo Switch at an ideal time.

It is no secret that, although mobile devices have had a boom in terms of video games, the battery and the limited catalog of games made video game enthusiasts want another type of device.

In 2017, the first Nintendo Switch launched the market, a hybrid console responsible for revolutionizing the market. While this console could not compete with the PS4 or Xbox One, Nintendo knew that adding many exciting titles to this portable console could capture many people again.

In addition, the Nintendo Switch had something exciting. Its 6.2-inch screen made it behave perfectly like a desktop console. While this made it, for many, less portable, the experience and features were still extraordinary.

Steam Deck

The giant video game platform Steam took this excellent idea from Nintendo. After its failure with the Steam Machines, announced 2021 the Steam Deck, a portable console that, without a doubt, was going to challenge everything previously known.

While it was an exclusive Steam console, it did not close the doors for partnerships with popular organizations such as Game Pass and Epic Games GOG.

Although the Steam Deck is based on Linux, it is possible to install Windows 11 as the OS, making it a portable console that has become, without a doubt, a versatile portable desktop PC.

Its success has been so marked in the video game industry that many other manufacturers have taken the risk of launching consoles such as AYANeo2, AYN Loki, AYANeo Air Plus, OneXPlayer, or GPD Win 3.

Razer and Logitech make inroads in this industry

We have popular gaming platforms and technology giants in terms of peripherals and components; Razer and Logitech have launched their portable consoles.

These are the G Cloud (Logitech) and Edge (Razer). Both follow in the wake of the Steam Deck, with significant differences, but they are becoming more consolidated in this new environment.

This tells us that the trend is towards the return of portable consoles. Moreover, at least in these first months, we have observed an evident interest on the part of gamers.

Playing AAA, PC, and console games on a portable console makes this an excellent option for gamers.

Header: Valve