AMD and Sony are working on next-gen PlayStation gaming handheld: portable PS5 and PS4 games

Sony is reportedly working on a next-gen PlayStation gaming handheld, which might or might not be called the Vita 2, and is part of the "PlayStation 6 family" as a handheld that's meant to launch with the next-gen PlayStation 6 console, but as a weaker handheld that can play some PS5 games, and should play ALL previous-gen PS4 games.

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Sony next-gen PlayStation handheld leaks (source: Moore's Law is Dead)

In a new rumor, leaker Moore's Law is Dead said that he's heard from sources that state a custom AMD APU is currently in the "High-Level Design Phase," which means we're at least two years away from seeing it. Inside, Sony's next-gen PlayStation handheld would have 18 CUs on the GPU side of things, meaning that it would be natively backward-compatible with all PS4 digital titles, and it should run some PS5 games as well.

Sony uses variable clock speeds inside of the PlayStation 5, so a portable PlayStation console with its GPU running at up to (variable) 1.8GHz means you'll have a decent amount of power in your hands on the go. Not all PS5 games would work on the next-gen PlayStation portable handheld, but would require per-game testing and patches, and would run at much lower resolutions than the minimum resolution rendered on a full PlayStation 5 console.

• Read more: New PlayStation handheld: Not Vita 2, remote play only, no dedicated gaming
• Read more: Sony reveals why it's not making a new PlayStation Vita

MLID has also heard that he's heard the "Vita 2" is a "PlayStation 6 Family" handheld that is meant to launch "many years from now" with the next-gen PlayStation 6 console but as a weaker and portable alternative for the Japanese market. I can't see this being an only-in-Japan release, as gamers worldwide would want Sony's next-gen PlayStation handheld.

Sony will have a considerable amount of battles to fight in the gaming handheld market, with the likes of the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, ASUS ROG Ally, and many other gaming handhelds that have been super popular with gamers. If you've got a Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally (or other custom AMD APU-powered handhelds), you can play your PC games on the handheld or on your PC with the same games.

You can't do that with the Sony PlayStation Vita, so MLID is right about getting games working on the next-gen PlayStation handheld and the PlayStation 6 (and PS5 and PS4) with digital versions of their games running across the platforms down into the handheld. Being able to run some PS5 games and all PS4 games would be a huge win for Sony.

• Read more: Sony's beefed-up PlayStation 5 Pro should play GTA 6 at a smoother 60FPS

It seems MLID is on the same thought train as me when it comes to Sony having the most powerful console on the market to play the biggest game of all time -- Grand Theft Auto 6 -- and how it is a win for everyone. Rockstar, Sony, AMD, and gamers. Sony's beefed-up PlayStation 5 Pro console running GTA 6 at a solid 60FPS would be a huge win, absolutely massive for the PS5 Pro... something PC gamers will have to wait a while to play.