Sony’s handheld PlayStation Portal is launching later this year: All your Questions answered

Sony is gearing up to join the handheld gaming market, following the launch of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally. The Sony PlayStation Portal remote player is arriving later this year.

However, unlike the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, the PlayStation Portal won't run games directly from its hardware. Instead, it will stream PS5 games installed on your PS5 for handheld remote play.

Sony PlayStation Portal: How it works? How much will it cost?

According to Sony, the PlayStation Portal will hit stores later this year for $199.99 (roughly Rs 16,500). To run games on the Portal, you will need an internet connection capable of at least 5Mbps, although Sony is recommending 15Mbps for the best experience.

Hideaki Nishino, Senior VP of Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment said, "PlayStation Portal will connect remotely to your PS5 over Wi-Fi, so you'll be able to swiftly jump from playing on your PS5 to your PlayStation Portal. PlayStation Portal can play supported games that are installed on your PS5 console and use the Dualsense controller."

The PlayStation Portal can play supported games that are installed on your PS5 console and can be used with the Dualsense controller. The PS Portal features prominent controllers on each side that look very much like Sony's PS5 DualSense controllers.

What can't you play on the PlayStation Portal?

The PlayStation Portal will also be capable of playing media, as the home screen has a dedicated section for it as it mirrors your PS5. You won't be able to run anything locally though if you don't have Wi-Fi. Strangely, Sony's handheld won't work with its upcoming cloud streaming service for PS5 games.

"Games that must be streamed on PS5 using a PS Plus Premium membership are not compatible," says Sony. Another downside of the PlayStation Portal is that it doesn't have Bluetooth, so you won't be able to connect to wireless headphones or Sony's Pulse 3D headset.

Instead, it uses a PlayStation Link wireless technology - a new proprietary standard for PlayStation devices. The PlayStation Portal was previously known as Project Q and was officially announced in May, with a rumored release date in November.

Source