As Microsoft’s courtroom battle with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ensues, an unexpected detail emerges – shedding light on Sony’s future plans. According to documents unearthed by Axios’ Stephen Totilo, there’s a curious footnote in the FTC trial paperwork suggesting that Sony plans to release its PlayStation 5-compatible handheld, known as “Project Q,” for under $300 later this year.
Microsoft's lawyers with some Project Q hype: pic.twitter.com/SFrgxNNs8g
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 22, 2023
This insight, while not originating from Sony, comes from its primary competitor – Microsoft. As such, Microsoft’s educated speculation on the matter might well hold some water. If this pricing conjecture proves to be accurate, or even close, Sony’s Project Q would go head-to-head with other cloud gaming devices, such as the Razer Edge (priced at $399.99) and the Logitech G Cloud ($349.99). This proposed sub-$300 pricing does make sense, though, given that Sony’s handheld aims to serve as a direct conduit to the PS5, bypassing cloud gaming.
The $300 prediction is in the same ballpark as other popular handhelds, including the Steam Deck ($399.99) and the Nintendo Switch (ranging from $299 to $349 depending on the model). However, the handhelds from Valve and Nintendo have the perk of being untethered, offering more flexibility. Moreover, the current PS Remote Play feature, paired with a $100 Backbone controller on an iOS or Android device, can emulate a similar gaming experience.
Nonetheless, Sony’s Project Q handheld still has multiple aspects to iron out. Details about the gadget’s specs, pricing, and launch date remain elusive. The handheld stands apart from its competitors since it relies on Wi-Fi connectivity to link to PS Remote Play, acting more like a PS5 extension than an independent gaming console.
As far as the preliminary glimpses of Project Q are concerned, it resembles a DualSense controller amalgamated with an 8-inch screen. Known features of the device include a 1080p resolution, a 60fps capability, and a full suite of DualSense controller features.
The question on everyone’s mind, though, is whether this speculated price tag is justified. We expect Sony to provide further information about Project Q in the foreseeable future. The crux of the matter is determining what PS5 owners would be willing to pay for a handheld designed primarily for streaming games from their console. A $300 price point might seem steep, especially when more versatile handhelds, equipped with an extensive catalog of native games, only cost a little more.
