Sony made a surprise announcement last week, revealing the Project Q handheld in a livestream showcasing its upcoming titles. According to a resurfaced document, the company has reportedly worked on the handheld for around eight years.
Sony started thinking of a handheld streaming device dedicated to remote play as far back as 2015. The document, which recently returned to the spotlight, reveals that Sony filed a patent for a handheld similar to Project Q in 2015 and was published in 2017.
Of course, there have been changes to the design since the first patent was filed. The button layout has been altered slightly from the initial design and the earphone jack and charging cable terminals were moved to the bottom of the device. The original design was filed eight years ago and featured a MicroUSB port while Project Q is coming with a MiniUSB port.
Sony has been experimenting with the design of the Project Q. A patent filed in 2021 resembles the final version but features the DualShock 4 controller handles instead of the DualSense design. The patent also reveals that a motion sensor is included to detect how much the device was titled and in which direction.
Fans were quite disappointed with the functionality and design of the Project Q. The device is essentially a handheld device to stream games from a PlayStation 5 rather than a standalone platform similar to the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally, or even the earlier PSP or PS Vita.