PS Portal Sales Still Going Strong a Year Later

PS Portal sales remain robust a year after it launched, surprising critics and naysayers. The handheld is 2024's best-selling accessory.

[MaximusPrime_]

Yeah, I still use it.

Played a number of games using PS Portal.
GT7, Astro Bot, RDR2 to name a few.

Still brilliant innovation.

Edit: someone disagreed? Care to elaborate?

[andy85]

Not got one myself but I can see why people do. Much better experience than using remote play on a phone

[VenomUK]

The more people who buy it, the more likely PS6 Portable will happen.

[ABizzel1]

It’s price tag is good enough for people to buy and try it, and while I don’t have one, I have used remote play on my iPad Pro and connected a Dual Sense controller to my iPad and play games flawlessly anywhere in my house, so I get the appeal.

Personally, I prefer spending more for a dedicated hardware that can also play games on the go (RE4 on iPad Pro is kind of unreal), but for $200 and sometimes less you can’t really complain about a quality streaming platform like the PS Portal.

[Inverno]

How can it be innovative when remote play has been around since the PS3? Not giving ya a disagree but a year on I still don't understand the point of this device when remote is something possible on phones and tablets, and TV's. The experience depends on your Internet connection so it isn't something that's magically better on the portal.

[Ps5conehead]

I have neuropathy numb hands and the portal works great for me. I have had some eye issues and having the portal I could see and play. A tablet you got to let it sit on a stand and for me the portal works. I have fast internet so I know helps too

[NotoriousWhiz]

Phone screens are too small.
Tablets can't be used with a controller while holding it.
I'm not aware of any TVs that support remote play for PS5, but even if there were, that's still not portable.

[Kurt Russell]

As someone who's TV has been hijacked by kids, I intend to pick one up at some point.

[Dirty_Lemons]

This is why it is good. We're lucky enough to have a PS5 in the living room and in my bedroom, but if the kid or missus is using the TV and it's not late at night, I don't want to be sitting in bed to game. Although it's true that you can use Dualsense with Remote Play through a phone, as I did for a while, the Portal feels different. It's like a big ass Switch, but it's PlayStation...and it feels pretty damn badass.

My biggest gripe - aside from the obvious "I need internet to do anything" (also don't believe it's all to do with speeds, I get 1Ghz and it's not always perfect) - is that I can't use Bluetooth headphones. Which irks me as the missus has stolen my Pulse headset for Silent Hill, and I refuse to replay Alan Wake II with my shi**y plug in ear pods 😁

[just_looken]

I disagreed because you said innovation when this device using tech my psp from 2005 can do.

This is just a glorified dollar store tablet with the remote play app installed that app/tech just turned 20 years old as the psp was tossed out in 2004.

You and every other person that purchased this is saying they liked a device that only does one thing with proprietary playstation link tech removing bluetooth forcing you to use there over priced headset's.

The ps portal that has controllers attached with a know deadstick issue only can do one thing remote play with tech that forces you into the sony overpriced headset crowd and a screen that was new 10 years ago is $200

$200 ps portal
https://www.amazon.com/Play...

certified steam deck refurb from steam with a warranty is only $280
https://store.steampowered....

For $80 more you can get a steam deck that is just a mini pc people even can duel boot on it the upgrades/repairs are easy and you can do more that one thing it also has this space age tech called bluetooth.

You can also stream games from a pc to the steam deck
https://www.pcmag.com/how-t...

You can also remote play playstion 4/ playstaion 5 from your steam deck
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

But the steamdeck does not have a sony logo or a cult following so its sales are way less than the ps portal because the ps portal has a 10 cent sony sticker on it so do too that its the defacto uber tech item.

[Cockney]

Did your boyfriend leave you for a portal?

[just_looken]

@Cockney

Wow what a well though out comment really countered my points........................ .....

Less than 8min this time for a sony defender to show up.

Sony should copy nintendo sell a overpriced alarm clock with a internet connection so they can spy on you and sell that data they have a cult like nintendo that will buy it for atleast $150.

[badz149]

Why are you comparing the Portal and SteamDeck?

[just_looken]

@badz149

The steamdeck and portal both can do remote play stream from a PlayStation

The steamdeck is a mini pc can also remote play from a pc

I am comparing a overpriced dollar store tablet to a mini pc that can do way more along with everything the portal can do for $80 more.

The portal should be no more than $150 even that to me is pushing it when you can buy like i said a mini portable pc for very little more.

[Knushwood Butt]

'But the steamdeck does not have a sony logo or a cult following so its sales are way less than the ps portal'

Is that why the sales are way less?

As I remember it, a whole bunch of naysayers were predicting the Portal would fail because nobody needed or wanted it.

Now you're saying it sells because of a logo and a cult following??

[just_looken]

@Knushwood

There is 0 reason to get the portal so yes its this cult following/logo like apple

Just download the app on your phone or spend $200 on a tablet well actually you can get a tablet for $100 9 inch 32gb of storage
https://www.bestbuy.com/sit...

So $100 for a tablet that does way more with the app to remote play then just add a controller via bluetooth

I mean i just showed a full android tablet for $100 less then a portal

[Knushwood Butt]

Is that the PS Remote Play app? I might try it. Want to play some Jeanne D'Arc while in bed.

I don't have a Portal.

[Wintersun616]

Stop lying, just_lyin. "Your psp from 2005" doesn't have DualSense adaptive triggers or haptic feedback. Neither does Steam Deck or any other alternative solution.

[just_looken]

@Wintersun616

100% in what i am saying you run to the controller part prasing its tech.

Well i know you might get a hart attack but this thing called bluetooth is in that controller so you can pair it to a tablet or in this video a steam deck.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Oh what is this how to use heptic feedback on the steam deck
https://gamerant.com/steam-...

Glued on cutup bulky controller with massive stick drift issue is your defense that has glorified tech.

I played horizon 2 ps5 i turned all that crap off in the settings gave me the same gameplay same story same everything but the battery lasted longer than 4 hours.

[Smitty2020]

Me personally if I was at home I would just turn my ps5 when the baby has gone to bed on an evening, now if it had an offline mode i could take it out with me.

[jznrpg]

I mainly use it for JRPGS or turn based western RPGs as it’s perfect for slower paced games. Most of those games take many hours to beat especially if you go for the platinum and I can continue playing when my wife and kids want to take over my TVs.

[OldDuffer]

Its been brilliant for me and my wife. We have two Ps5's, but sometimes its nice to snuggle up on the sofa and both play our games sitting together.
As long as you have a use for it, it does the job really well, miles better than remote play and phones and controllers etc.

[Dirty_Lemons]

👊 Snap dude. Same situation, it's nice to do isn't it.

[90sGamingWasBetter]

I use mine most nights in bed, I've also pre ordered the 30th anniversary edition Portal.

[BlackOni]

I'm honestly surprised at how popular this has become.

[darthv72]

with the way most were against the idea of streaming.... if Sony can do it, then its the cool thing.

[BlackOni]

Myself included, I thought it would flop as a stream only device that was specific to the PS platform. Also, not sure what the downvotes are for. I guess others weren't surprised it did well?

[Tacoboto]

I'm not surprised (and upvoted you) - It just goes to show that industry trends and where things are headed are bad, until the instant Sony does it, whether it is removing old games, requiring an additional login in single-player titles, hardware and software pricing that would make Nintendo blush, and Cloud-only hardware.

[Einhander1972]

Everything you said is just wrong, EA and other companies including Microsoft have been removing games since PS3 360, particularly sports games including Forza.

Sony only recently started even having games on PC, whereas for years other companies have had log ins for games, heck you might remember a little thing called games for windows live, and shortly after Microsoft bought Minecraft people who already owned the game now needed to have a Microsoft account to play the game even on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles.

Sony didn't set the price for console games, other companies announced it before like 2k and Microsoft only got away with playing coy about the prices because they had nothing to launch, but as soon as they did the games were $70. Plus I'd like to point out that games like Helldivers and Astro Bot are $50. And I don't care what anyone says, you can't build hardware like PS5 Pro for $700, all the comparisons people make use the absolute cheapest parts like slow ram slow 1tb SSD, don't include costs like OS or M&K or a controller ect.

And the Portal works over your home network.

[Tacoboto]

"EA and other companies including Microsoft have been removing games since PS3 360"

Thanks for proving my exact point: "industry trends and where things are headed are bad, until the instant Sony does it"

[Einhander1972]

There has been a strong pushback at Sony to all these things. I have never seen anyone pushback at Minecraft like what happened to Hellblade for example...

Sony, isn't setting any precedence here. Again every single thing you listed was something that other people had done before Sony, yet you and others are singling them out like they started it.

[Tacoboto]

... Do you not know what "until" means? It literally means others did it first.

[Einhander1972]

I understand what until means, but do you understand what hypocrite means?

[Tacoboto]

I don't think you know what words mean but now you're venturing off topic, as you already did by doing what you always do - deflect to EA, deflect to Microsoft, deflect to anyone that did anything that Sony is currently doing that's been a negative trend in the industry.

[Einhander1972]

It's not deflection, it's factual evidence. You're singling out Sony for things other people are also doing, this isn't a past tense issue, Microsoft just removed Forza 4 earlier this year, Microsoft requires a Microsoft account for new Minecraft games and Sea of Thieves ON CONSOLE, not even just PC.

What's happening isn't me deflecting it's you choosing to ignore everyone but Sony in your criticisms, while also pretending that there hasn't been any pushback, when the truth is the pushback towards Sony has been greater than any of the other companies who are doing the same thing... which is exactly what you showed by singling them out.

If you had said "I hate that Microsoft Sony and EA add sign-ins to their games" I wouldn't have said a single word, but you didn't do that you made it 100% about Sony.

[Tacoboto]

I barely buy EA games. I barely buy Microsoft games. I do buy Sony games because they're consistently good. Sony is more relevant to me as a gamer. Their impact on the industry is far more significant than a greedy publisher and a platform holder that can't even find their own ass to wipe.

The login example. The last Microsoft game I bought didn't require a login - Hellblade. The last EA game I bought didn't either - Dead Space. The next one I'll buy - DA if it sticks the landing - won't either. Ubisoft is learning to stop avoiding Steam but I learned to not buy their PC games years ago because it's Ubisoft.

Do you want an essay about everything negative everyone else does any time Sony dips into that territory? That's ridiculous to place any company on that kind of pedestal.

[Einhander1972]

What you buy or don't buy is irrelevant to what you said and this argument.

My issue is the way you singled Sony out AND the fact that you act like there was no pushback when there clearly was, more than other companies doing the same thing.

I don't want an essay about anything. but what I would like is an admission that other companies do the same thing and that there was pushback when Sony did the things you're complaining about. Because that is the truth.

[Charlieboy333]

@ Einhander The only pushback done by xbox zombies is when Phil is....ummmmm......behind them

[darthv72]

@Einhander... the reason Sony gets the push back and others do not is because for years the fans knew that Sony was NOT doing the same things the others did... until recently. it is to be expected from the likes of EA and Ms and others... but NEVER Sony. They are the ones who were all SP games first and foremost... until they jumped onto the same bandwagons others did. So of course their fans will push back. If you arent giving sony shit for the same dumb ass decisions that plague MS and EA and Ubisoft then you are no fan of PS like you claim to be.

[Charlieboy333]

@ Darth What do you mean Sony WERE SP first and foremost? As far as I am aware they have only released Helldivers 2 ( great success ) and Concord ( flop ) multiplayer / gaas wise. Single player wise this year they have given us FF7R, Stellar Blade, Astrobot, Silent Hill 2, etc ( please don't even try and say they aren't all first party.....Sony still had a hand in bringing them to PS for their customers ). There's also Ghost 2 and Wolverine coming up plus all the games you can bet Sony's other studios are working on. Hardly jumping on the bandwagon as you are trying to make out. If anything, I think Concord's dismal performance has been a bit of a wake up call for Sony and a reminder of the importance of the quality single player games they have become known for. So no need to worry.....assuming your 'concern' as a real PS fan is genuine of course.

[kayoss]

@Einhander, The PS portal can be used where ever there is WIFI with at least 5Mbps. I use it when i travel for work.

[BlackOni]

I don't necessarily agree with this. There was a LOT of pushback on the portal prior to release, and LOTS of pushback on Sony requiring PSN for PC games (which I adamantly oppose, there are a lot of places that still don't have access to PSN but do have access to Steam. Requiring it is ridiculous.) Even pushback to their own subscription service that's competing with Gamepass. I chose a playstation every day of the week over Xbox, but to say PSN Premium and Gamepass are equivalent is crazy. And I say that as someone who believes Gamepass over the long term is probably hurting the industry more than it's helping. There are plenty of things Sony has done that most would agree weren't great decisions, but the difference is they've done WAY more positive things in this space than not.

[just_looken]

Not me like apple sony has a cult following the new ps5 pro could kill someone but still be loved to the point people would want that as a feature.

[Einhander1972]

Oh boo hoo, the Pro isn't failing like you hoped, so sad... for you...

[just_looken]

Einhander1972

Less than a hour here comes the sony defense force

Now please point out defense force were i said that the ps5 pro is failing i am waiting?

[kayoss]

Every brand have a cult following regardless how bad they are. The one thing Sony have been doing right is to provided their fans with great games. Nintendo does the same thing but one thing different about Nintendo is that they dont branch out to new IPs. Everything is Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon related. Im not going to talk about MS, we all know the reasoning for MS. No need to beat a dead horse.

[just_looken]

@kayoss

The ps5 has the new sucker punch game spiderman 2 rise of rohnin handful of vr titles and 2 astro bot games.

You are thinking of last 2 gens

Ms has tons of software make games all the time but man so few few few xbox exclusives no point of buying a series console.

[Neonridr]

the 30th anniversary ones looked nice. If I didn't have an OLED Steam Deck already, I would have gotten one by now I'm sure. Nothing against the portal, just don't need 2 devices that do the same thing basically.

[darthv72]

This has become more used by me lately due to my game room being crammed with all kinds of furniture and boxes from a remodel. Its been a godsend.

[gold_drake]

i still use mine today

[kayoss]

I used it a lot at home because my family hijack my tvs. But im using it more now since theyve updated it to give it the ability to use it where ever there is wifi.

[Babadook7]

They made the right choice in not chasing another new ecosystem.

[GotGame818]

It's basically what Nintendo did with Wii U. That was in 2012! 12 years later Sony does the SAME thing. Oh, and it was included with the Wii U console! Sony isn't doing anything new.

[Knushwood Butt]

'How can it be innovative when remote play has been around since the PS3?'.