Project Q will stream games from your PS5 console to a handheld screen, just like the Wii U did.
Well here’s something we didn’t expect to see in the PlayStation Showcase on Wednesday. Sony has revealed Project Q, a handheld gaming device with an 8-inch HD screen, which will stream games from your PS5.
Either side of the screen are two halves of a DualSense controller, and it seems like this is Sony’s attempt to go after some of the huge sales of the Nintendo Switch. PlayStation boss Jim Ryan hinted that Sony intended to “exploit that trend of mobility” when the company revealed its financial results this week, and Project Q seems to be that attempt at exploitation.
But really it’s more like the Wii U than the fully portable Switch, since Project Q will rely on streaming content directly from a PS5 console over Wi-Fi. That means you’ll need to be in range of an internet connection at all times while playing. So it might be handy for playing games while someone else is using the big telly, or if you want to play God of War on the loo, but if you want to play PS5 games on a bus or a plane, you’re out of luck.
That said, Wi-Fi connections are popping up in more and more places these days, although presumably you’ll need a fairly fast connection to enable game streaming. It should also be pointed out that Project Q is basically the same as the already existing PS Remote Play, although using a dedicated Sony handheld device rather than a smartphone or PC.
Sony says it will provide more details on Project Q – and presumably give it a proper name – at some point in the future. In the meantime, the internet has been quick to associate it with the glorious failure that is the Wii U.
