This Modder Turned Old PlayStation 2s Into A Foldable Handheld Console

Foldable handheld smart devices are becoming quite popular. There are smartphones, laptops and tablets, and gaming consoles. New tech is constantly popping up showing just how advanced it’s become. Now, however, there’s a new yet quite old video game console that got the foldable treatment so you can play all your retro games, but there’s currently only one of it.

A YouTube video by Lcldiy shows the creator building a fully customized PlayStation 2 handheld. By using three broken PS2s they bought for $20 at a flea market — talk about a bargain — the YouTuber removed the motherboards and actually cut them into pieces so it would fit their handheld design. A cooling system and virtual drive was added to the chopped up motherboard and a custom screen was added to the system. A foldable LCD was used for the display, and the entire console design was produced with 3D imaging software. The motherboard was placed on one side and the control board and battery on the other and connected so it could fold.

The console, dubbed the PlayStation 2 Duo, was tested by playing “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City,” which ran pretty well. It’s not an officially licensed game handheld from Sony, if you want that you could buy a PlayStation Portal. If you want the PlayStation 2 Duo, there’s an open source link so you can make your own.

The PlayStation 2 Duo could be considered a prototype, as there’s only one model, but it isn’t the only gaming console of its type. Lenovo created a concept handheld gaming system called the Legion Go Fold. The handheld was revealed during the Mobile World Congress 2026. It’s an idea that’s yet to be put into production for the masses, but one can hope.

The Legion Go Fold featured an 11.6-inch OLED display that was capable of transforming from a laptop type tablet into a 7.7-inch handheld device. It’s an experiment done by the company that shows it’s possible to create a tablet/handheld hybrid. Footage showing the Legion Go Fold features it as a massive tablet device set between a game controller.

The screen is capable of being folded from a shut position to an open one that extends it fully to appear more like a massive tablet attached to a controller. The display can also be folded back completely. It doesn’t look all that flashy and dare I say, the PlayStation 2 Duo looks like a more competent and elegant handheld. Neither foldable gadget can fit in your pocket, but do extend the reach of gaming from the couch to elsewhere.

The most affordable gaming console may be a retro device such as the PS2, as modern gaming is becoming more expensive. Just like Lcldiy visited a flea market to find parts for the PlayStation 2 Duo, so, too, could you turn to thrifting for the opportunity to find games, consoles, and accessories for older hardware. You don’t have to build your own console with busted parts, but you may be able to find classic titles that are difficult and more expensive to come by today.

There are Reddit threads full of comments discussing the art of thrift shopping for video games. One person discovered a copy of “Goldeneye 007” for the Nintendo 64, a Dreamcast with a few controllers, and other games at their local thrift shop. Another found PS1 games for $1 a piece. Thrifters say you won’t always find a treasure, but may get lucky every once in a while.

Shopping for retro consoles and titles can be a hobby, or simply attempting to find something you don’t have. Depending on what you want, you could even look at Amazon or eBay for older hardware such as a PS2 or a copy of a video game you used to play all the time. With any luck, perhaps more people will create handhelds like the PlayStation 2 Duo after shopping for thrift store deals.