PS Portal now lets you stream select PS5 games from the cloud
PlayStation Portal, or the PS Portal, is getting a new update to give users more flexibility when using the external player device. On Tuesday, Sony released a new update to the PS Portal that adds support for streaming select PS5 games in the cloud. This feature is currently being rolled out in beta. The cloud streaming feature has certain limitations and is only available to users with the highest PlayStation Plus subscription. However, thanks to the cloud streaming capability, gamers can now use the PS Portal as an independent cloud device.
PS Portal gets cloud streaming support
The PS Portal was launched by Sony last year as a dedicated remote gaming device. The handheld allows users to play games while away from their console, as long as they are connected to Wi-Fi. However, it is not an independent device and users will need to connect it to a PS5 console (in rest mode) to use it. This means that unless someone owns a PS5 and keeps it turned on in rest mode, the PS Portal cannot function.
The new system update, detailed by Sony in a blog postwill provide an improvement in this area. Cloud streaming on PS Portal is a beta feature available to PS Plus Premium subscribers. Once the update is live, eligible users will be able to choose from over 120 PS5 games, including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and this streaming directly from the cloud.
Sony says users will need an internet connection of at least 7 Mbps to stream games at 720p resolution and a minimum of 13 Mbps to stream games at 1080p resolution. Games can be streamed in up to 60 fps. The beta update will initially be available for select regions including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands , Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. Indian users do not get the feature at this time.
Notably, these selected titles are all from the PS Plus games catalogue, accessible to PS Plus Extra and Deluxe/Premium subscribers, and not all titles will be available to play. Users also cannot play PS4 or PS3 games at this time. And they won’t have access to certain PS Plus features, such as game trials, party voice chat, game invites for some games, 3D audio, and in-game commerce (buying or selling items in a game). Additionally, child accounts also cannot access the cloud streaming feature.
Despite the limitations, the beta update reduces the dependency on PS Portal on the PS5 console and could encourage more gamers to buy the device. Sony says that to access cloud streaming, users only need the external player device, a PS account and an active PS Plus Premium subscription and access to Wi-Fi.
