Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a significant update for its PlayStation Portal remote player, introducing cloud streaming capabilities and audio improvements. The update, rolling out today globally (Wednesday for Europe), marks a major evolution for the year-old handheld device.
PlayStation Plus Premium members will now be able to stream select PS5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog directly to their Portal devices, even without owning a PS5 console. The cloud streaming feature launches in beta with over 120 PS5 titles, including popular games like Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
“PS Portal was an ambitious product for us, and we have been delighted by the positive response from our fans,” said Hiromi Wakai, VP of Product Management at Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The cloud streaming beta supports gameplay up to 1080p/60fps and includes features such as:
- DualSense controller features (haptic feedback, adaptive triggers)
- PlayStation Plus cloud storage (up to 100GB)
- Automatic game progress syncing between devices
The update also brings audio refinements, including:
- Improved minimum volume control
- New PlayStation Link device settings accessible from the Portal menu
- Adjustable sidetone volume settings
To access the cloud streaming beta, users need:
- A PlayStation Portal remote player
- PlayStation Network account
- Active PlayStation Plus Premium membership
- Reliable Wi-Fi (minimum 5Mbps, 13Mbps for 1080p streaming)
The service will be available in 30 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, and various European nations. However, some features remain unavailable during the beta, including Game Trials, streaming of purchased PS Store games, Party voice chat, and PS4/PS3 game support.
Users can enable the beta feature through the Quick Menu settings on their Portal device, with the option to disable it at any time.
