The PlayStation Portal now plays PS5 games without a PS5

The PlayStation Portal has got to be one of the most unlikely success stories of this console generation: what Sony themselves originally called an “accessory” to the PS5 – an expensive one at that – or “a companion device” later on, proved to be way, way more popular than anyone anticipated (it’s very often out of stock in most markets). The company probably expected consumers to just use it whenever they could not sit in front of the TV connected to their PS5 but, as it turns out, consumers also enjoy playing their PS5 games in a more relaxed context in other rooms of the house too, not just the living room. Who would have thought!

Well, Sony just took things to the next level with the PlayStation Portal by adding an important feature many of its owners have been asking for. This new function – in beta for many months, now official – allows players to stream PS5 games to this device not just directly from their own PS5 through Remote Play, but from Sony’s cloud servers too. In other words: with the updated PlayStation Portal consumers are now able to play PS5 games whether they actually own a PlayStation5 or not. Not merely a “companion device” anymore then, is it?

According to Sony, it’s not just playing PS5 games without a PS5 that this new feature enables:

Cloud streaming unlocks new ways to play: enjoy a game side-by-side with a friend who’s using your PS5 under a separate account, or stream your favorite game while someone else watches a movie on the console. Cloud streaming also makes it easier to enjoy PS5 games on the go – at a hotel, cafe, friend’s place, or anywhere else with a high-speed Wi-Fi connection – since you can keep playing even when your PS5 console back home is powered off or is in use by another account.

The PlayStation Store page for the officially available cloud-compatible PS5 games is currently displaying over 2800 titles (those will vary over time and region), more than enough for every taste and every circumstance one might want to use a PS Portal under. Sony made sure to add extensive functionality to cloud streaming too, including support for in-game purchases and game invitations, as well as several accessibility options (such as a screen reader and adjustable text sizes).

It’s worth noting that cloud streaming is not the only new functionality the latest PlayStation Portal update is adding to the device. There’s also 3D audio support, the ability to set a smartphone-type passcode as a security measure, as well as a network status screen that offers consumers useful information about the strength, speed and quality of the wireless connection they’re using the PS Portal on. Sony also redesigned the user interface of its home screen, so as to make the distinction between cloud streaming and Remote Play clearer, as well as help consumers find games they can buy or stream directly on the handheld.

Yours truly will openly admit he did not think all that much of the PS Portal when it was first released, as (a) it seemed to be the solution to a very specific problem and (b) in terms of both performance and user experience an awful lot depended on factors outside of Sony’s control (such as connectivity speeds or network latency). The company kept offering software updates for it, though, constantly improving the device and ironing out various issues before releasing this latest one which genuinely changes the nature and scope of the PS Portal.

That is why yours truly has now updated his original PlayStation Portal review, raising its overall score from 3.6 out of 5 to 4.2 out of 5. A lot still depends on the network environment this device will be used in – and it’s still a bit expensive for what it essentially is – but the user experience on offer is considerably improved since launch while cloud streaming is, quite literally, a game-changer. The very fact that consumers don’t even have to own a PS5 in order to play PS5 games now – after Sony experimenting with game streaming for so many years with little to show for it – is something few could have predicted back in 2020… yet here we are.

As for the elephant in the room – the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription requirement, currently going for $159.99 yearly – it kind of makes sense right now given the associated server and bandwidth costs… but it would be great if Sony allowed PS Plus Extra subscribers to stream the PS5 titles they already own from the cloud at some point. The PS Portal would then be easier to recommend to way more people. Fingers crossed?