Sony’s PlayStation Showcase 2023 was one for the books. From new footage for popular video games such as Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy XVI to the highly anticipated reveal of the Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake and noticeable absences from the line-up, the company officially announced its all-new hardware, the Project Q.
With Project Q, PlayStation players can stream their favorite video games from their PS5 consoles over WiFi using the PlayStation remote play app, which offers the same console gaming experience on a handheld device. While Sony hasn’t mentioned whether any Project Q exclusive titles will be made available, the console will come with all the features of the DualSense 5 controller, featuring innovations such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
“PlayStation’s passion for innovation extends beyond the video games players play to how they play them,” said PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan.
Important Q’s
The reveal of the Project Q comes right after the reveal of Backbone One, Android Edition, which was announced a week ago. The new mobile device lets players use the remote play app on their smartphones, and also bundles numerous gaming services. However, Sony’s Q takes things one step further as it is a stand-alone device manufactured and labeled by Sony itself, featuring an eight-inch HD display. As of now, it’s unclear whether Project Q’s screen will offer touch interaction, but the DualSense 5 controller includes some touch features, which makes it possible that the device’s screen may likewise incorporate touch. It’s also possible that PlayStation may develop Q-exclusive games, which may heavily utilize the device’s touch features.
Project Q might give gamers a glimpse of PlayStation’s mobile gaming aspirations and host mobile games developed by the PlayStation label. As PlayStation has always come second to Nintendo in the handheld space, Q will definitely put Sony in the running. Nintendo leverages its intellectual property to provide different gaming experiences.
Interestingly, the addition of cloud gaming comes right after the CMA made the call to stop Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard as it was worried about the impact on cloud gaming. So, what exactly does this mean for mobile gamers? The company’s mobile titles and games specifically designed for Project Q could potentially incorporate haptic feedback, one of DualSense 5’s standout features. Fans have wondered whether the blockbuster Horizon franchise would market a mobile edition earlier this year.