The prospect of playing games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, or Payday 3 on a handheld sounds like a dream, and Project Q could make it a reality. With the arrival of the Steam Deck and dedicated cloud gaming devices like the Logitech G Cloud, taking our favorite games out of the house is more popular than ever, but Sony left the PSP and PS Vita years ago. Now, new leaks give us a new look at the PlayStation handheld.
Console enthusiast and Twitter user ‘Zuby_Tech‘ shares multiple images of Project Q, as well as a short video that shows the handheld system in action. Using PlayStation 5’s Dualshock controller as a basis for its chassis, the handheld forgoes typical aesthetics found in rival handhelds, instead taking on the look of something more akin to the Backbone One accessory for iOS and Android smartphones.
The currently unreleased system appears to running on Android software and can be viewed in action here. Sporting an 8-inch touchscreen, Project Q utilizes the adaptive trigger and haptic technology that PS5 players currently enjoy, and reportedly supports 1080p gameplay at 60 FPS (dependent on your connection). While no gameplay is shown, Project Q can be navigated on what looks to be a variation of Android’s Tiramisu software or potentially an older OS.
However, its extended controller-style design is definitely a unique choice, and it’s a far cry from the sleekness of Sony’s previous handhelds.
Unlike the aforementioned Logitech G Cloud, Project Q relies on remote play, as opposed to purely using cloud streaming. That means you’ll need to have your PS5 on or at the very least on rest mode if you’re hoping to get the most out of Project Q.
Project Q was initially revealed during the May PlayStation Showcase, which also treated players to extended looks at upcoming PS5 games, well ahead of moments like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 release date or the Alan Wake 2 release date. An exact price is yet to be revealed, but documents revealed via the Microsoft x Activision merger detail that it will supposedly target the $300 mark.
Whether this is a signal of Sony testing the waters for future handheld systems is speculative, but as players look toward acquiring the best mini gaming PC‘s out there by using the Steam Deck or ASUS Rog’s power, a definitive follow-up to the PS Vita could be excellent. At least we’ll always have those moments of GTA Liberty City Stories on the PSP to look back on, for now.