It appears that Sony may have not lost interest in the portable gaming scene, despite not releasing a handheld video game console since the ill-fated PlayStation Vita (shown above) from 2011. At least according to a recent report by Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, which claims that the Japanese tech giant is currently developing a brand new device that somewhat fits this criteria.

However, those looking forward to finally seeing a successor to the PlayStation Portable or Vita will be disappointed, as the alleged handheld isn’t exactly what most would have hoped it to be. Rather than a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck competitor, it is suggested that Sony’s allegedly upcoming device – codenamed Q Lite – is merely an portable extension of the brand’s PlayStation 5 console, which lets users play its games via the first-party PS Remote Play function.

PlayStation Portable Handheld Console Remote Play Vita PSP Sony — PS Remote Play (Image: Sony)

For the uninitiated, Sony’s PS Remote Play is not a cloud gaming service like NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW, but instead lets PlayStation users directly stream and play games that they own from their consoles wirelessly via devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even PCs. Seeing the feature itself is widely available to any supported platforms (provided that you own a PlayStation 4 or 5 console), it is quite baffling that Sony would create a dedicated machine for it. Whether it actually supports any cloud gaming services, such as Sony’s own PlayStation NOW, is still not known at this time.

In terms of design, Henderson says prototypes of the Q Lite sports some similarities to the PlayStation 5’s controller, the DualSense, but with a large 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the centre. It is also claimed to come with adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, volume buttons, speakers, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Additionally, it is said that the Q Lite supports adaptive streaming of up to 1080p 60 fps, and will require constant connectivity to the internet.

Insider Gaming adds that the Q Lite is currently in its QA (quality assurance) phase, and is expected to launch before the rumoured PlayStation 5 Pro model. In case you missed our previous report regarding the latter, it is believed that the upgraded variant of Sony’s current generation video game console is scheduled for release sometime in 2024. However, keep in mind that information concerning both PlayStation-related devices are unofficial and unvalidated, so be sure to take them with a healthy dose of scepticism.

(Source: Insider Gaming)