PlayStation has had several rumors circulating over the past few months, whether it’s the new PS5 with a detachable disc drive releasing this year or the PlayStation Showcase apparently coming before Summer Game Fest. Then there’s the PlayStation 5 Pro, rumored to launch in 2024.
Perhaps the most interesting rumor is surrounding a new PlayStation Handheld. Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb first reported on it and its focus on cloud streaming. Insider-Gaming’s Tom Henderson reported that the handheld is codenamed Q Lite, and will run PS5 titles using Remote Play.
So when can it be expected? Henderson said it would launch before the PS5 Pro but after the new PS5 model. In the latest Iron Lords Podcast, he revealed the current plan is to launch in November.
“It is going to release between the PS5 Pro, which is end of 2024 at the moment, and the new PS5 with a detachable disc drive [coming at] the end of this year. At this moment in time, it’s going to release towards the end of this year. A lot of people said it’s going to be 2024, but at the moment, it’s looking like November.”
This barrage of hardware releases would be an interesting strategy for Sony, especially with the PlayStation VR2’s recent launch. The latter has reportedly sold under 300,000 units, and plans are seemingly underway by the company to cut production plans by 20 percent.
In the meantime, stay tuned for more details on the new handheld and console, with production for the latter rumored to start in April and a release in September.
