Skip to content 
Sony is also adding full cloud-streaming capabilities to the PlayStation Portal to access a small number of PlayStation 5 games so that it does not rely on the PlayStation 5 console itself. PlayStation PS5 games can now be played on a handheld device, streamed straight through the cloud, provided the subscribers have PS Plus Premium. Other features that Sony redesigned include the interface, the addition of 3D audio, in-game purchases during the cloud sessions, passcode lock, and network diagnostics. The improvements take the Portal a step further, towards being an independent handheld, albeit through streaming and not offline play.
Read also: Smart Play: How PlayStation Plus Uses AI to Power Game Discovery, Streaming, and Personalization
Cloud streaming is no longer in need of a PS5.
Sony has begun to implement its biggest software update since the introduction of the PlayStation Portal almost two years ago. The Portal emerged as a streaming accessory that needed a PS5 console to operate. Its capability was mainly Remote Play. It enabled users to stream games placed on their PS5 when the two devices were connected.
The model is altered by the new update. Sony stated that PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers now have the option to stream select digital PS5 games right to their libraries. PS5 does not necessarily have to be switched on. Cloud streaming can be streamed by players at any location, provided there is a stable, high-speed Wi-Fi connection. Sony clarified that the users of the Portal will be able to stream games in case the PS5 is currently being used by another person, or because it is switched off back at home.
Sony claimed on its launch that thousands of PS5 games are compatible with cloud streaming on the Portal. Large brands are Astro Bot, Borderlands 4, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Fortnite, Ghost of Tsushima, Grand Theft Auto V, and Resident Evil 4. Sony further wrote that hundreds of PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog games are also in place. These are Cyberpunk 2077, God of War Ragnarok, Hogwarts Legacy, sword of the sea, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered.
The Portal is more flexible with the addition of streaming PS5 games straight from the cloud. It also makes the device the most prolific cloud-streaming platform of Sony. In a video chat with Takuro Fushimi, the senior manager of product management at Sony, he told him that Portal is the most used in Sony cloud streaming, overtaking tablets and smartphones. Sony failed to give sales figures.
Read also: Ultimate PlayStation 5 Mastery Guide
New Interface separates game search, cloud streaming, and remote play.
Sony has re-engineered the PlayStation Portal interface to enable cloud streaming as one of the primary functions. Accommodating three tabs (Remote Play, Cloud streaming, and Search) on the home screen has been added. Every tab organizes the experience in the way the users prefer to play.
The Remote Play section remains connected to a matched PS5 and does not need a subscription. The Cloud Streaming tab shows potential PS5 games that can be instantly cloud-streamed. No downloads are required. The search tab enables players to find a streamable game very quickly. When a game is found on a search and the user is not entitled to view it, the Portal will display a QR code that is either linked to the PlayStation App or a browser. This allows the users to buy the game or renew their subscription.
Sony stated that during the streaming, users can purchase in-game items as well. This does not require walking out of the session to add some content or make a transaction. Friend invitations are displayed in Quick Menu, and one can join the session immediately.
3D audio, adaptive triggers, and network monitoring.
The update also introduced Sony with a number of added experience features. Portal has also added 3D audio, both in Remote Play and in cloud streaming. Wireless Sony Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headsets can be used by the players. The feature also introduces the same sound profile to PS5 players on the consoles.
Its Portal continues to have the adaptive triggers and haptic vibration that debuted with the DualSense controller. Sony reported that Portal is the only handheld that has full DualSense functionality when streaming.
A passcode lock was also made by Sony. A digital lock can be placed by the players so that it cannot be used by other people. As well, there is a new network-status window in the Quick Menu. The tool indicates the stability and quality of the connection when it is in a cloud session or Remote Play. Cloud streaming requires bandwidth; therefore, Sony emphasized the necessity of viewing live performance data.
Is Sony moving in the right direction towards a true handheld?
The new Portal upgrade creates speculation of a portable console being considered by Sony in the future. The company has not affirmed new handheld hardware. But reports in the industry suggest that PlayStation 6 may come in the next two years and may be released with a powerful companion handheld to play together locally. There have been rumors that the purported device would rival the high-performance handheld PCs such as the ROG Ally X.
Sony has remained uncommitted on the matter. Fushimi declared that the company perceives the Portal as belonging to the PS5 ecosystem and referred to it as a complementary device. He indicated that Sony was working on streaming and remote play features, as it provides PS5-quality immersion without shifting the development priorities.
The Portal continues to be unable to archive games or play anything offline. Although it has been given the added independence, it is still a streaming-only device. Users have to subscribe to PlayStation Plus Premium, even with cloud streaming priced at 18/month or 160/year. The new flexibility is unlocked by the update, and Sony is still positioning the Portal as a continuation of the PS5, not a successor to the PSP or PS Vita.
Still, Sony’s shift is clear. However, the Portal evolved through time into a distant playback screen and an image cloud device that can be held in the hand. Sony launched the enhancements to Wi-Fi in public places, introduced interface enhancements, and extended broadcasting to digital PS5 collections. With each upgrade, the Portal is made to resemble more of a standalone operating device. However, until Sony permits local installs, users will remain subordinate to streaming and subscriptions.
The recent PlayStation Portal update will be the largest step made by Sony towards handheld independence in years. PS5 streaming on the cloud changes the usage of the device by players. The Portal continues to be based on the internet and subscriptions, but its expanding features are indicative that Sony is trying out the handheld possibilities as the industry anticipates what Sony will roll out next.
