More than a decade after the release of the last PlayStation handheld, the Vita, several reliable leakers have reported that Sony is working on some sort of handheld device built around cloud streaming.
As reported by Insider Gaming, the device is codenamed the Q Lite, and it will require the PS5. It’s set to use Sony’s existing Remote Play functionality to adaptively stream gameplay to the Q Lite, up to 1080p/60fps. The report further suggests that the Q Lite will resemble a PS5 controller with a massive 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the center. It will feature adaptive triggers, volume buttons, speakers, and an audio input jack. It’s currently set to release before the PS5 Pro and after the rumored detachable disc drive.
The report says that the Q Lite and the detachable disc drive are part of the previously reported “second phase” of the PS5’s lifespan, which will include other hardware drops, including wireless earphones and a wireless headset. Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb seemingly corroborated some of the details of this report, stating that he’s heard details of a cloud-streaming handheld.
I am traveling to Super Nintendo World, but I see the reports about a potential Vita 2, and I would definitely scope down those expectations. I’ve only ever heard about a cloud-streaming handheld.
— Grubb (@JeffGrubb) April 4, 2023
As with all reports of this nature, it’s important to take this information with a grain of salt, as it purports to describe an in-development product that may or may not come out, regardless of whether or not the information is reliable. However, given the surging popularity of the Steam Deck and the continued strong sales of the Nintendo Switch, it’s not altogether hard to believe that Sony would release a streaming device like this.
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