When PlayStation launched the PlayStation Portal in November 2023, many wondered whether there was really a market for a dedicated streaming handheld. The gaming community answered that question quickly, with strong sales numbers long after it first hit store shelves. Now, the device is receiving one of its biggest updates yet, and PlayStation is ready to talk about what comes next.
Senior manager in the product management department at PlayStation and product lead for the Portal, Takuro Kushimi, sat down with CGMagazine to discuss the latest changes coming to the handheld. The headline feature is official cloud streaming support for PlayStation Plus Premium members, moving beyond the beta test that began last year.
But that seems like just the start. Players can now stream thousands of digital PS5 games directly from their own libraries, including major releases such as Astro Bot, Ghost of Yōtei and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The update also introduces a redesigned home screen, 3D audio support for both remote play and cloud streaming, and features such as in-game commerce that weren’t available during the beta phase. It’s a solid step forward for a device that continues to surprise skeptics.
Could you tell us what’s new coming to the system and why it’s so exciting that we’re talking today?
Takuro Kushimi: Today, the latest news in our PlayStation Portal development—before I get into that, I’ll say that we’re always challenging ourselves at PlayStation to bring new innovations to the gameplay experience.
Since we launched the Portal in November 2023, we’ve continued to enhance its experience by adding features such as support for public Wi-Fi networks and user experience improvements. We also experimented with cloud technology by launching a beta, as you may know, last year. This allowed PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to access games in the Plus catalogue through cloud streaming, rather than connecting to their PS5 consoles through Remote Play.
Today, I’m pleased to announce that we’re taking another step forward to enhance the user experience. We’ll officially launch the cloud streaming feature on the PlayStation Portal in the coming weeks. So, what does this mean? I’m just going to give you three high-level features that are going to be incorporated in this update.
First, as you may know, in the beta, users were only able to stream catalogue titles. With this update, Premium members can now stream select digital PS5 games from their own library. At launch, thousands of PS5 games will support cloud streaming, including some blockbuster titles such as Astro Bot, Borderlands 4, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Fortnite, Ghost of Yōtei [sic?], Grand Theft Auto V, NBA 2K26, and Resident Evil 4. This list is growing as we speak.
Second, we’re introducing a redesign of the user interface. In the current beta, users had to go into settings and toggle on the beta feature to access the cloud game streaming catalogue. With this update, we’re making it seamless by embedding the cloud streaming experience directly into the home interface, allowing users to switch between Remote Play and cloud streaming easily and jump right into the games they want to play.
Lastly, we’re adding support for in-game commerce, which wasn’t enabled in the beta. We’re also enabling 3D audio—a key feature of the PlayStation 5 generation—for both Remote Play and cloud streaming. Those are some of the updates we’re rolling out to the public in the coming weeks.
As you may know, cloud streaming has always been on our wish list since the early development stages of the PlayStation Portal. But we wanted to be extremely careful about how players would experience it. Remote Play and cloud streaming rely heavily on the user’s environment, including the stability of their home internet connection. That’s why we’ve taken a gradual approach—monitoring beta activity, listening to feedback and steadily improving the experience.
Who is PlayStation Portal streaming for?
Takuro Kushimi: Before we launched PlayStation Portal, some questioned whether there would be demand for such a unique device, since it was initially dedicated to Remote Play. However, the community response has been overwhelming. Our data shows that Portal users are more engaged than non-users, and PlayStation Portal has become the most widely used device for PlayStation 5 Remote Play—surpassing mobile, PC, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.
PlayStation Portal remains part of the PlayStation 5 family and continues to serve as a complementary device to the console—not a standalone system yet. With this update, one person can now play on PlayStation 5 while another plays a different game through cloud streaming on the Portal at the same time, which wasn’t possible before.
With this update, our goal is to give PlayStation 5 players more options, attract more users to the Portal and PlayStation Plus, and further drive overall engagement.
You mentioned one person can play on PlayStation 5 and another on the Portal. Could you have two Portals, each playing a different game, or is it limited to one device connected to the cloud at a time?
Takuro Kushimi: No, you can have two Portals playing on the cloud simultaneously, but you’ll need separate accounts and subscriptions.
So one account can play on PlayStation 5 and one Portal on the cloud, but not two Portals on the same account at once, right?
Takuro Kushimi: Yes, that’s correct.
You mentioned users can stream games from their library. Will there be a list of supported games
Takuro Kushimi: Yes. On product pages, there will be an icon showing whether a title supports cloud streaming, making it easier for users to find compatible games.
Will there be limitations with streaming, like frame rate caps?
Takuro Kushimi: The Portal supports up to 1080p for cloud streaming, as in the beta. Depending on internet speed, it may go down to 720p. But with a steady, high-speed connection, users will get the full 1080p experience.
Will it work on public Wi-Fi—like hotels?
Takuro Kushimi: Yes, the Portal supports public Wi-Fi and captive portals—the login screens where you accept terms, such as in hotels. Depending on the speed, the experience may vary, but it is supported.
How quickly are new games added to the streaming service after release?
Takuro Kushimi: I can’t speak to the exact timing, but for example, Ghost of Yōtei—which just came out last week—is already supported. That gives you an idea of how quickly we add new titles.
For people who don’t yet own the Portal but are considering it—what would you say to them?
Takuro Kushimi: We’re here to give players more options. We believe more content and continuous updates will make the Portal more appealing.
Will these features come to PC or other devices, or are they Portal-exclusive?
Takuro Kushimi: No comment on PC today—this update is for the Portal.
If someone doesn’t own a PlayStation 5, would it make sense to buy a Portal?
Takuro Kushimi: The Portal is still part of the PlayStation 5 family and designed as a companion device, not a standalone system yet. While it’s technically possible to play games on the Portal without connecting to a PlayStation 5, it’s designed to deliver greater value when paired with one.
For people using PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro, will there be any difference when streaming to the Portal?
Takuro Kushimi: Yes. The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro can stream up to 4K, while the Portal supports up to 1080p, optimized for its eight-inch screen. The underlying streaming technology is the same, and it supports full DualSense features.
I meant comparing home (local) streaming vs. cloud—how different are they in performance?
Takuro Kushimi: Feature-wise, they’re nearly at parity now. Both support 3D audio and full DualSense functionality. Depending on internet conditions and distance from servers, cloud streaming may introduce a bit more latency, but we’re continuously improving to minimize the difference.
Are there location-based performance differences, like better results in Toronto vs. Vancouver?
Takuro Kushimi: We allocate users to the best data centre for their region to deliver optimal performance. It can differ slightly by location, but we’re continuously improving the experience everywhere.
Final question—why is this the time to buy a PlayStation Portal?
Takuro Kushimi: Since launching the beta last year, we’ve listened closely to feedback. Streaming owned games was one of the top requests, and this update delivers on that. We believe it offers more options for players to enjoy the PlayStation 5 experience through the Portal.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Takuro Kushimi: Yes. One in five Portal owners have already tried the cloud streaming beta. Among PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers, seven out of ten Portal owners are already streaming. We’re seeing very high engagement, and we hope this update will encourage even more adoption.
Awesome, thank you so much for your time.
Takuro Kushimi: Thank you—it’s an honour to speak with you.
