
While it wasn't as successful as Sony (then known as Sony Ericsson) hoped, the Xperia Play made one heck of a splash when it was first announced.
Combining the promise of smartphone technology with the company's PlayStation brand, the Android-based handset boasted slide-out physical controls and support for a range of PS1 classics and was also a popular choice with emulation fans.
Sadly, it didn't perform as well as expected, and the Xperia Play concept didn't progress past a single device.

Chinese emulation device company Anbernic appears to be mulling over a spiritual successor to Sony's handset. As reported by Notebook Check, an internal prototype appears to be doing the rounds and could make it into full production.
The test device has a 5-inch display and is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chipset. It is not known if any cellular functionality will be included so it can be used for calls, but the Android platform would naturally allow for this if Anbernic decided to go the whole hog.
Would you be interested in buying a next-gen Xperia Play device in 2025? Share your thoughts with a comment below.