PS Vita 2 rumoured to be digital and online only handheld gaming device that will force consumers to double dip.
Let’s dive into the whirlwind world of Sony’s handheld gaming saga, and why the whispers of a Vita 2 have us all on the edge of our seats, for better or worse.
RELATED: GTA6 and Xbox: A Partnership that Redefines Gaming Standards
Remember the PSP? That sleek little number that felt like you were carrying a piece of the future in your backpack? And then the Vita, Sony’s bold step into next-gen portable gaming? Those were the days, my friends. Sony was sitting pretty on the throne of handheld gaming, with us gamers eagerly lapping up every new title and hardware revision they threw our way.
But here’s where the plot thickens. Just when we were all in, Sony started pulling back. Slowly at first, then all at once, like a band-aid ripped off, leaving nothing but a sting. They began dialing down support for these handheld marvels, eventually pulling the plug on the PSP and Vita stores. Just like that, games we paid hard-earned cash for were yanked out of reach. Talk about a rude awakening to the digital age.
And it’s not just games. Remember the Funimation fiasco? When Sony snapped up Crunchyroll and suddenly, a bunch of content we paid for on Funimation just vanished into thin air? Yeah, that stung too. It’s like Sony’s telling us, “Thanks for your money, but we’re going to decide what you can and can’t access now.”
Fast forward to the present, and the rumor mill’s buzzing about a new Sony handheld, possibly the Vita 2, expected to drop in 2026. But get this: it’s probably going to be digital-only. Given Sony’s track record, it’s hard not to be a little wary. What if they decide to pull the plug again? Your digital library could vanish faster than you can say “DRM.”
But not all is doom and gloom in the world of portable gaming. Enter the ASUS ROG Ally, a beacon of hope for those of us still nursing our digital wounds. This powerhouse of a portable gaming PC isn’t just about jaw-dropping specs and buttery-smooth frame rates; it’s a statement. A statement that says, “Hey, we get it. You want to own your games, not just rent them from a corporate overlord.”
With the Ally, you’re not locked into a walled garden. Steam, Xbox Game Pass, GOG – you name it, you can play it. And the best part? No double-dipping. Buy a game once, and play it on any device. It’s like the gaming gods finally heard our prayers.
But let’s circle back to Sony’s new handheld for a sec. If the rumors are true, and it’s all digital with a limited library, it’s going to have to pull out some serious magic to win over gamers. Especially when Microsoft’s making moves that just make sense for us, the players.
And about those games we lost access to? Emulation on devices like the Ally is a game-changer. It’s not just about reliving the glory days; it’s a battle cry for digital preservation and consumer rights. If we’ve paid for a game, shouldn’t we have the right to play it, no matter what?
This brings us to the heart of the matter: the ethics of emulation. It’s a touchy subject, but think about it. If companies like Sony can just yank away access to games we’ve bought, what choice are we left with? “If purchase isn’t ownership, then piracy isn’t theft,” goes the saying. And in a world where digital content can be here today, gone tomorrow, maybe it’s time we had a serious chat about what ownership really means in the digital age.
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Hope, mostly. Hope that the future of gaming is one where gamers have more control over their digital libraries, where platforms like the ASUS ROG Ally pave the way for a more open, accessible gaming world. And maybe, just maybe, Sony’s next handheld will surprise us all and be a part of that future.
But until then, I’ll be over here with my Ally, diving back into those games I was afraid I’d lost forever. Because at the end of the day, it’s about the games, and making sure we can always play them, no matter what the corporate bigwigs decide.