According to a new leak, Sony is working on a new PlayStation handheld, which is not a successor to the PS Vita or a cloud streaming device.
A new leak/rumour by Insider Gaming states that Sony is working on a PlayStation handheld, codenamed Q Lite.
According to Insider Gaming, the Q Lite is neither a standalone handheld nor focused on cloud streaming. Instead, it relies on the PlayStation 5's Remote Play feature. This would mean that to use this new handheld, users would need a PlayStation 5.
Not much else is known about this suggested product, but it is expected to release before a PlayStation 5 Pro, which the rumour mill expects to be released during the 2024 holiday season.
Sony is also expected to hold a major PlayStation Showcase in the following months, announcing the "second phase of the PS5". While so far, the industry expected new game announcements, like Spider-Man 2, or the Wolverine game, it's starting to look like Sony may also reveal new hardware during the event.
I am currently testing a Backbone One controller, an officially Sony-licensed accessory for Android and iPhone (it's great!).
Going by the description of this leak, it seems that this might be the closest you can currently get to this possible Q Lite device – but only if you use no other feature but the Remote Play app on your smartphone.
It is a weird choice for Sony to potentially go this way during a period when many brands are working on their own handhelds — and especially because many people were hoping Sony would release a true successor to the PSP and PS Vita.
Now, of course, these are all just rumours, and it seems the device's release date is still far enough in the future that Sony can change their mind and release a proper handheld. We certainly hope so.
