Sony General Games Thread

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Sony's Next PlayStation Handheld

Following days of speculation, Insider Gaming can report that there's a new PlayStation Handheld in development.

Codenamed the Q Lite, the next PlayStation handheld is the next piece of Sony hardware that aims to be yet another piece of hardware that requires the PlayStation 5. Insider Gaming understands that the Q Lite is not a cloud-streaming device, but instead uses Remote Play with the PlayStation 5 – A feature the console giant has been pushing these past couple of weeks.



Sporting adaptive streaming up to 1080p and 60FPS, the new device will require constant connectivity to the internet.

As for the console's physical features, early prototypes show the console will look a lot like a PlayStation 5 controller, but with a massive 8-inch LCD touchscreen in the center. The device sports adaptive triggers for haptic feedback and will include what you would come to expect from a handheld – Volume buttons, speakers, an audio input jack, etc.

Insider Gaming understands that the Q Lite is in its QA phase and is scheduled to release before the PlayStation 5 Pro and after the Detachable Disc Drive PS5.

As previously mentioned by industry insider Jeff Grubb, Sony is planning to announce its "second phase of the PS5", which was in reference to its future game slate. Ironically though, this "second phase" is very much true for Sony's hardware offerings, with the new detachable disc drive PlayStation 5, Project Nomad (wireless earphones), Project Voyager (wireless headset), and Q Lite (handheld) all scheduled to release within a very short period. It's understood that the PlayStation 5 Pro is aiming for a holiday 2024 release.

So whenever Sony's next PlayStation Showcase will be, it's seemingly going to be a big one.

Source: Insider Gaming

[melancholy]

That’s sounds so…useless. Seriously, why would you want that?

[Dr. Zoidberg]

It does seem pointless. A Wii U gamepad in 2023, but worse.

[pixel]

Sony's own video shows how dumb a new remote play handheld is. Yes, I need another 8-inch screen to go alongside my phone, tablet, laptop and computer monitors.

But I'm the weirdo that used my Wii U almost always on the gamepad screen. It was nice to play games and not tie up the TV screen. I especially liked replaying old games while binging a new show. I have great memories of playing Wind Waker HD while watching Veep.

Something like remote play is good if: 1. You've got family that want to watch their dumb TV shows. 2. You want to watch something else while gaming. 3. You want to play a game in the other room.

And in my experience, pray you've got an updated router and no signal interference. My long apartment and an older router make remote play almost impossible.

[pixel]

That said, I'm really happy that Sony is considering a removable disc drive.

[ian]

URGH... How about a Modern Sony Xperia play (AKA PSP PHONE) That can play PS1,2,3,4, PSP, Vita games from physical carts and on your account. And as a BONUS, can stream from PS5?

That's a device I'd be interested in buying.

[melancholy]

That said, I'm really happy that Sony is considering a removable disc drive.

Can I ask why? That one also sounded useless to me, but maybe I’m missing something.

[pixel]

That said, I'm really happy that Sony is considering a removable disc drive.

Can I ask why? That one also sounded useless to me, but maybe I’m missing something.

No doubt that it's a silly feature, and folks should buy a system with a disc drive if they need one. Sony is asking a fair price by charging $100 more for a built-in blu-ray player.

But it's the principle for me. With current I/O speeds, it should be trivial to have external drive compatibility. Modular hardware is not necessary but it's a cool idea.

And I wish it were an industry standard. We bought an Xbox Series S because it was less expensive and we're still using 1080p screens. It'd be nice to have a disc drive, even if it's a $100 add-on for blu-ray or maybe future game installation.

[melancholy]

That said, I'm really happy that Sony is considering a removable disc drive.

Can I ask why? That one also sounded useless to me, but maybe I’m missing something.

No doubt that it's a silly feature, and folks should buy a system with a disc drive if they need one. Sony is asking a fair price by charging $100 more for a built-in blu-ray player.

But it's the principle for me. With current I/O speeds, it should be trivial to have external drive compatibility. Modular hardware is not necessary but it's a cool idea.

And I wish it were an industry standard. We bought an Xbox Series S because it was less expensive and we're still using 1080p screens. It'd be nice to have a disc drive, even if it's a $100 add-on for blu-ray or maybe future game installation.

Something I didn’t think about before, but your post made me consider the possibility that this may be Sony’s way of weaning us off physical media. If they have an external drive that works with PS5, then why bother putting a drive inside the inevitable PS5 Pro? Or the ‘slim’ PS5 that’s likely to come? Or any console after this point? You want physical media, fine, buy this $100 drive and you can have it. A lot of people will for the PS5. Less people will for the PS6. And by the PS7, they will likely discontinue it altogether due to ‘lack of interest.’

I hate every bit of it, but I cannot deny that it’s a brilliant move if that’s the plan.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I'd been thinking that the Pro/PS6 probably won't come with a bluray drive version and that this is their way around it, when the new PS5 model leaked last week.

[pixel]

Something I didn’t think about before, but your post made me consider the possibility that this may be Sony’s way of weaning us off physical media. If they have an external drive that works with PS5, then why bother putting a drive inside the inevitable PS5 Pro? Or the ‘slim’ PS5 that’s likely to come? Or any console after this point? You want physical media, fine, buy this $100 drive and you can have it. A lot of people will for the PS5. Less people will for the PS6. And by the PS7, they will likely discontinue it altogether due to ‘lack of interest.’

I hate every bit of it, but I cannot deny that it’s a brilliant move if that’s the plan.

Great point, I hadn't thought of that either. Game devs will skip physical releases if Sony can show that only a fraction of owners even have a drive.

I guess optical media has a finite lifetime but it's hard to face. But I've done my part to help usher in a digital-only future with Steam, GoG and Epic Store purchases.

[melancholy]

Something I didn’t think about before, but your post made me consider the possibility that this may be Sony’s way of weaning us off physical media. If they have an external drive that works with PS5, then why bother putting a drive inside the inevitable PS5 Pro? Or the ‘slim’ PS5 that’s likely to come? Or any console after this point? You want physical media, fine, buy this $100 drive and you can have it. A lot of people will for the PS5. Less people will for the PS6. And by the PS7, they will likely discontinue it altogether due to ‘lack of interest.’

I hate every bit of it, but I cannot deny that it’s a brilliant move if that’s the plan.

Great point, I hadn't thought of that either. Game devs will skip physical releases if Sony can show that only a fraction of owners even have a drive.

I guess optical media has a finite lifetime but it's hard to face. But I've done my part to help usher in a digital-only future with Steam, GoG and Epic Store purchases.

I’m very concerned about digital games when a system is discontinued. I downloaded so many PS+ games for my PS3, but it requires a PSN sign-in for them to function. What happens when they shut down downloads and support for PS3 networks? My entire PS3 digital game library could be possibly gone.

Another example, we went to a friends house last week and decided that it would be fun to break out Rock Band. We break out his old 360 and boot the game, but everything was locked because he was signed out of his Microsoft account (since he hasn’t used his 360 in years). And if you can’t get into the Microsoft account, the hundred or so songs he purchased cannot be used. Signing in requires making app passwords because the system doesn’t support modern logins. If Microsoft tomorrow decided to stop supporting app passwords, everyone would immediately be locked out of everything they ever purchased digitally on the 360. It’s a frightening reality for anyone that plays older online systems.

[ian]

I guess optical media has a finite lifetime but it's hard to face. But I've done my part to help usher in a digital-only future with Steam, GoG and Epic Store purchases.

I remember the game that did it for me.

Got half life 2 on some CD's at retail, and it forced me to have steam just to play it.

Remember when Valve were a developer? They made one of the best games ever made to suck us all into their store...
Now everyone makes just any mundane shit for that very store!

And the worst part is, steam and the game itself won't even run on my 2004 PC anymore. All I needed was an AMD Athlon XP 2200+ and an ATI Radeon 9600 pro and 512Mb of ram to play HL2 in 2004, and now 19 years later steam won't even install and update.
Sure I can install it onto my current computers, so that's convenient, but that's not the point!

That day was the first time I acknowledged you didn't own games anymore. But I don't hugely care... I'll just get new games, or play games older than that.

But fun will be illegal worldwide someday soon, so enjoy all the games you can, even if you're paying $60USD or 100 dollarydoos to essentially rent them. But even if you own them, the machine that you're playing them on could fail at any time and you won't be able to play the games you own anyway.

[pixel]

The two comforts I have in life are:

• I don't play live-service games
• I'll pirate anything without regret

If Sony keeps making decent exclusives like Spiderman and Last of Us, I'll be buying from them. If they start focusing on live-service games, I've got other hardware and an endless stream of indie and retro titles to live out my days.

The second solution is only as good as what the hardware allows. I haven't shed a tear over Nintendo eShop closures, their old hardware is riddled with exploits and piracy solutions. But with melan's PS3, how easy is it to get a cracked PS3 up and running? Emulation will work eventually, but true platform permanence (to me) only comes when you can easily play backups on a system.

But I think ian's right, there's a bigger philosophical question: When will mainstream gaming only be a live service? It's happening on both ends: financed hardware and subscription-based software. There might be a day where us old farts cannot recognize the gaming industry at all. If that's the case, hopefully there's always a niche market for us that want to buy the rights for a game upfront without subscriptions or loot boxes.

And honestly, I already feel like that's my life. I haven't bought a PS5 because Sony has been throwing its first-party leftovers to PC games like me. But with my luck, that's just a short-term gambit. Microsoft could blow Sony out of the PC market if given the chance.

[Hawq]

[Hawq]

lots of Wolf & Doom this month, heres the list if you dont wanna watch the vid
PS Plus Extra: April 2023

Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PS5, PS4) | Review
DOOM Eternal (PS5, PS4) | Review
Riders Republic (PS5, PS4) | Review
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PS4) | Review
Slay the Spire (PS4)
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (PS5, PS4)
The Evil Within (PS4) | Review
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (PS4) | Review
Bassmaster Fishing (PS5, PS4)
Paradise Killer (PS5, PS4) | Review
Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PS5, PS4) | Review

PS Plus Premium: April 2023

DOOM (PS4)
DOOM II (PS4)
DOOM 64 (PS4)
DOOM 3 (PS4)
Dishonored: Definitive Edition (PS4)

[Hawq]

[Hawq]

[Hawq]

[Hawq]