Remember that upcoming PlayStation 5 streaming device that Sony showcased back in May? Well, it’s leaked and despite having an appearance that only a massive multinational conglomerate could love, people on Reddit are getting rather excited.
Why? Because the short, grainy video shows Project Q — a far cooler name than such a questionable product deserves — running Android. And the presence of Google’s open-source operating system means that modders may be able to do interesting things with it, like open it up to emulators.
Sony wouldn’t be too pleased about that, but if it will go ahead and use the open-source free option of Android, then it can’t really complain if it loses control of what people do with it.
That said, Sony being Sony, it wouldn’t be wholly surprising if it shot itself in the foot and fixed the issue by making it wholly unappealing to the one demographic that might be tempted. It only needs to stream games for its official purpose, so there’s only so much power and storage it needs.
Sony has revealed a precious few details about the handheld. All we know is that it’s got an 8in screen, it streams games from your PS5 over WiFi, and it’s coming this year. Even the name is still up in the air, though it would be a brave person to bet on it not having the word “PlayStation” somewhere in the mix.
The price must be giving Sony the biggest headache, though. Phone grips with PS5-style pads sell for NZ$190, and this had to include a screen, battery and processor in the mix, so it’ll probably be at least NZ$300 and likely a lot more given Sony’s love of premium pricing.
That’s a tough sell, given PlayStation Remote Play works on pretty much any recent Android or iOS device free of charge. Even if Project Q is one day opened up to emulation, importing a Steam Deck might be the better option: it also runs Remote Play, is an emulation powerhouse and supports hundreds of cheap-as-chips PC games without needing your home WiFi connection.
On the bright side, the Xperia Play may soon no longer be Sony’s biggest mobile flop. Every cl
