Sony has formally confirmed it’s engaged on a PlayStation handheld to make it simpler to play your PS5 video games. It was introduced throughout Wednesday’s PlayStation Showcase and is known as Challenge Q.

“We’ll launch a devoted machine that allows you to stream any sport out of your PS5 console utilizing Distant Play over Wi-Fi,” PlayStation boss Jim Ryan mentioned throughout the PlayStation Showcase. “Internally often called ‘Challenge Q,’ it has an 8-inch HD display and the entire buttons and options of the DualSense wi-fi controller.”

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Extra particularly, it’ll have an LCD display operating video games at as much as 1080p and 60fps over Wi-Fi, in accordance with a Sony press launch, and can function each the adaptive triggers and haptic suggestions of the DualSense. The Q handheld is about to launch later this yr, identical to the PlayStation Bluetooth earbuds introduced Wednesday, although Sony didn’t say precisely when or how a lot the brand new machine may cost.

In accordance with the tremendous print on the backside of Sony’s presentation, video games you play on the Q have to be put in on a PlayStation 5 console itself — it’s apparently designed as a companion in your personal PS5, not one thing that may play video games natively like a Steam Deck or cellphone and even stream them from the cloud.

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Nevertheless, Sony is among the foremost firms with a cloud gaming service, one it at present appears to be overhauling based mostly on the various job postings we dug up, so it’s doable that the Q provides cloud gaming at a later date. It might appear bizarre to omit companies that make Sony more cash.

Sony’s transient tease didn’t handle whether or not you’d be capable to use the Q to stream video games exterior of your own home: Sony’s Distant Play does at present assist connections over mobile, although you would possibly have to tether it to a cellphone or hotspot since Sony has solely talked about Wi-Fi.

Rumors concerning the handheld first surfaced earlier this yr due to a report from Insider Gaming. That report nailed so much concerning the machine, together with that it depends on Distant Play and wouldn’t be a cloud gaming machine, the 8-inch LCD display, the DualSense resemblance, and the utmost decision and body fee. The report additionally mentioned the hand held was codenamed the Q Lite — I’d say the Challenge Q identify is shut sufficient.

With Challenge Q, Sony appears to be responding to the elevated reputation of handhelds with its personal providing. The Nintendo Swap has been an absolute smash hit, after all, however with newer entrants like Valve’s Steam Deck and Asus’ ROG Ally, we’re seeing plenty of methods to play extra trendy video games on newer {hardware} than the getting older Swap. In a basic Sony transfer, Challenge Q has its personal quirk in that it may solely stream video games over Wi-Fi, however if you happen to’re searching for a Sony-made approach to play the newest PlayStation video games on a handheld, you would possibly wish to put some cash apart for Challenge Q.

If you wish to strive Distant Play to stream video games out of your PS5, you don’t want to attend for Sony’s handheld. Most any iPhone, Android cellphone, Home windows, or Mac can do it, and there’s even a Linux app you possibly can load onto the Steam Deck referred to as Chiaki.