As you may know, Sony is ready to launch a new portable console in the world of video games, as early as November.
However, as you may also know, this Japanese giant has already released two portable consoles in the past, in the form of the PSP and the PSVita. Which raises a question… Is this some sort of third console? Well, not really! The focus is completely different.
In short, Sony’s new portable console is not a sequel to the PSP or PSVita at all. Something apparent right from the start in the design, but also in the field of functionality. The console that will come out of “Project Q” is actually a streaming machine, and even in that sole purpose, it is extremely limited. After all, this “console” will only be able to stream games from the application Remote Play.
That is, you will only be able to play what your PlayStation 5 has to offer.
In case you don’t understand what I’m getting at, this means you won’t have access to Xbox Game Pass or GeForce Now. You are completely dependent on what your PlayStation 5 has at your disposal. However, this also means that in order to have Sony’s new portable console, you must have a PS5, otherwise you won’t be playing anything at all.
It’s a very different console than usual, and as such, it has to do a lot of things well to be a success.
PlayStation Q: What handheld console is this!?
Therefore, Sony’s new portable console (PlayStation Q), is actually a Portable PS5 that works only and only from the streaming of content processed by your PlayStation 5, in your home.
A premise that even seems interesting, but that soon starts to lose some magic when we take into account that the 8-inch screen of this console only reaches the old FHD resolution, and at most, at 60Hz.
In addition, everything indicates that you will always need to have a Wi-Fi connection to play, as there is no LTE support on the console.
Is this new? Well… Not really!
The Sony Remote Play application is not a big news in the ecosystem of the Japanese giant so focused on video games. This ‘feature’ has been around for over 15 years now, forming part of the connection that existed between PS3 and PSP. Meanwhile, it also made its way to PS4 and PSVita, and now, in addition to already existing in the Android and iOS world, it will also arrive on PS5 Q-Lite.
That is, Sony’s new console will do exactly the same thing you are already able to do from your smartphone. But that’s not where it stops being interesting. I just feel like there was potential to do something more interesting.
PlayStation Q was supposed to be something different!
Sony’s new portable console could be a more limited PS5, but it should do so in the exact same way that Microsoft created and launched the Xbox Series S.
In short, PlayStation Q was supposed to hit the market as a more limited, cheaper PS5, but still capable of playing the same games as the more expensive and more powerful console.
A Mini PS5, which could go with you anywhere, being able to play all the games in the ecosystem. Including, of course, all games from the past (PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, PSP, PSVita). Unfortunately, that’s not the goal.
All little things that raise another question… How much will it cost?
We don `t know yet. In my opinion, this could never cost more than €199. However, knowing Sony, we are looking at something that will reach the market between € 249 and € 299. It will be here that the console will, or not, be a success.
