Rumors about the “PS5 Portable” continue. Sony is reportedly releasing a hybrid half accessory PlayStation 5, half handheld console device and we know when it might be released.
Rumors of a potential PS Vita 2 have now died down. A insider had given hope to those who want Sony to return to the portable console market. The Japanese company would ultimately opt for something in between, which fans of the brand already call the PS5 portable, despite everything. A device that will therefore not run on the flowerbeds of the Nintendo Switch or the Steam deck, but would reinforce the remote play functionality of the PlayStation 5, which is so expensive for the manufacturer. We now know more about the release date.
A release window for the PS5 Portable
No PS Vita 2 on the horizon, but new hardware that looks like a portable console. Known by the codename Q Lite, the device would be a hybrid between the accessory and a cloud gaming console. The one that players are already calling the PS5 Portable actually requires ownership of the base console and would be based on the remote play functionality that the manufacturer was promoting just a few days ago. It would then require a permanent internet connection, the performance of which allows for a streaming game that can climb to 1080p and 60fps. It’s obviously suddenly less sexy than a PS Vita 2. Tom Henderson, who revealed its existence, had indicated it would be released before the famous PS5 Pro. It has now provided more details about its launch window.
« It will be released between the PS5 Pro, currently slated for late 2024, and the new PlayStation 5 with a detachable drive, due out later this year. The release date is initially set for the end of this year. Many people say it will launch in 2024, but at the moment it’s scheduled for November 2023 instead.
Several anticipated new hardware features
According to him, the “PlayStation Portable”, as he calls it, is currently in the internal test phase. It would feature a similar design to a PS5 controller, with a huge 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the middle. The DualSense-specific features such as adaptive triggers with haptic feedback would of course be present, as well as the buttons specific to a portable console, in particular those for adjusting the volume and a jack socket, would also be integrated.
One thing seems more certain than ever, Sony is working hard on the hardware. Should the PSVR 2 be a complete flop, the manufacturer is planning something new in the coming months. Alongside the PS5 Pro and the console with an external drive, the Japanese company would also have a new headset and wireless headphones in their boxes designed specifically for the console. None of these new functions have been formalized yet. We should know more in the weeks or even months to come, especially with the rumors of a big PlayStation Showcase this summer becoming more and more persistent.
