A decade after premature end of the PlayStation VitaHandheld gaming is more alive than ever, leading many people to wonder if Sony will try to re-enter the portable gaming market one day. Based on a new report by insider gaming, the answer is both yes and no. Sony appears to be working on a new handheld device, but it might be only be for remote gaming with the PS5. It definitely doesn’t sound like the Vita 2 some fans have dreamed.
insider gamingis Tom Henderson reports that this new device will be codenamed Q Lite and will not work offline or like a traditional cloud gaming handheld. Instead, it appears to work exclusively with your existing PS5 to remotely stream games at up to 1080p resolution and 60fps. “Early prototypes indicate that the console will look very much like a PlayStation 5 controller, but with a huge 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the middle,” he writes. “The device features adaptive triggers for haptic feedback and includes what you would expect from a handheld – volume buttons, speakers, an audio-in jack, etc.”
my city can’t confirm it Henderson’s report, however giant bombis Jeff Grubb recently written that he’s also heard of plans for a possible “cloud streaming handheld.” Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
If true, it’s an extremely odd choice that’s sure to disappoint longtime fans of Sony’s portable gaming devices. While the PSP and Vita were never as successful as Nintendo’s Game Boy and DS handhelds, they were nifty devices in their own right, both expanding the PlayStation gaming ecosystem new and useful ways
Continue reading: Everyone is making a new PlayStation Vita except Sony
We could spend all day complaining again why the vita ultimately failedboth in terms of revenue and its game library, but what’s clear today is that mobile gaming wasn’t even a decade ago didn’t destroy the market for high-end portables. The switch is fine the best console this hardware cycle, and the steam deck has now shown that with the right technology you can enjoy the latest blockbusters to the fullest God of War To Elder Ring on a device that fits between your hands.
So it’s disappointing, if not surprising, that Sony might be trying to thread the needle by offering the worst of both worlds: a potentially expensive accessory that can’t play games natively. That’s basically what the Logitech G for $350 is for Xbox, although that device also benefits from Game Pass cloud streaming support. According to Henderson’s report, Q Lite can’t even stream PlayStation Plus games if you don’t already own a PS5. The Razer Edge is another gaming handheld whose limited features make it hard to justify the $400 (or $600 for the 5G version) price tag. In both cases the conclusion was clear: Just buy a Steam Deck.
And in a way, Q Lite already exists. It’s called my smartphone that currently supports PS5 Remote Play. add the PlayStation Backbone controller released last year and you have a full fledged remote gaming handheld, although admittedly I don’t use it much because the overall streaming experience is still not great, especially with so many better options. Perhaps Sony’s next gaming handheld will justify itself by the time it actually ships, if it ever does. Henderson reports it could arrive before the end of 2024.