PSP 2: price, expected release date, and everything you need to know
Sony's PSP 2 handheld is in the 'early stages' of development, according to the latest rumors
🎮 Sony’s PSP 2 handheld console is reportedly in development
🙌 It’s a handheld that will play games natively, not just via Remote Play
⚙️ PlayStation Portable 2 specs include an AMD APU at its core
📆 The PSP 2 release date isn’t expected to be until at least 2026
💰 PSP 2 price is likely to cost $499 or more, according to analysts
According to several credible reports, Sony is developing a new PSP 2 handheld console, with a potential launch or reveal in 2026. The move makes sense for Sony, as it seems the Japanese company has been testing the waters to gauge demand for a native gaming handheld device.
Further evidence of that has arisen after Sony sent out a survey shortly after the Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed. It asked fans what they thought of Nintendo’s new console, and even if they liked Nintendo’s pre-order strategy that restricts pre-orders to those who meet a certain playtime threshold.
One of the biggest criticisms of Sony’s PS5 add-on, the PlayStation Portal, is that it only can only steam games via Remote Play. However, that didn’t stop it from becoming best-selling accessory of 2024, which indicates demand for a PSP 2 is certainly there.
The majority of PlayStation gamers want more than just a simple Remote Play accessory. And a PSP 2 handheld that plays games natively, like the Nintendo Switch, would be far more appealing. It’s also been over 12 years since Sony released the PS Vita and 18 years since the original PSP. The time feels right for a new PlayStation Portable.
PSP 2 according to Sony’s timeline
The steady flow of PSP 2 news makes it seem like Sony’s handheld announcement is getting closer, but the PS5 Pro was the most recent hardware launch for the company, taking place on on November 7, 2024. Now that the $699.99 PS5 Pro is available, Sony can focus on developing a PSP 2 and the inevitable PS6.
Why PSP 2 is needed sooner rather than later
The need for a PSP 2 grows daily. Every month Sony delays launching its portable console, another new PC gaming handheld is announced. The Shortcut has posted an Asus ROG Ally X review, MSI Claw 8 AI+ review, and a Lenovo Legion Go S review. We’ve also been hands-on with the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 and reported on the Steam Deck OLED, Lenovo Legion Go, and Zotac Zone.
Nintendo is also set to establish itself in the handheld market with the Nintendo Switch 2, which is finally due to launch this year on June 5, succeeding the Switch which has been on sale for eight years.
Adding to the competition, an Xbox handheld is due to launch this year, though it isn’t what many quite expected. Instead of creating its own device, Microsoft is partnering with Asus to release a PC handheld that’s more friendly to Xbox users, but one that is fundamentally still a Windows 11 handheld. We might have to wait until 2027 for a genuine Xbox handheld from Microsoft, then.
With handhelds seemingly so popular nowadays, it feels odd that we don’t have one from Sony. There’s also a growing desire to play PS5 games natively (or at least those of PS4 quality). It’s something that isn’t possible with the PlayStation Portal, which requires strong Wi-Fi to connect to a PS5 or PS5 Slim and only streams games via Remote Play or the cloud.
According to the hardware leaker Moore’s Law is Dead, Sony is preparing to enter the market. The new Sony handheld is said to be powered by a custom AMD APU – similar to what we’ve seen from the Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and Lenovo Legion Go – and it will be capable of running PS4-quality games. PSP 2 games could also receive a “Pro-like patch” to boost the performance of some titles to PS5-like quality, though how this would work remains to be seen.
Moore’s Law is Dead claims that the PSP 2 is “currently in the high-level design phase,” but notes that the handheld is “at least two years out and technically not green lit for launch yet.”
Like all internal projects, the news comes with a disclaimer: the handheld may never see the light of day or could change dramatically in the coming years. As Moore’s Law is Dead notes, the “exact specs” of the PS Vita 2 are currently speculation on his part.
A more recent report from Bloomberg confirmed that a PSP 2 is in the “early stages” of development and likely “years away from launch”. There’s also a chance that Sony could decided against bringing a PlayStation Portable to market.
But based on Sony’s strong PlayStation Portal sales and our need to provide you with PS Portal restock information during its first six months on sale, the pent-up demand for a new PlayStation Portable that can play games natively is there.
With the success of the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and the rise of portable PCs, it seems like the market is ready to embrace handheld gaming once again after an initial decline because of smartphones dominating the space.
Whether Sony could topple Nintendo’s stranglehold in the portable space remains to be seen, but it’ll certainly have to do a better job supporting the PSP 2 than it did with the PS Vita and has done with the PSVR 2. It’s also been criticized for this generation for its over reliance on remasters and remakes instead of releasing genuinely new PS5 games.
PSP 2 price: how much will it cost?
Some sobering news: Sony’s return to the handheld market will cost more than the PlayStation Portable and PS Vita – maybe combined. Analyst estimates pin the PSP 2 price at $499 or more. That price tag isn’t surprising, as PC gaming handhelds cost even more, and having finished our Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review, every tech item costs more in 2024 than it did even a year ago.
The PS Vita cost $249.99 for the Wi-Fi model and $299.99 for the Wi-Fi and 3G model when it was released in 2011. Compare that to the $199 PlayStation Portal, a Remote Play streaming-only device, and it’s clear that a native handheld capable of playing PS4-level quality games for $50 more wouldn’t be feasible today.
It’s also worth looking at Nintendo’s pricing structure. The Nintendo Switch cost $299.99 when released in 2017, and the Nintendo Switch 2 price is more than many expected at $449.99. If Sony wants to release a handheld that is more powerful than the Nintendo Switch 2 and be able to compete with something like the Steam Deck, which was $399 for the entry-level model at launch, expect it to cost significantly more.
Based on these figures, then, the PSP 2 price would likely fall between the $499 to $699 mark. Sony has shown it isn’t afraid to charge a high price for its products, with the PSVR 2 price being $549 until a recent price cut and the DualSense Edge costing $199. Expect the next PlayStation Portable to be a premium product with premium performance.
PSP 2 release date
The PSP 2 release date could be as early as next year in 2026 but as we mentioned earlier it may even release in 2027 or (hopefully not) be scrapped altogether. A PSP 2 2026 release would put it in direct competition with the Nintendo Switch 2, which slipped to a release date of June-2025, and potentially pit it against Valve's Steam Deck 2.
Between today and 2025, we’ll see more PC gaming handhelds released. Likewise, we’re starting to see 2nd-gen revisions: the Steam Deck OLED and Asus ROG Ally X launched recently. But PSP 2 remains our most anticipated handheld of 2025.
The PSP 2 won’t be going up against just Nintendo this time and competition among PC gaming handhelds will be fierce, especially if 3rd-gen versions launch in 2025 and 2026.
PSP 2 performance: how powerful could the next PlayStation be?
The PS Vita couldn’t quite deliver the PS3-like quality visuals Sony promised, but it came close. We’ve seen handhelds like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck far exceed what was possible on Sony’s last portable PlayStation, which means we can expect far superior visuals by the time the PSP 2 releases.
Sony will likely aim for PS4 levels of quality for PSP 2 games, with rumors suggesting that some titles could even benefit from a “Pro”-like patch that could increase performance in certain games.
An insider who shared that PlayStation games were coming to PC years before it happened says the “PSP 2 will be able to run PS4 games” but that retailers are in the dark over Sony’s new PSP plans.
As we pointed out in our iPhone 15 Pro Max review, Apple’s current iPhone can run games like Resident Evil 4 remake and Death Stranding: Director’s Cut natively, albeit at far lower settings and with some significant compromises. With the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max performance will be even smoother, but expect the PSP 2 handheld to deliver even better results.
PSP 2 specs: will it have an AMD APU?
The PSP 2 will likely be powered by the latest custom AMD APU – similar to what’s inside the Steam Deck right now – and should benefit from any software and hardware advancements that arise.
Why will Sony choose AMD for the PSP 2? Sony has had a long-standing relationship with AMD, which makes the prospect of the PSP 2 being powered by Nvidia or Intel extremely unlikely. AMD has also shown it can deliver significant results with the Steam Deck and other PC handhelds, and Nintendo has locked in a partnership with Nvidia for Switch and Switch 2.
Up next: Here are six things Sony needs to get right with the new PSP2
Last updated: April 7, 2025
Unless it launches with a faithful remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics it will be doomed to stay in the shadow of the steam deck and never see the light of day