Sony Project Q might not be so useless after all
PlayStation Plus Premium members will soon be able to cloud stream supported PS5 games
I’ve made it quite clear that you shouldn’t buy Sony’s Project Q due to the limited functionality that the device offers and the expected high price tag. But the widely ridiculed PS5 handheld could be getting a much-need shot in the arm, thanks to cloud gaming support.
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony announced that it’s working on bringing cloud streaming for supported PS5 games to PlayStation Plus Premium members. This will include PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, Game Trials, and supported PS5 digital titles you already own.
Similar to Xbox Cloud Gaming, you’ll be able to use Sony’s cloud gaming solution directly from your PlayStation 5 console, and like we’ve seen on the Logitech G Cloud, Sony will likely enable PS5 cloud streaming on other devices like its upcoming Project Q handheld.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Sony Project Q lifeline
☁️ Sony has announced its working on cloud game streaming support for PS5
🎮 The service will let PlayStation Plus Premium members stream select PS5 games and those from the PS Plus Game Catalog
🤔 It’s likely that cloud streaming could be supported by Sony’s Project Q
🙅♂️ Right now, the PS5 handheld is a hard sell compared to other devices on the market
That would make Sony’s Project Q a slightly more appealing proposition, as currently, it’s a hard sell. The handheld only supports PS5 Remote Play streaming, which requires a Wi-Fi connection and only works with games you own. Cloud gaming would at least let you experience a wider variety of titles, and wouldn’t require your PS5 to be online at the same time.
However, cloud game streaming still doesn’t justify the expected Sony Project Q price of $199 to $299, and it does little to mask the handheld’s garish design. Again, the device’s main selling point is that it lets you experience the benefits of the DualSense controller while playing PS5 games remotely. Whether Sony will be able to figure out how to include haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support while using cloud streaming remains to be seen.
The Sony Project Q’s battery life is also reportedly only three to four hours, which makes it worse that the PS5 DualSense Edge controller and far worse than the 2019 Switch and Switch OLED.
In light of the UK regulator’s decision to block Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard takeover due to fears that Xbox could dominate cloud gaming, it’s interesting timing that Sony is now making a more serious push into the nascent space. Sony’s chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida also dismissed that cloud gaming could threaten its current business model, making the CMA’s decision all the more baffling.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Yoshida said: “I think cloud itself is an amazing business model, but when it comes to games, the technical difficulties are high. So there will be challenges to cloud gaming, but we want to take on those challenges.”
The FTC has temporarily blocked Microsoft’s pending takeover of Activision Blizzard, meaning the US and UK are the only outliers opposing the deal currently. Microsoft wants to wrap the deal up by next month, so we can at least expect a resolution to this ongoing saga soon.