Sony is working on a new handheld console, reports suggest – but it’s said to be a streaming device compatible with PS Remote Play.
The PlayStation Vita marked Sony’s last attempt to make a dedicated handheld games console, but if reports are correct, there’s a new device on the way. Just don’t expect it to be quite the return to the old glory days of the PSP and physical media.
According to Insider Gaming, Sony’s new device is called the Q Lite, and will use PS Remote Play to stream gameplay from a PlayStation 5.
“Early prototypes show the console will look a lot like a PlayStation 5 controller, but with a massive 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the centre,” Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson writes. “The device sports adaptive triggers for haptic feedback and will include what you would come to expect from a handheld – Volume buttons, speakers, an audio input jack, etc.”
If other rumours are correct, then Sony’s industrial designers are currently rushed off their feet behind the scenes. In mid-March, there were reports that a PS5 Pro is in the works, while a second type of PS5 with a detachable disc drive is also in the offing.
As for the Q Lite, the description makes it sound like quite a beast – the Steam Deck has a seven-inch screen, so Sony’s offering will be even heftier. How much of a market there is for a device that will also require a PlayStation 5 and a constant internet connection to work also remains to be seen; the ability to play PS5 games on the go (reportedly, at 1080p and 60FPS) will no doubt appeal to some. The device’s sheer size and potential expense could, however, make it something of a niche proposition for most.
The Q Lite is said to be in its QA phase, and could be officially unveiled by Sony as part of a “second phase” that will also include the flavours of PS5 mentioned above and wireless earphones and headsets. If Sony’s new device is real, then we should have more concrete details very soon.
