Update 08/24/2023 12:32: we had missed this information available in the Sony FAQ and identified by Numerama. PlayStation Portal can be used remotely as long as you have access to a WiFi internet network. Sony recommends a minimum bit rate of 5Mbps and 15Mbps for the best experience. Mea culpa, the Playstation Portal is not just a console to play in the bathroom.
Trend reversal: the #PortalPlayStation supports remote play, which means you can play your PS5 from any Wi-Fi network.
Sony has confirmed this information @Numeramaafter a reader report that he read this hidden on his site.
— Nicolas Lellouche (@LelloucheNico) August 24, 2023
It was one of the most anticipated announcements this year in the gaming industry. After months of rumors, Sony has formalized the PlayStation Portal. Previously known as Project Q, this ‘portable’ console raised hopes of a big comeback from Sony in this booming market. But the latest details revealed by the Japanese have had the effect of a cold shower.
“PlayStation Portal is the perfect device for gamers who need to share their living room TV or just want to play PS5 games in another room of the house.” This is how Sony sums up the usefulness of the PlayStation Portal.
The brand promise is simple: being able to play on the PS5 when the TV is already being used by another member of the family. We are not ungrateful, this PS5 extension will allow you to play even in bed or… in the bathroom. And that is priceless. Finally if, 220 euros.
This is the price announced by Sony on August 23, 2023 for a release scheduled for the end of the year, precisely on the occasion of the Christmas holidays. An exorbitant price for the experience offered. Because the Playstation Portal is nothing more than a DualSense controller with a screen in the center (8 inches, Full HD at 60 fps). For the gaming experience, we’ll be back.
The Playstation Portal, a console for playing on the toilet
Renowned for easing the wallet of gamers, Sony pushes addiction to the extreme with the Playstation Portal. Because the gaming experience here is in all respects similar to Remote Play, a free function available starting from… the Playstation 3. In other words, it is possible to connect a DualSense controller via bluetooth to a smartphone or tablet, launch the Remote Play application and play PlayStation Games wherever you are, at home… and on the go.
And this is where the shoe pinches. PlayStation Portal cannot be used remotely. Please note that apart from your garden, bedroom, bathroom or toilet, the PlayStation Portal will be of no use to you. What’s worse, Sony didn’t see fit to integrate its cloud gaming service, which would have given the product its full meaning.
It is also not possible to use the PlayStation Portal as a media player. No Netflix, Prime Video and other Disney+ available here. Not even Sony Entertainment’s movie catalog is accessible, not even in VOD or for purchase.
new details on the Sony PlayStation portal:
• no Bluetooth, you need to buy new PlayStation Link compatible headsets
• no local playback, not even media playback
• no PS5 cloud streaming
• aims for the same battery life as the DualSense controllers—Tom Warren (@tomwarren) August 23, 2023
We have to redeem everything, this is a revolution
As a symbol of this vast deception, PlayStation Portal does not have Bluetooth connectivity. Sony has instead chosen to integrate Playstation Link, a new proprietary connectivity. Please note that only Playstation Link certified products can be connected wirelessly to the machine. If you already had Bluetooth headphones for gaming, they won’t help you here.
And we immediately understand why: Sony presented two new audio devices at the Playstation Portal at the same time. A headset (Pulse Elite) and headphones (Pulse Explore) designed for gaming and also sold at incredible prices: 150 euros for the former and 220 euros for the latter, the same price as the console itself!
With the Playstation Portal you will therefore be able to play your PS5 games from home for 220 euros (with a daisy-level immersion) and up to 440 euros (with a real gaming experience).
Otherwise you can opt for a Steam Deck, sold for 150 euros more and on which you can play all your Playstation games but also PC and Xbox ones. And from anywhere.
And if your finances are more modest, there are accessories sold for less than 10 euros that allow you to connect a smartphone or tablet to a DualSense controller. You can also play your PS5 games from the bathroom, but also from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection.
Thanks Sony for the PlayStation Portal, but no thanks.
Leave a Reply