When the PlayStation Portal was first revealed, it faced plenty of online criticism, with some wondering who would want the handheld device. It turns out the internet isn’t always right, as the PlayStation Portal has proven to be quite successful, and I find myself using mine more often than I expected. Sony is now rolling out a new feature that turns the PlayStation Portal into a standalone system, meaning you no longer need a PlayStation 5 console to use it.
The new feature, Cloud Streaming (Beta) on PlayStation Portal, allows PlayStation Plus Premium members to play select PlayStation 5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog without a PlayStation 5 console. The service is still experimental, and features available during the beta period may change over time. The service is still an experimental offering and the features available during the beta period may change over time.
The beta will allow streaming of over 120 PlayStation 5 games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Streaming quality is up to 1080p at 60 fps, and it supports DualSense wireless controller features. To access the beta, players need an active PlayStation Plus Premium membership and a minimum upload and download speed of 5 Mbps. PlayStation recommends 7 Mbps for 720p and 13 Mbps for 1080p. Once the beta is available, users can find a Cloud Streaming (Beta) toggle under Settings in the Quick Menu. The toggle will be off by default.
There are some features that won’t be available during the testing period: Game Trials, streaming games purchased on PS Store, system features such as Party voice chat and game invites for select games, Create button, 3D audio, and in-game commerce. Also, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 games are not supported.
PlayStation Portal owners who have no interest in Cloud Streaming, you’ll still be getting a new system software update that’s rolling out starting today. It introduces updates to the audio experience, including the ability to lower the volume when the audio level is set to minimum, and optimization of volume and sidetone volume for PlayStation Link devices.
If the streaming quality performs well, this could be a compelling option for affordable access to PlayStation 5 games. A PlayStation Plus Premium subscription costs $17.99 per month or $159.99 annually, while the PlayStation Portal is priced at $199.99.
