There is a new PlayStation handheld console in development. But before you get your hopes up, there are some problems we’ve got to talk about.
Reported by Insider Gaming, this project (codenamed Q Lite) is set to be the next portable gaming system from Sony, which relies on a constant internet connection and remote play. And therein lies the problem.
What do we know so far?
On paper, this all sounds pretty sweet — an 8-inch 1080p 60FPS LCD touchscreen display, a PlayStation 5 controller-inspired ergonomic design with full adaptive trigger and haptic support, and all the usual suspects of a handheld (volume controls, a headphone jack and more). Cool, right? So what’s my reservation?
Two words: game streaming.
You see, according to the leak, this is a device that will require owners to own a PlayStation 5. Not only that, but it’s not true cloud streaming — instead opting to use the remote play functionality. So if anything, the functionality is more restricted than the already pretty bogged down version of the Logitech G Cloud (yikes).
Don’t get me wrong, remote play when your partner is using the TV to watch Great British Bake Off is a godsend, but when you’re out and about, it becomes quite an awkward affair. You’ll need your console to be turned on at all times, you can’t guarantee a strong Wi-Fi connection when gaming on the go, and without a direct connection to the game via a cloud server, you will fall victim to some latency.
These were the experiences I had when using the Backbone One PlayStation Edition, and unless there is some wizardry at work behind the scenes (or the leak turns out to only be half-true, and this is an actual cloud streaming device), these problems will persist.
Regardless, we may not have to wait too long to see what Project Q Lite will be like, as the device has entered its QA testing phase, and is set to release before the supposed PlayStation 5 Pro (even though that’s in doubt).
Outlook
So, as a Vita owner (and lover), you can imagine my excitement at the potential of this being a thing. I’m a little nervous about it being a streaming device that revolves entirely around remote play. But in reality, this could be PlayStation’s equivalent of a portable Xbox Game Pass machine — launched before Microsoft even thinks about this golden ticket opportunity!
This will form a part of what leakers are calling the “second phase of PS5,” which includes such new hardware as the PS5 with a detachable disc drive, and the upcoming slate of games like Spider-Man 2 and the upcoming Last of Us multiplayer game.
Would you be interested in a remote play-connected PlayStation Portable? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!
