The previously teased PlayStation remote player has now received the full honours of a reveal, complete with the official name PlayStation Portal. Features and a price tag have also been revealed.
The previously codenamed ‘Project Q’ announced back in May 2023 has finally been dragged out into the light by Sony. The official name is the PlayStation Portal, and its features sound a lot like the Nintendo Wii U console. Senior Vice President of Platform Experience of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Hideaki Nishino, says, “PlayStation Portal is the perfect device for gamers in households where they might need to share their living room TV or simply want to play PS5 games in another room of the house” in a press release outlining the finer details of the new device.
PlayStation Portal Key Features have been revealed as well, with the device sporting an 8-inch LCD screen that can display 1080p resolutions at 60fps, a 3.5mm audio jack for wired audio and outside Dualsense controller support. It’s important to note that the remote device does not use BlueTooth connectivity. It’s also noteworthy the PlayStation Portal is an at-home device and needs to be used in the same household as the PS5 it’s attached to to function effectively. Lastly, it must be connected to Wi-Fi to function.
Regarding the Sony ecosystem of devices outside of the PlayStation 5, Nishino says, “PS VR2 games, which require the headset, and games that are streamed through PlayStation Plus Premium’s cloud streaming, are not supported,” which directly debunks the previous theories that the device would utilize cloud gaming.
Sony has also revealed audio hardware with Pulse Elite wireless headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds alongside the PlayStation Portal. The way these devices will link is through the newly announced PlayStation Link, which is described by Nishino as an innovation that “delivers low latency, lossless audio and easy switching between multiple PlayStation Link hosts such as PS5 with the USB adapter”. The rest of PlayStation Link’s inner workings can be discovered on the PlayStation Blog, and it will include support for devices that use Bluetooth as well.
Sony emphasizes the audio quality of the new devices in tandem with PlayStation Link, referring to their use of custom-designed planar magnetic drivers to increase audio fidelity and reduce latency for audiophiles everywhere. Nishino boasts the “listening experience normally found in premium headphones for professional sound engineers” in reference to the new audio devices.
Following this announcement, fans have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the decisions Sony has made regarding the device. User Xyberknight says this is the “Lowest bar Sony could set while still releasing the device.” While others have bashed the lack of Bluetooth, user DerEinheimische replies, “Even my belt buckle has Bluetooth.”
Other fans have expressed confusion with the device’s functionality, wondering if it can be used in tandem with the PS5 to play both devices seamlessly at the same time. Further, fans have accused the new Link feature of allowing only PlayStation devices to work within its own ecosystem, forcing customers to buy only Sony products to work with their console devices. More fan reactions can be seen in response to the official X announcement.
The PlayStation Portal will launch at a price point of $199.99, the PlayStation Pulse Elite headset will be available for $149.99, and the Pulse Explore buds will be available for $199.99. All three devices will be made available later in the year, and it may be a good idea if you’re interested to follow the official PlayStation X account for future updates on when pre-orders go live.
