It’s been almost a year since the PlayStation Portal’s August 2023 PlayStation Showcase reveal. Many players have gotten to experience the new remote-play device for the PlayStation 5 since its November 15, 2023 launch. The device allows for players to play their PS5 games on a handheld console remotely. The concept sounds innovative. However, sometimes, the reach for changing the future can be too far and unexpected. Although the PS Portal can be a very convenient method of gaming for players, for others, it could feel lackluster and unnecessary. As time goes on, it begs the question: What is next for the PlayStation Portal, and how can Sony work to improve upon it?
How to Improve the PlayStation Portal
Remote Play Fixes
The PlayStation Portal, like any device, can be improved upon. The primary feature of being able to play remotely is where to start. The Sony Remote Play feature on consoles is not good at all. Playing games can be a hassle, especially because Remote Play can cause your gameplay to have lag or delayed inputs. Playing games like Demon’s Souls, where timing is required, can make or break the experience. It would be in the player’s and device’s best interest for Sony to begin recalibrating and ironing out the feature. Whether coding or an internet connectivity problem, getting Remote Play to work appropriately and not falter as much would significantly improve the Portal.
Adding to this, leaving the house with the Portal becomes almost useless. Because the device requires players to stream games through the wi-fi, going to any public wi-fi or hotspots will cause the games to run terribly. Therefore, you are forced only to use it at home, which almost defeats the purpose of owning one. A way this could potentially be corrected is to allow the PlayStation Portal to download a game for a set of time, whether two days up to a week (almost like loaning it from your PS5). By implementing this, owners of the Portal would be able to play single-player titles with no lag issues and from anywhere they wish, making it an actual handheld experience. However, like most handhelds, its battery is another issue.
Battery Life
Sony can improve upon the PlayStation Portal by also upgrading its battery life. When the Nintendo Switch OLED was introduced, it gave players around six hours of battery life. This is four-and-a-half hours more than the launch console. You are lucky to get four to five hours on the PlayStation Portal, but upgrading this even by an extra hour could give it ample gaming time. It would even put it on par with other handheld devices. If family members use the television, and the Portal is the only option to play, a measly three to four hours of charge time can disappear quickly.
Bluetooth
The PlayStation Portal, not having built-in Bluetooth in 2024, feels like a massive misstep. Improving this can be done by allowing for a Bluetooth program to be installed and run on the device. Having Bluetooth would enable players to use headphones and other devices. Using these would garner a better overall experience, especially if they wish to use headphones to hear a game’s narrative in a public setting.
A PlayStation Portal to What Kind of Future?
The PlayStation Portal is less than a year old and still in its early stages. However, as many are not warmly receiving the device, its future is questionable. Although the device is receiving software updates, this is not the only work that should be done. Sony needs to develop it further by implementing the above changes to start seeing a turnaround with players. The Portal allows players to have the handheld experience in a Sony console family. Past handhelds such as the PSP and PS Vita show Sony can deliver great handheld experiences.
The Portal can join its peers in that aspect, but it is being held back, mainly because it must always be connected to stream games. It would be a vital piece of PlayStation gaming if it could receive better implementations. Players being able to take their games on the go is always an appealing concept. Furthermore, being able to play Helldivers 2 with friends or experience The Last of Us Part 1 while not being near your PS5 is a game changer. Growing and changing the Portal can lead to the possibility of competing with the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally.
The future of the PlayStation Portal, whether it sinks or continues to float, depends on the willingness to listen to feedback. While the device is still young, it is the best time to get it fixed. It deserves a seat at the PlayStation dinner table, but to stay there, it needs some work.
