Sony’s Rumored PlayStation Handheld Device Sounds Terrible And Totally Pointless

Sony may be working on a brand new handheld gaming device according to a new report. The report suggests that this new system might release even before the highly-anticipated PS5 Pro.

Unfortunately, anyone hoping for a return to the glory days of the PSP or the almost-glory days of the PS Vita will be sorely disappointed if the leaked info is correct. The leak comes by way of Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson, who is almost always correct or partially correct about these things, but still: Take it with a grain of salt since this is not official news.

So what’s wrong with this new PlayStation handheld? Everything, basically. Here’s the gist:

The new device, codenamed Q-Lite, is not a standalone system. Rather, it requires a persistent always-online internet connection in order to remote play games from your PlayStation 5. In other words, in order for this system to work you need:

• An internet connection.
• A PlayStation 5.

This makes the system almost entirely pointless as a handheld, mobile system which are prized for being playable anywhere—including out in the woods or on an airplane where internet might not be available.

It also makes the system wildly expensive, since it requires you to already own a PlayStation 5 in order to play. If you just want a handheld console and have no interest in purchasing both a home system and a mobile device, too bad.

This is not what gamers were hoping for with a new PlayStation handheld device. Not by a long shot. A proper Sony handheld would likely be more expensive than whatever this will cost, but also more value for your money. What would that system look like? Would it play native PS5 games with downgraded framerates and resolution? Would it have its own unique, platform-specific titles? That’s much harder to say. But a system that just streams games from your PS5 and requires an always-online connection is a terrible idea.