Ever since the Steam Deck launched, a new kind of fervor has spread across the gaming community. Handheld gaming, once considered a separate experience from console gaming, has penetrated the AAA space.
With Steam Deck competitors popping up left and right, and plenty of buzz on what’s after the Nintendo Switch, it’s only natural PSP and Vita fans showed up. Folks are out there wondering if it’s possible we could see a new PSP or PS Vita in 2023.
Obviously there’s nothing concrete or official, but there’s enough scuttlebutt to substantiate an article like this. While it’s unlikely we’ll see something as direct as a new PSP or PS Vita, that doesn’t mean Sony isn’t eying the handheld market. Especially since even Microsoft has dipped its toes in, not offering a literal Xbox handheld but working directly with companies like Logitech to endorse certain devices.
PS5 Remote Play Handheld Rumors
Multiple reports have risen to the surface, which suggest Sony is looking to jump into a niche within a niche with a device centered around Remote Play. We’ve already seen a PlayStation-branded Backbone, a mobile controller with software gimmicks for the official Remote Play app. But the likes of Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grub and Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson have claimed Sony has a bespoke handheld device in the works.
Grubb hasn’t gone on the record with full-on reporting (simply tweeting he’s heard word of a cloud gaming platform). Henderson’s report comprises a device allegedly code-named “Q Lite.” If it’s real, this device has an eight-inch screen and is exclusively tied to Remote Play. That means a PS5 requirement and ostensibly super locked-down software. None of this is confirmed in any official capacity, so take it with a reasonable grain of salt.
So no, we shouldn’t expect a new PSP or PS Vita sometime in the next six months. But between now and 2024, it’s possible we could see this “Q Lite” project eventually surface in some capacity. Again, it’s all rumors and reports until Sony states otherwise. But hey, it’s fun to speculate, no?
