Sony have confirmed the “Project Q”, a remote screen/controller combo for the PlayStation 5, that will allow you to play the PS5 from your toilet seat (something you can already do today with Remote Play). Project Q had been rumored for a few months, and we had talked about it here.

“Later this year, we will launch a dedicated device that enables you to stream any game from your PS5 console, using remote play over Wi-Fi. Internally known as ‘Project Q,’ it has an 8-inch HD screen and all of the buttons and features of the DualSense wireless controller. We look forward to sharing more information in the near future.”, said Jim Ryan.

PS5 Project Q – Lukewarm reception

Reception to the announce has been mixed, with Cnet wondering how Sony will position the device from a marketing perspective. Techcrunch say this should be categorized as an “accessory” rather than a device on its own, but as a positive note, state that it is a “clear vote of confidence from Sony in the future of remote gaming“. I do think Tom’s hardware make a very good summary of the overall reception:

However, because the Project Q will require you to stream games from your own PS5 up to the cloud and then back down to the handheld, it could cause more buffering issues than a game that was streamed directly from a server in the cloud.

And, you can already use Remote Play to stream your games to other handheld devices, Sony will have to make a case as to why Project Q is a better alternative than, say, an iPad paired with a DualSense controller.

On Twitter, the crowd hasn’t been super excited either for the device, from people pointing out this doesn’t seem to add much value to the current remote play possibilities, to others showing disappointment that this isn’t a successor to the PS Vita.

imagine taking 1 feature from PlayStation Vita and trying to repackage it as a stand-alone product and call it “innovation”. Just the peak of embarrassment.

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) May 24, 2023

There are also legitimate concerns about the durability of the controllers, in particular the analog sticks.

What if this device gets stick drift?

Or the triggers get stuck.

Common issues on the dualsense now with a tablet pic.twitter.com/CGOPF1KeDL

— Roc6d (@Roc6d) May 24, 2023

As always, we’ll have to wait and see if the device finds its niche, and how much support Sony will be giving it in the long run.

PS5 Earbuds and Game trailers

During the Showcase, PlayStation also announced upcoming wireless earbuds, and revealed lots of trailers for upcoming games for PS5 and PSVR2. I was personally excited for the MArathon reboot by Bungie, until I learned it will be an exclusively multiplayer online game. The full Showcase video can be found below (starts at around the 50 minute mark):