Sony is tipped to be working on a new handheld games console, but it’s probably not what you’re thinking.
News of a possible new Sony handheld will have many excited, but might also have you questioning whether Sony learned anything from its previous two attempts. Sure, the PSP and PS Vita were beloved machines, but neither (especially the Vita) exactly sold in Nintendo GameBoy/DS numbers.
A direct follow-up to the PS Vita doesn’t seem to be on the cards, however. According to Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, Sony is working on a machine that would effectively work like the Wii U’s bulky game pad.
The Q Lite, as it’s apparently been codenamed, will stream content from a PS5 console at up to 1080p and 60FPS through Remote Play. As such, it’ll require a constant connection to the internet.
Initial prototypes apparently show a device that looks a lot like the PS5 DualSense controller, but with an 8-inch touchscreen LCD in between the two physical control arms. That DualSense link runs to adaptive triggers, while the device will also feature volume buttons, speakers, and an audio input jack.
According to the report, the Q Lite will launch before Sony’s much rumoured PS5 Pro revamp, but after the remodelled PS5 with the detachable disc drive. With the PS5 Pro tipped for a late 2024 release, that means we could be seeing Sony’s new kind-of-handheld relatively soon, potentially as part of the company’s next showcase event.
Sony disappointed us all late last year when the Xperia Stream gaming accessory didn’t turn out to be the new PlayStation phone we were (rather optimistically) hoping for.
