PLAYSTATION Portal is Sony’s latest take on a handheld console, but it doesn’t work like a Nintendo Switch or PS Vita.
Rather than storing or playing games off the console itself, players stream them from their PS5.
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This means that the PS Portal is more like an accessory than a handheld console in its own right.
However, that will be changing soon, as PlayStation is adding new software that will allow Portal players to access games without a PS5.
The new cloud streaming beta is available now (Wednesday, November 20, 2024) for players in Europe, but it’s expected to expand soon to other regions.
Portal’s latest upgrade will allow players to stream games from the cloud, rather than from a console.
Those who want to try out the new tech will need a PS Plus account so they can stream games available on the service.
The other downside is that you will require a stable internet connection in order to play, but you’ll still be able to play outside of your house with fewer steps to set it up.
This means that you still won’t be able to stream games you own without a PS5, but the new software does open up more opportunities for gamers.
PlayStation hasn’t clarified if there will be changes to setting up a PS Portal, which currently requires a PS5 for the initial setup.
However, it is possible to set it up with a friend’s or family member’s PS5 and then use it to exclusively to stream games from the cloud.
This is the next step for Sony in creating a new portable PlayStation console, but we’re not there just yet.
PS, Vita, I Love You
People have been asking for a PS Vita successor for years, but with the launch of the PS Portal, it seemed that PlayStation was leaving the handheld market.
However, the launch of the PS Portal proved hugely successful for PlayStation, which could have led it to reconsider its position.
With the popularity of the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch and the Portal, gamers have shown they are as hungry for handheld gaming as ever.
Cloud streaming is a nice compromise, but we’d love to be able to play the games we own portably without the need to connect to the internet.
If you want to read more about cloud gaming, check out the games that joined PS Plus in November.
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