Once one of the big performers in the handheld space with the PSP and Vita, Sony has taken a long hiatus from smaller devices to focus on its consoles. This appeared to no longer be the case when the gaming titan announced Project Q, its third entry into the handheld line. Project Q is to take a different approach than Sony’s previous systems, however, designed primarily around streaming a user’s own PS5 games rather than hosting new titles. With new leaks showing the device in action, we’re left with questions about the system, and what else it might manage and should manage to do.
Why the Streaming?
The most likely reason for the Project Q focusing on streaming is cost. Developing a full-fledged gaming handheld is an expensive task, and the risk in a new handheld golden age is immense. Nintendo’s Switch dominates this market, in no small part thanks to its consolidation of Nintendo’s handheld and console line into one system. Additionally, entries by companies like Valve and Asus into PC-based handhelds have stepped up another tier of competition by offering a higher level of performance. While Sony is winning the console war in this generation, the company probably doesn’t want to risk another swing for the fences.
Creating a streaming platform instead of one that hosts games directly as with Project Q means far less powerful hardware is required, it means development is far simpler, and it means costs are lower. All Sony really needs is a modified existing controller, a widely available screen, some mid-low level processing hardware, and an Android operating system. It’s this Android operating system that leaves us the most curious, and which holds the most potential.
The Flexibility of an Android Backing
The closed operating systems of consoles make them resistant to hacking and piracy, but it severely limits their flexibility. However, Android on Project Q would bypass this issue. With Android, Project Q could run a whole range of games, from web-based titles to many older PlayStation games. In web titles, for example, online casino games could become playable where they usually aren’t. Casino games like Euphoria and Hot Shots 2 have low hardware requirements, and they’re already designed around platform flexibility. These would make perfect fits and run flawlessly, even if Project Q had minimal processing power.
Project Q receiving more than the bare minimum in processing power would also open up the potential for natively hosted ports or emulated versions of PS1 and PS2 games. Requirements for emulating the more demanding PS2 games are still extremely low by modern standards, which could give Project Q an in as a fantastic and official PS1/PS2 emulator. After all, if the Vita was more powerful than the PS2 when it launched in 2011, making similarly powerful devices would be far easier and less expensive today.
The PS2 and PS1 combined offer what many longtime gamers consider the best gaming library ever. Whether Sony will leverage this fact to boost the popularity of what will otherwise be a niche product with Project Q remains to be seen. In any case, we now know how the Q looks, and what it’s primarily designed to do. Whether or not this alone would be enough in the competitive modern market to make it succeed, we await the rumoured November launch date to find out.
