Cloud streaming comes to the PlayStation Portal in new test

Sony is about to introduce more ways to use your PlayStation Portal. The company announced that it’s releasing a cloud streaming feature in beta that will let users stream certain games to the device without needing a console.

This is part of a larger PS Portal update that will also bring along audio fixes and be available starting Wednesday. PlayStation hasn’t noted how long cloud streaming will be in testing for, but it’s looking for user feedback and is expected to change features over time.

There are some limitations to be aware of, according to the PlayStation Blog post. This will only be available to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers ($160 per year when you buy 12 months upfront), and wuill feature only 120 PlayStation 5 games in the PlayStation Plus catalog. A partial list includes Dave the Diver, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and Ghost of Tsushima. This only applies to the PS5 versions of those games. That’s still a huge list of games to test, and when streaming, you can access all DualSense controller features like haptic feedback.

Cloud streaming will also only support up to 1080p and 60 frames per second. This might seem small considering the PS5 Pro can stream games in up to 4K resolution, but there are always concessions with cloud streaming since it’s all over an internet connection. To get 1080p, you’ll need a minimum of 13 Mbps.

There also won’t be some features available, such as the ability to stream games you already own, game trials, party voice chat, and 3D audio. This is only for streaming games in the PS Plus library to your PS Portal.

The PS Portal is a unique device in the growing sea of gaming handhelds. You can get it for $200, which is relatively low compared to other options, but it only supports streaming, so its audience is pretty niche (although the people who love it really love it). At launch, it only allowed you to stream if your PS5 was on, but with this beta feature, you’ll be able to access PlayStation’s servers to stream games, much like how Nvidia GeForce Now works.