Sony adds cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal – with a caveat

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by · TechSpot

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Why it matters: Probably the biggest complaint about the PlayStation Portal has been that it can only stream games directly from your PS5 over a local Wi-Fi connection. Now, Sony is pushing out an update for the device that lets users stream select games from the cloud – you don't even need a PlayStation 5 console. The caveat is that it's only available to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.

There was some surprise when Sony launched the PlayStation Portal last year. The $200 device is advertised as a gaming accessory rather than dedicated handheld gaming console like the Nintendo Switch as it only streams games from a PS5 via Wi-Fi using Remote Play. It's essentially a controller with an 8-inch, 1080p secondary screen.

Sony markets the Portal as a way to play your PS5 games while letting someone else use the living room TV, or to play elsewhere in the home, like the bedroom (or bathroom).

Now, Sony is introducing extra functionality to the PlayStation Portal via an update. In addition to some audio changes, the update includes a beta version of a new feature: support for cloud streaming.

Users will be able to stream over 120 games from the PS Plus Game Catalog to their PlayStation Portal, including Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

There are a few requirements if you want to stream cloud games to the Portal. A PlayStation Network account and an active PlayStation Plus Premium membership are needed, the latter of which costs $17.99 per month, $49.99 quarterly, or $159.99 annually.

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The feature also requires a minimum 7 Mbps connection to stream at 720p, or 13 Mbps for 1080p. Sony notes that some PlayStation Plus features won't be available during this initial beta period, including Game Trials, party voice chat, game invites for select games, the Create button, 3D audio, and "in-game commerce." Moreover, only PS5 games can be streamed on the PlayStation Portal, meaning PS4 and PS3 games are not supported, and the beta is not available for child accounts.

Despite the technical limitations, the PlayStation Portal has proved successful since its launch, with US sales estimated to be between 420,000 and 630,000 units, exceeding Sony's initial expectations.