PlayStation once again plays down Vita 2 possibilities
The company sees 'limited potential' for handheld game, despite Switch success
Andrew House has once again reiterated Sony's focus on high-end, living room console gaming in an interview with Bloomberg.
The company has enjoyed some success with both PSP and Vita, with the latter continuing to perform strongly in Japan. PlayStation's US boss Shawn Layden said in June that the Vita remains a viable platform, primarily due to the machine's success in Asia.
However, the firm has repeatedly said that outside of certain Asian markets, handheld gaming has been replaced by mobile. Indeed, Sony has made repeated efforts to find a foothold in the smartphone space, including its new mobile studio ForwardWorks.
Yet following the success of Nintendo Switch, Bloomberg asked PlayStation boss Andrew House if Sony's stance on handheld gaming has softened.
"The Nintendo device is a hybrid device and that's a different approach and strategy," House told Bloomberg at Tokyo Game Show. "We have not seen [handheld gaming outside of Japan] as being a huge market opportunity."
He continued: "The lifestyle shift toward the dominance of smartphones as the single key device that is always with you, was the determining factor."
In addition, House believes Nintendo is not eating into Sony's share in the console market, and is instead adding to the industry overall. "We remain focused around a highly connected gaming experience and also coupled with having a great range of other entertainment experiences so you can reach multiple people on the big screen in the household," he said.