The PlayStation Portal is proving to be a popular little handheld, especially since Sony recently added Cloud Streaming (Beta) to the device. The new feature essentially turns the PlayStation Portal into a standalone system, allowing PlayStation Plus Premium members to play select PlayStation 5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog without needing a PlayStation 5 console. It’s become a popular feature, so it’s not surprising that Sony is working on improving it.
Today, April 9, the PlayStation Portal is getting an update that will add new features to enhance Cloud Streaming (Beta). The first is the ability to sort games on the catalog screen, allowing users to sort by Recently added to PS Plus (default), Name, and Release date. The sort icon will be added to the top-left corner once the update is live. The next new feature enables the Create button on the PlayStation Portal during a Cloud Streaming (Beta) session. The function is similar to what’s found on the PlayStation 5, meaning players can access the create menu, take a screenshot, or start/finish recording a video clip. Anything captured during a streaming session is automatically uploaded to the cloud, accessible from the PlayStation App under Library > Captures. They will be stored for 14 days after they were created.
Sony has also added a queue for when the streaming server is full. Users will see their estimated wait time and the game session automatically starts when it’s their turn. Next, gameplay can now be paused when users open the PlayStation Portal quick menu. Also, when pressing the power button once, the PlayStation Portal will go into rest mode and the game will be paused. Users are able to unpause and get back to their game by pressing the power button again. Note that if the PlayStation Portal stays in rest mode for more than 15 seconds, the cloud streaming session will be disconnected. Also, while obvious, it’s worth mentioning the pause feature won’t work in certain cases, like online multiplayer.
A minor feature that’s also part of this update is a notification for inactivity. The PlayStation Portal will now notify users that streaming will close in 60 seconds whenever they are inactive for over 10 minutes. Lastly, there’s a user feedback screen so players can provide feedback on their streaming session.
It’s great to see Sony’s continued support for the PlayStation Portal, especially since the initial announcement left many gamers wondering what the purpose of the device was.
