In 2005, Sony released their first gaming handheld, the PlayStation Portable (PSP). It was also the first gaming handheld that could display pictures, play music and video, and surf the internet with its Wi-Fi connection. Its engine could also support better, higher quality graphics, which put the system—at least graphics-wise—ahead of the main competition for portable gaming: the Nintendo DS.

Since the PSP's inception, it has gone through multiple firmware updates and a few hardware versions with minimal upgrades. The hardware changes not only improved the console's gaming and multimedia functionality, but it also lightened up the physical weight of the handheld.