**The Rumor Surrounding Sony’s PSP Successor: A Deep Dive into Cloud Gaming and Remote Play**
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### Introduction
Hello, and welcome to This Is.PlayStation! In today's video, we're diving into some breaking news that has been circulating over the past couple of weeks. Every time we sit down to start shooting this video, there's yet another rumor flying around. The latest one is so big it's almost as fast-breaking as the PSN outages in 2011. So, let’s get into it.
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### The Big Rumor: Sony Working on a PSP Successor
The big rumor making waves right now is that Sony is working on a successor to the PSP, the PS Vita. Now, this isn’t just any successor—it’s reportedly something called the "Q-Lite." But before you get too excited, we need to unpack what exactly this device is supposed to be and why it might not make as much sense as it sounds.
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### What Is the Q-Lite?
According to the rumors, the Q-Lite is a handheld gaming device with an 8-inch, 1080p LCD display and dualsense-like controllers bolted onto the sides. That’s right—this thing is bigger than the Switch and even larger than the Steam Deck. But here's where it gets confusing: the Q-Lite isn’t designed to play native games or even for cloud gaming. Instead, its primary purpose is remote play.
If you already own a PS4 (or likely a PS5 in this case), you could stream your games to this little handheld device. At first glance, this seems redundant because, hey, why buy a $200-$300 device when you can just use your phone or another existing console? The hosts of the video are clearly confused about the purpose of such a device and whether it adds any value.
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### The Cloud Gaming Debate
The discussion quickly shifts to cloud gaming. Cloud gaming is often touted as the future of gaming, but the hosts argue that companies like Sony and Microsoft are approaching it all wrong. Here’s what they had to say:
- **Cloud gaming isn’t catching on** because the devices being推出 are either too expensive or don’t offer a unique enough experience compared to just using your phone or existing hardware.
- For example, the G Cloud was originally priced at $350 but is now on sale for $250. The Acer cloud gaming laptop was initially $700 but has been reduced to $420. These devices are struggling to find a market because they don’t offer anything that your phone or an older console can’t already do.
- Latency and internet quality are also major issues. Until companies build more data centers, latency will remain a problem, making cloud gaming feel like a chore.
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### Sony’s Play in the Cloud Gaming Space
Sony has been investing heavily in cloud gaming, even partnering with Microsoft years ago to base their future streaming tech on Xbox's infrastructure. Now, with the rumored Q-Lite device, they’re trying to carve out their own niche. But is this really necessary?
The hosts argue that Sony is stuck in a hardware loop. They keep pushing new hardware—like the PS5 and its predecessors—instead of focusing on creating a better ecosystem or subscription model for cloud gaming. While localized hardware (like consoles) offers a better experience, it’s not accessible to everyone. Cloud gaming could democratize gaming by making it available to people who can’t afford high-end PCs or consoles.
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### The Q-Lite vs. Other Devices
The Q-Lite isn’t the only device in this space. Companies like Razer have their Edge line of cloud gaming laptops, and NVIDIA’s G Cloud is another competitor. But none of these devices seem to be hitting the mark. Why? Because they don’t offer anything unique compared to your phone or existing handheld consoles like the Switch or Steam Deck.
The Q-Lite, for its part, seems to be a re-skin of Android with minimal added value. If Sony wants this device to succeed, it needs to do more than just remote play—it needs to justify its existence by offering something that other devices can’t.
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### The PSP Go 2 and the Future of Handheld Gaming
Toward the end of the video, the hosts jokingly suggest names for a potential successor to the PSP, like "PSP Go 2" or "PlayStation Portable Extreme." These names are meant to highlight the device’s portability and hint at its possible features. While it’s all in good fun, it does raise the question: what would Sony need to do to make a handheld gaming device that truly stands out?
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### Conclusion
The hosts wrap up the video by acknowledging that while cloud gaming has potential, the current approach from companies like Sony isn’t quite right. The Q-Lite rumor highlights the challenges of creating a device that bridges hardware and cloud gaming in a meaningful way. Until these devices offer something unique—whether it’s native game support, improved remote play functionality, or a drastically reduced price—they’ll struggle to find a place in the market.
So, what do you think about Sony’s rumored Q-Lite? Would you buy it if it came with dualsense controllers and remote play features? Let us know in the comments!
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*Note: The transcription used for this article is based on the provided video text. For more updates and insights into gaming news, stay tuned to This Is.PlayStation!*
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hello, and welcome to This Is.PlayStation's PresidentJim Ryan has been jealousof Philip Spencer's little handsand wants to get in on the action.- We're gonna get demonetizedif you try to talk like thatin the beginning of the video.So there's been breaking newsover the last couple of weeksand every time we sit downto start shooting this videothere's yet another rumor.This news breaks faster than PSN in 2011.(stomping sound effect)- The big rumor going up around is thatSony's working on a successorto the PSP, the PS Vita.- Okay.No, no, no, no, no, no.- But (indistinct), asterisk.- Don't say it like that.Yeah, a successor would beputting it a little bit broadlybecause this is known asthe quote unquote Q-Lite.I think we're missing some context here,but what the rumors say-- I...- is that this is a handheld gaming devicethat has some like dual sense,kind of like controllersand whatnot with a screen.But it is not designedto play native games.It's not even reallydesigned for cloud gaming.It's designed for remote play.If you already have like a PS4,and I think probably PS5 in this case,you could stream it toyour little handheld guy,which it makes no sense, Matt.- You can just say that.- No, I...- It makes no sense.- No, I'm confused intrying to explain to youhow you're confused.There's a lot of options out there- Yeah.- for cloud gaming, andI don't, and I like,I don't think that this isonly gonna' be for remote play.- Dumb.- Here's the context thatI think you're missing.- Go ahead.- So, all right.Everyone knows there'sbeen a lot of tech layoffsgoing on around.- Yes.- Sony has been not exempt from that.However, they have hired 22 new positions,and specifically one of them is to bethe head of their cloud gaming division.- Which is interestingbecause if you remember a few years ago,Sony and Microsoftactually made an agreementthat Sony's future cloud streaming techwould be based on Microsoft.- Here's where this device fits in.- Okay.- There's a lot ofoptions for cloud gaming,and a lot of companies have beeninvesting heavily into this.We see the G Cloud, we see the RazorEdge.- Edge.- Obviously, they'retrying to compete with likesome of the like theIonia, the Steam Deck,all this stuff.- Yeah.- Like I agree with you, itdoesn't make a ton of senseon why you would buy one of these oversomething that's justlike using your phone.- Okay. So hang on.Before we go super deepon the theory here,- Well...- let's just talk aboutwhat the rumor says,because again, I think we'remissing some key context.- All right.- Here's the thing,audience, I'm just gonna just fill you in.We're talking about cloud gaming today.So Matt's(Matt cackling)- getting a little, he'sgetting a little wiggly.I'm trying to just kindof just bring us downto off of cloud nine.Supposedly what we've gothere is a handheld devicewith an eight-inch, 1080P LCD display,and dual sense-like controlskind of bolted onto the side.For context, eight inchesis fairly large, right?(echoing sound effect)It's bigger than like a Switch.It's bigger than what youget on like a Steam Deck.But the thing thatdoesn't make sense to meis that according to these rumors,the only thing that really isdoing is that remote plane.What makes this unique other than the factthat they can put aPlayStation badge on itand that they can includeessentially dual-sense tech.- I don't think you're missing anything.I think you're just overthinking it.Every company wants totry and get their like,into the cloud gaming space.- Yeah.- I've been saying this(loudly) for years.(words whooshing)- Yeah, but...- (loudly) For years.(words whooshing)- Okay.- Cloud gaming is the future.But I've also been sayingfor years that companiesare doing it completely wrong,which is why it hasn't caught om.If you wanna get intothe cloud gaming space-- Well could you-- You'd have to have ahundred dollars device.- I agree with that.Because look, let's look atthe devices that are out right now.The G Cloud, which was originallygonna be like 350 or $400.- $400.- Right now is on sale for 250 bucks.You've also got yourself the Razor Edge,which we did a video on.Actually, yesterday, I was at Best Buyand I saw some of thecloud gaming laptops.There was an Acer modelthat was like 420 bucks.It was down from like six or 700 bucks.So to me, it seems pretty clearthat a lot of thesedevices that have launchedover the last year or sothat are focused on cloud gamingaren't really selling- Because-- that well.- the target audience for it is someonewho can't really afforda high-end gaming PCor can't really afford even a PS5.That's why like cloud gamingon your phone is so appealingbecause- Yeah.- for 10 bucks a month youhave a a gaming experience,you could play games.Yes, you guys are gonna talk abouthow my Internet's not good enough.It's a chicken and the egg type of thing.- Yeah.- Cloud gaming's not gonna really catch onin most areas until theybuild more data centers,So the latency is not as bad.- Yeah.- They're not gonna build these cloud,these data centers untilcloud gaming catches on.So it's-- Yeah. That's gonna' jumpstart it.- Right. I think Sony's doing,they're just building theirown version of the G Cloud.That's all this is.- Okay.- But what gives it the secret sauce isthe remote play functionality of this.- How is it the secret sauce?Why do you need adedicated piece of hardwarefor cloud gaming,when the phone in mypocket works totally fine.Here. Follow your logic- It's-- for a second.- Just-- No, no, no, no, no.Follow my logic for a second- (indistinct)- because I agree with you.I'm not saying that this is gonna be like- Yeah.- the game changer.I think a lot of people willthink it's a game changer.- Yeah.- Just because it is PlayStation-- Mm-hmm.- and I, you know what?Sony ponies, I'm calling you out on that.(instrument blaring)The only thing that Sony cansell you on for cloud gaming,Xbox has won the software race.- They're winning it.- Right. Their service ismiles ahead of PlayStation.- Yeah.- So the only way thatSony can try and competewith these things is- Hardware?- through the hardware.- I just,- And so...- that's hard for me towrap my head around though.- I agree with you, but like every playthat Sony's been makinglately is been hardware based.Oh, we're gonna do VR.They have to just keeplike pumping out hardware.- Yeah.- Because that's howthey can go and be like,we have the dominant hardware.- This is one of those thingswhere I just don't thinkthat most of these companiesare on the right track.- No, they're not.- If you think cloud gaming is the futureand I don't really personallythink that's the case,but I will agree, atleast there's more roomfor cloud gaming, not onlybecause it's an easy way todemocratize the abilityfor people to play games,but also as a company, Iwould much rather sell youa subscription than Iwould sell you a gameor a piece of hardware one time.So I understand the fundamental idea-- Well...- that cloud gaming is very appealing.- So.- Hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait.- All right. All right.- But the problem with cloud gamingfrom the the hardware perspective isthat you don't need any special hardware.These are designed tobasically be apps, right?Look at what Microsoft have donewith X Cloud/Xbox game pass.These are now available on T.V.s.It's obviously on Xboxes.You can get on yourphone, yada, yada, yada.Because at its core toreally enjoy cloud gamingall you need is an app andprobably some kind of controller.And the idea that all these companiesare putting so much time and effortinto building custom hardwareto be good for cloud gaming,when first of all, theexperience isn't that great,and second of all, yes,it's slightly nicer tohave like 144 hertz displayon like the Razor or whatever,but beyond the slightly better hardwareit's not that muchdifferent than your phone.And you're spending somuch money on these devicesthat you might as well goout and buy yourself a switchor a steam deck, whichare handheld consolesthat are in very similar form factorsthat could still do cloud gaming.But guess what?They actually have theperformance to be ableto play native games on the device,which is gonna be a way better experience.I rest my case.These devices- In- (hand smashing)- do not have a place right now.They don't make sense.- I think you are looking at this,and I think a lot ofyou people look at thisway too one-sided.You only look at it from your perspective.I am not saying that cloud gamingis a better experiencethan localized hardware.- If it's good enough.- Localized hardware is always better.- Totally.- But there are millionsof gamers, let me clarify,millions of potential gamers,- Sure.- who cannot either afford the hardware.We've talked about Brazil a lot,they're making older consolesbecause it's so cost-prohibitive.Cloud gaming circumvents that.So think about it from that perspective.- Can I add onto your argument here?- Yeah.- There are millions of additional gamerswho are probablyintimidated and think aboutso many kids today who grow upplaying games on their phonesand tablets and stuff.They're probably nevergonna be that interestedin buying a console, maybe even a PC.If you can get these cloudgames to be running on devices,it's not just a short term bet.It's a next 10, 20 years.Because you can imaginecloud gaming's gonna getslowly but surely better and better.And the devices that it runs onwill be become absolutely ubiquitous.But, well, I agree that there-- So-- is certainly a future to cloud gaming,There's no future tothese pieces of hardware- Yes, there is.- that only do cloud gaming is.- Yes, there is. Yes,there is. Yes, there is.I guarantee that this,whatever PlayStation one,I almost guarantee it'sjust gonna be a re-skinof Android on it.- I was gonna' say you use- Like I-- Android apps.- I guarantee you're gonna beable to run X Cloud on there.- Sorry, you wanna say it one more time?You guarantee that thePlayStation handheldwill run X Cloud.- Why not? With cloud gaming,there's no localization to install it.If it's not on there, it's because Sony'sgonna' be-- Yeah, yeah.- the little cranky, I'mgonna take my ball home.Microsoft has said we wannaput everything on every device.Going back to the latency.When you're doing the remote play-- Mm-hmm.- your system is the data center.- Yeah.- Again, I hear this all the time of like,I'm in X countrythat does not actuallysupport cloud gaming.- Sure.- I hear that constantly.The latency's so bad.Well, that's because youVPNed into a network.Now you're wondering whythe latency's so bad whenyou got- Of course.- a VPN across the world.- To your point here,- Like-- I think it is worth mentioningthat there is a differencebetween cloud gaming and remote play.- Yes.- Because cloud gamingis running on a server,who knows where?Remote play is running on your hardware.So say you're at homeand your PS5's upstairsor whatever, you're on your local network.While, there's always gonnabe a little bit of latency,it is quite minimalwhen it's literally roundtripping around your router,as long as you have adecent WiFi connection.- If you're on your home WiFi,like data caps don't affect you.Now, if you're using regularcloud gaming at home,data caps do affect you.- Yes.- When you're usingMicrosoft's cloud gaming,you are using your data to do that.- Yeah.- Now, if you're playing remote playand you wanna just play, oh,my PlayStation's in the living room,but I wanna play up in mybedroom without buying-- Yeah. There's no issue.- another system, it does not affectyour data cap whatsoever.So you're gonna have apretty good experienceof local, there's no latency, well,- But-- minimal latency on ifyou have a good WiFi.- And I agree with that,but here's the thing.If I already own a PS5 andI wanna play my PS5 gamesjust in a different room, Icould just do it on my phone.- Well, you could, but thenyou go back to the same issues.So we talk about likebattery life for things,chip optimization for video decoding.- (blowing small raspberry)Dude, we're talkingabout a 1080 P 60 PlayStation thing here.I will guarantee you thatthe experience on thatversus your phone isgonna be almost identical,short of the controllers.And you can just buy a decentcontroller for your phone.- Because then we get into, oh,I want the actual PlayStation experience,which now in this day andage is including dual sense.Oh, you're playing GranTurismo laying in bedand you can still haveyour adaptive triggers.- But in this scenario, I already have PS5so I could just play on my PS5.This is dumb.- Like no, it's, why isit dumb to have options?- I agree.As a consumer, options are great,but the problem is that theseoptions that are great for uscost millions and millions of dollarsfor companies to develop.So if you're Sony and you're gonna developthis piece of hardware,you'd better be damn surethat you're gonna sell a lot of them.'Cause otherwise,- you're lighting my fire- And they will becauseit's Playstation.- How about PSVR?How's a PSVR2 sell through? Huh, Matt?- According to the ponies in our comments,it's selling millions of copies daily.- Supposedly they'reabout to do a price cutbecause it's selling so poorly.The only way I can reallyget my head around thisis if 'A' it is incredibly cheap/freeand included with youryearly PlayStation Plus- It'll never be free.- Or 'B', it does waymore than just remote playbecause again, the rumorsthat we're talking aboutspecifically say it's for remote play-- Period.- If you try to tell methat this thing will playPS1 games, it'll play PS2 games.It'll play PSP games,Vita games, that's enough.I would actually be okay,I can get behind this.- Right. But-- But the rumors aren't saying that.And if we just take this at face value,that this is a remote play onlywith maybe a little bit ofcloud gaming stuff.- Because I guaranteethis is just a re-skin of Android,which means, yeah, it canplay one PlayStation one,two, and even some three games currentlywith, depending on the chip sets.- You think they're gonnalet you install emulatorson your PlayStation device?Like hell no, man, they'regonna lock this thing so tight.I just, it doesn't make sense.We're missing something here.- All I'm seeing is,this is a rehash of the PlayStation T.V.- In case you aren't familiar,the PlayStation TV wasliterally just a PS Vitawithout a screen orwhatever, it's just a littlemicro console with an HDMI port.- So the millions ofdollars they spent investingin the VITA and then they said, okay,now we can make this more efficientand put it into a TV-- Mm-hmm.- for a super cheap price.So they're gonna come outwith the PS Q-Lite, whatever.- Sure.- All right.- Which is just a code name.- Maybe the first onedoesn't make, you know,total sense to you right now,- Uh-huh.- But what about the V2?- Do you think the G Cloud would be betterwith a V2 or a mini?Do you think the razor wouldbe better with a V2 or mini?You have to fundamentallyprove your business casefor the first person.- But you also have to provide something-- Yeah.- that no one else can.- And this is nothing- Which-- that we're hearing aboutthis, offers anything that youcannot get on your phone.- Dual-sense, playing with a control,like your phone on a controller.- Sure. I actually doagree with that. (chuckles)- That is not a comfortable experience.And a lot of people don'twanna do that long term.- I know that for thepurposes of this video,we're having a spiriteddebate about this supposedPlayStation Q-Lite, which the internethas just overnight decided is a real thingthat's totally coming out.All like you know, bravadoand arguments aside.Does this make any sense at all?I just-- Don't, for me, ifthis is like 200 bucks,which it won't be by the way.- It won't be.- Yeah, it won't be.If this is their way tocompete with like a series S,if this is a cheap way to get youinto the PlayStation ecosystem.- Yes.- Because that's whatall of these things are-- Yes.- trying to get you, so like,if you can get somethingthat's way cheaperthan the actual PlayStation 5.- Right. Okay. Yep.- Like me who does not own a PlayStation,I would be way more inclined to buy thisthan I would be an actual PlayStation.A big thing for me with cloud gamingis I don't wanna buy a bunch of games-- Sure, sure.- that like, and like invest in a platformthat I don't really use.If I buy this and thenmaybe pay, you know,two, three months to be ableto play through Spider-Man,to be able to play through Last of Uspart three- Totally.- when it comes out,to me, that's way a waybetter value proposition.- I will say-- Like it saves me money.- You're actually startingto persuade me a little bit.If you think about itfrom the perspective ofthis is a piece of hardware that is cheap,it's an entry to thePlayStation ecosystem.Imagine if they say, hey, you know what?We're gonna have our studios,our great first party IPs,we're gonna start developing Android gamesand they're gonna be best on this Q-Lite.I can actually see thatthat's an argument.Like that's the first time-- I feel like there willbe native games on it.Just not the way youthink they're gonna be.- Okay.- Like you're not gonna,like, I don't thinkyou're gonna be seeing likeSpider-Man natively on it.PlayStation has a greatrelationship with Square Enix.They love to port Square Enix games.- Okay, no. Matt, I've made a 180.If Sony released this ata reasonable price point,it has a decent selectionof games running natively.Whether that is just sort ofemulators that they have builtthey'll play some classicsplus some modern stuff.Whether it's just, they'vejust, rely on just damn Androidand Sony start puttingmore games on an Android,if they can solve the gamesolution in one way or anotherand they also give you thecloud gaming aspect of it.This actually makes sense to me.If though, this thing is expensive, giant,and only does a little bit of remote play,it doesn't make sense.- I agree.And I'll agree with you there.- I'm now excited for our PS Vita 2.- I think it's gonna be the Experia, but.- How about PlayStation portable?It's a good name.- We could shorten that down to PSP.- Ah, that's too short.I don't think anyone wouldunderstand what that means.- All right, all right.If if that's too short,we could say like PSP Go.- Oh, that's a great name.- You know, it gets the portability draw.- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.- Yeah.So it's PlayStation, you go portable.- Yeah, yeah.- Yeah, yeah, yeah.- I love it, love it, love it.- (indistinct)Like, follow, subscribe and let us knowwhat you think about thePSP Go 2 Lite Extreme.- Running Android, PS5 editions.(both snickering)(chill music)\n"
