Asura Kagawa
- Sony's updated handheld streamer hints at features it hasn't announced yet.
- Since the PlayStation Portal's form factor is staying the same, PS4 and PS5 games are unlikely to run natively, and PS3 probably won't either.
Sony's updated handheld streamer hints at features it hasn't announced yet.
Sony has announced a new version of the PlayStation Portal in Japan, and the news dropped overnight. The first model was sold as the PlayStation Portal Remote Player, but this updated unit goes by a simpler name: PlayStation Portal Player. It also comes with one month of PlayStation Plus Premium.
Sony describes the device as close to standalone, since cloud streaming through PlayStation Plus Premium lets you play many PS5 games without a console nearby. That part is familiar, because Remote Play has been the other main way to use it, and the PlayStation Portal has handled both for a while now.
The more interesting detail sits in the wording of the announcement. Sony says this version includes extra storage so it can take advantage of future functionality, but it hasn't said what that functionality is. Until now, the PlayStation Portal has only streamed content, either through Remote Play from a PS5 you own or through cloud streaming of select games if you subscribe to PlayStation Plus Premium.
That opens the door to something different. Sony hasn't shared what's inside the new PlayStation Portal Player, so it's hard to know how far this goes. The storage could mean the hardware can run games itself, letting you take them on the road rather than leaning on Remote Play or cloud streaming.
It could also be for downloading movies, or for apps, although it's hard to picture what apps would make sense on a device like this. It's built for gaming, and with two large controllers jutting out from either side, it isn't a comfortable way to watch films or shows.
Since the PlayStation Portal's form factor is staying the same, PS4 and PS5 games are unlikely to run natively, and PS3 probably won't either.
PS1 and PS2 are more realistic, and maybe even PSP, considering how far Android emulation has come and what tablets and phones can handle today. You can hope this is Sony easing back into building a proper handheld. Plenty of rumors say the PS6 will get a portable version, and the timing stands out with the PS6 possibly only a year away. A storage-equipped PlayStation Portal could be a step toward the PS6.
The PS Vita is also worth considering. Games that only use the front touchscreen could work, even though the rear touch wouldn't, and plenty of PS Vita games fit that description. Seeing them return for purchase on the PlayStation Network store would be a great outcome, and a PS Vita library on the PlayStation Portal would be welcome. Nothing is confirmed, but the extra storage on the PlayStation Portal could mean a lot.
