Sony has officially confirmed that it is working on a PlayStation handheld to make playing PS5 games easier. The console was announced at PlayStation Showcase on Wednesday and is called Sony Project Q.
“We will launch a dedicated device that enables you to stream any game from your PS5 console using Remote Play over Wi-Fi. […] Internally known as ‘Project Q,’ it has an 8-inch HD screen and all of the buttons and features of the DualSense wireless controller.”
Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment
According to the press release, the Sony Project Q will feature an LCD display with a 1080p resolution and a frame rate of 60 fps. It establishes connections via WLAN and has the adaptive DualSense triggers on board. The Q handheld is slated for release later this year. However, Sony has not yet revealed when the time will come and how much the new console will cost.
According to the fine print at the bottom of Sony’s presentation, games you want to play on the Q must be installed on a PlayStation 5 console. The Sony Project Q apparently comes as a companion for your own PS5 and not as a device that plays games natively like the Steam Deck, makes calls or streams games from the cloud. However, Sony is one of the leaders in cloud gaming with its PlayStation Now service. And for exactly this service there are currently various open job offers. It seems like Sony is currently overhauling PlayStation Now and that the Q will also offer cloud gaming at a later date.
In the short trailer, Sony doesn’t mention streaming games through Project Q outside of your home. Sony’s Remote Play does support connections via cellular networks. As said, the Q only supports Wi-Fi, so you may need a cellular connection or a hotspot.
Switch, Steam Deck and ROG Ally are waiting
With Project Q, Sony seems to be responding to the increased popularity of handhelds with its own offering. The Nintendo Switch is currently leading this market. But it’s getting more and more competition from the Valve Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally. Without streaming via mobile phone, the Q should primarily be of interest to PlayStation fans. On the other hand, you can also remote play PS5 games through almost any iPhone, Android phone, Windows or MacBook. There’s even a Remote Play Linux app called Chiaki that you can install on the Steam Deck.
