E3 can be done dead, but that doesn’t mean summer game announcements participated in it. During the Sony’s PlayStation Showcase was livestreamed earlier todayThe company confirmed the rumors that it is working on a new handheld, but instead of a follow-up to the PlayStation Vita in 2011, the device will be more compatible with devices such as Logitech G Cloud and Razer Edge, that focus on game streaming.
Jim Ryan, the CEO and President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, revealed our first look at the device today, which does not yet have an official name, but is known inside at Sony as Project Q. Details of the handheld’s capabilities, specs, and performance are unknown, but Ryan confirmed that it will have a large, eight-inch HD screen sitting between what appears to be a bifurcated PlayStation 5 controller. The important thing is this will include all the buttons and features of the DualSense wireless controller.
What Project Q is not is a next generation version of PS Vitaor even a standalone portable console designed to compete with the Steam Deck or the Nintendo Switch. Instead, it’s a handheld exclusively designed to be used for PS Remote Play over a wifi connection, which requires games to be installed on the PS5 — excluding VR titles.
Sony also isn’t in a position to share any details on what Project Q might cost, but given that it’s designed to be an accessory for the $400+ PS5, we’re hoping it’ll be cheaper than the others game streaming handheld. Sor at a distance, these weaker devices did not make a strong case for consumers will choose them over Valve’s Steam Deck, which is also compatible with PS Remote Play through a third-party client. Sony promises more Project Q details to be revealed in the near future, and availability is expected later this year.
Want more of Gizmodo’s consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides on best phones, best laptops, best cameras, best televisions, best printersand best tablets. If you want to know about the next big thing, check out our guide to ewhat we know about the iPhone 15. Click HERE to save on the best deals of the day, courtesy of our friends at The Inventory.
