Active development by the company on a power-saving mode points to this possibility, according to recent insights.
As per the well-known insider Moore’s Law is Dead, the ongoing work on a feature dubbed “Power Saver Mode” might be more significant than it initially appears. Sources suggest that this mode is effectively a “Trojan horse” designed to provide robust support for a portable iteration of the upcoming PlayStation console.
Leaked information reveals that the developer guidelines for implementing Power Saver Mode align almost perfectly with the rumored specifications of a portable device. These specifications reportedly include a configuration featuring 4 Zen 6c cores (providing up to 8 threads for gaming tasks) and 2 energy-efficient Zen 6 cores (offering up to 4 threads for system operations). This correlation strongly implies that the mode is being developed not merely for energy conservation, but primarily as a critical compatibility layer for a future handheld PlayStation device.
Further evidence supporting this theory stems from the recent leak of the PlayGo feature within the PlayStation 5 SDK. This functionality, comparable to Microsoft’s Smart Delivery system, empowers developers to efficiently distribute game files and textures across various console versions. Consequently, game downloads can now be distinctly optimized for PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5, PS5 Pro, and notably, for the Power Saver Mode, which has been assigned its own unique asset packaging format.
Moreover, reports indicate that Sony is in the process of informing developers about the gradual discontinuation of support for legacy PlayStation Network features pertaining to PS4 games. Developers are being encouraged to transition towards cross-generation development tools. This move serves as another compelling indicator of the imminent arrival of a new console generation from Sony.