PlayStation handheld gets a big update, giving fans more reasons to watch the future of portable PlayStation gaming Sony CEO hints at future plans That device is the PlayStation Portal, Sony’s handheld remote player built for PS5 Remote Play and cloud streaming. Sony has just upgraded the Portal with 1080p High Quality mode, improved cloud-streaming, improved trophy notifications, improved search, and improved onboarding. Cloud streaming for some digital PS5 games in users’ libraries was also added in previous updates for PlayStation Plus Premium members. Meanwhile, Hideaki Nishino, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has spoken about future PlayStation hardware working in many forms and places. That comment has set off speculation about an actual next-generation PlayStation handheld, but Sony hasn’t officially announced one yet.
What’s New in PlayStation Portal Update?
Latest PlayStation Portal update brings more value to players who use Remote Play and cloud streaming The biggest feature is 1080p High Quality mode that offers players a higher bitrate option for smoother and sharper gameplay. When the internet connection is strong enough this can improve the experience. Sony has improved its cloud streaming experience with a better selection of game bundles, clearer game-invite notifications and better trophy alerts. The search has also been improved to make it easier to find supported games. These changes don’t make the Portal a truly standalone console, but they do make it feel more complete and polished than it was before.
Cloud Streaming Powers Portal
For the PlayStation Portal, cloud streaming is one of the biggest changes. At launch, the Portal was mostly reliant on Remote Play from a PS5 console. PlayStation Plus Premium members can now stream select digital PS5 games from their library and supported catalogue titles in the cloud. Depending on the game support and account eligibility, this means that the Portal can be useful even if the home PS5 is off or being used by someone else. The feature does add to Portal’s sense of being a real handheld gaming device, but it still relies on internet quality and PlayStation Plus Premium. For a lot of gamers, this is the update that makes Portal more interesting.
Sony CEO Teases New PlayStation Hardware
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino recently spoke about the future of PlayStation hardware and said Sony wants to continue making its own game consoles. These comments have led many fans to believe that Sony may be working on a more powerful portable PlayStation device in the future. The PlayStation Portal already shows that Sony wants to see people play beyond the living room TV. However, fans should be wary as this isn’t an official confirmation of a PS6 handheld or PlayStation Vita successor. But for now, the comments are just teasing us that Sony is considering flexible hardware experiences.
Conclusion
The PlayStation Portal is getting better with every update, and the latest improvements make Sony’s handheld-style device more useful than ever. Features such as 1080p High Quality mode, improved cloud streaming, improved search, clearer trophy alerts, and easier setup help make the Portal feel more complete. Meanwhile, Sony boss Hideaki Nishino’s comments about future hardware working in different forms and locations have added to the buzz for a potential future PlayStation handheld. Still, Sony has yet to confirm a real standalone device. The Portal is the best official portable PlayStation around right now.
