this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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[–] thorbot@lemmy.world 91 points 2 years ago (16 children)

$200 to play a console game on a different screen only within the same network is insane. You could spend $100 more and get a full blown handheld console. This is fucking stupid, Sony.

[–] LongRedCoat@kbin.social 34 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Yeah, it's the price that bothers me the most about this. For the same amount, you can get a whole Switch Lite.

And I'm still salty about how they treated the Vita. This is what we get as the first handheld successor to the Vita? And the Vita didn't cost much more.

[–] thorbot@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

Yeah Sony is smoking some good shit these days thinking people will buy this

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[–] ChronosWing@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 years ago

You could likely get it to work outside of your network using a VPN, maybe.

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[–] donuts@kbin.social 68 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This thing is gonna flop hard.

[–] Eggyhead@kbin.social 15 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Portal’s not so bad if you’re happy with just your PlayStation library and simply want something for your bedside stand.

I currently use a retroid pocket 3+ for almost only that purpose, and let me tell you, an 8 inch, 1080p screen + a full dualsense in my hands at night for just $200 seems like a really nice upgrade even if it means leaving my emulators on a different device.

(Too bad for Sony I’ll personally be spending a lot more to have a Steam Deck OLED though) (teehee)

[–] donuts@kbin.social 20 points 2 years ago (9 children)

I have a Steam Deck and I don't even own a PS5, so I'm probably way outside of the market for the Portal...

But I'm really finding it hard imagine this device finding a broad audience, since even in a hypothetical best case we're talking about a subset of a subset of PS5 owners. From what I understand the new PSVR sold pretty badly despite being a pretty solid piece of VR hardware, this feels like a very niche and underwhelming piece of hardware and so I really can't imagine it performing any better.

Someone will buy a PS Portal, and hopefully they like it, but when the smoke clears I don't see it being a big hit.

The Steam Deck OLED on the other hand, I suspect will sell out fast. It seems like there is a pretty big chunk of people who were interested in the first gen Steam Deck but opted for the wait and see approach, and I can imagine a lot of those people jumping on the Steam Deck OLED now that they know the device has lasting power. Personally I probably can't justify the cost of upgrading from the LCD model right now, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to...

[–] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I'll tell you a secret: if you have a steam deck, you have a Playstation portal as well. I beat days gone to platinum on steam deck... By streaming if from a ps4.

[–] ShitOnABrick@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

You could also get the ayn loki zero for a smiliar price to the playstation portal as well you have an playstation portal that can both play gta v and call of duty emulate ps1 games ontop of streaming your PlayStation 1 games

[–] Eggyhead@kbin.social 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yeah, I definitely agree that's it's targeting a niche within a subset. I think we're coming from completely opposite camps, though. I've never had, nor was ever interested in owning a gaming PC. I have some Apple devices for work, a PS5 (and switch) for gaming, and a cheap little android handheld for retro titles -which coincidentally I use to remote play my PS5 from bed almost every night.

For me, adding yet another platform to my ecosystem is kind of annoying, particularly with all the tweaking, tinkering and menuing I won't be able to avoid. But a Deck also means I'll be able to play older windows stuff that either never came to PS or were lost in the PS3 library, and I'll be able to travel with it better, so it's kind of worth it. Plus it'll look really nice when remote-playing my PS5.

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[–] erwan@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The thing is there are a lot of devices that you can use to stream from you PS5 and also have other functionalities. Like playing games natively, or emulators.

[–] Eggyhead@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago

Yeah you’re right, and that’s a big sticking point of the Portal, but I think it’s worth noting that if you want a device that does those things with a screen as large as the Portal’s, you’ll probably be paying way more than $200. And that’s before having anything with the kind of haptic tech as the dualsense.

[–] Zellith@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I dont have a TV in my bedroom, but couldn't I set up a system for the same price where I can play all my console or PC games in bed on a full 30+ inch TV if I wanted to? For the same price that is?. It might be an interesting purchase if someone else wanted to be able to use the TV, but if I was buying one for me to play games on while in bed then my partner can gtfo lol. Though I suppose some people might want a more compact solution.

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[–] stopthatgirl7@kbin.social 55 points 2 years ago (10 children)

I still just do not understand who this is for. It seems extremely niche. I can’t see this selling all that well.

[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I have an actual use case for this. It is kind of niche. I don’t personally have kids but I have friends over a lot to watch sports or BBQ or whatever. I have a PS5, a respectable desktop, and a Steam Deck. I prefer the portable option of the Steam Deck or, at worst, streaming to it. I don’t know why but that’s just what I enjoy.

As the kids have gotten older, they really want to play the PS5. But if the football game is on, they cannot have the TV. So, I was using Chiaki to let them stream from the PS5. So, all my PS5 game saves are basically fucked. The younger ones will use up any and all ammo or other in-game supplies and the older ones will make progress and I’ll just be lost next login. But the worst thing is when they exit Chiaki and play my PC version of a game. I specifically tell them not to do that but they aren’t my kids so I can’t backhand them.

So, now we have a solution. A thing like the Steam Deck that is limited to only fucking up PS5 game saves so if I really want to enjoy a game, I can get the Steam version. The kids can go hog wild on the PS5. They can get sticky shit on the PlayStation Portal — and they will if there is one ounce of sugar within 5 miles. My PC is in my office and my Steam Deck is going to be locked up. I’ll actually be able to enjoy a game again. And for only $200.

[–] redcalcium@lemmy.institute 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Dude, the kids must've love you. You basically bought a PS5, a PS Portal and a bunch of PS5 games (which usually more expensive than their PC counterparts) and perhaps a PS plus subscription just for your friends' kids.

[–] ShittyBeatlesFCPres@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

I’m definitely the proverbial uncle who works for Nintendo to them. But in reality, I’m a boring, non-Nintendo software engineer who just didn’t want to have kids. I’m not rolling in dough but I could probably buy every video game system ever released and it’d be less than parents spend on day care. A lot of strollers cost more than a PS5.

[–] Saxoboneless@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's for people that both own a PS5 and liked the Wii U.

[–] chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Nothing like basing your idea on Nintendo's worst selling console for ultimate success.

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[–] ieightpi@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Sony is just so bad at this whole portable gaming thing, aren't they?

[–] jay9@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Classic case of design by committee.

[–] BertramDitore@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Not only does the functionality seem almost completely unnecessary except for a limited use case here and there, but this thing is truly ugly. Who designed this travesty? How would you even store this bumpy hunk of plastic?

Sony used to have some of the most elegant and clean hardware aesthetics. Their designs were genuinely beautiful, simple, and practical. They used to ooze premium luxury. Now we get a screen with a sawed off controller stuck to the sides? Disappointing.

You know what? I take it back. The PS5 is shaped like a modem from 1999, it deserves this ugly step-cousin.

[–] redcalcium@lemmy.institute 4 points 2 years ago

But it does look like more comfortable to hold than psvita. My hands hurt if I play my vita without a grip, which essentially turns the vita into a boomerang.

[–] Pregnenolone@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I refused to buy a PS5 because of how ugly it is. My friends got one, but I chose an XB1X because of how much better it goes with my house.

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[–] sucricdrawkcab@lemmy.world 19 points 2 years ago

As an owner of 2 Vita's that didn't use this feature on PS3, PS4, zero chance I'd buy this to do it on PS5.

[–] SRo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 years ago

Is this a batarang?

[–] LWD@lemm.ee 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)
[–] Defaced@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

This thing is terrible, who the fuck is buying shit like this? What a waste of electronic materials. They could've made a true handheld with the power of the steam deck that could run PS5 games at lower resolutions, but fuck no! Let's make some bullshit abomination of a Vita successor and give anyone who loves portable gaming the middle finger, especially since you can't use Bluetooth headphones. Fuck you Sony.

[–] Davel23@kbin.social 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I still say it should have been called the "PSPiiU".

[–] bingbong@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 years ago

PiiU is exactly what I said when I saw this stank ass thing 🤢

[–] nix@merv.news 9 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Seems like it should’ve just been a thing you can connect your phone in the middle and it gives you the controls and a battery to remote play

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Isn't that what PS Remote Play is for? Well I guess you can't just switch on the fly with that.... But there's no reason it couldn't be made to 🤷🏻‍♂️

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[–] autotldr 8 points 2 years ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


It doesn’t do any kind of cloud streaming like Nvidia’s Geforce Now or Sony’s own PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, and it can’t run anything locally (not even YouTube or Netflix).

The Portal is purpose-built to use a singular feature Sony first debuted with the PS3 and PSP back in 2006 that’s also widely available on other devices you may already own, making me wonder: why does this exist?

Compared to a Switch with standard Joy-Con controllers, the tradeoff in weight is made up for by its large grips that are comfier to use for extended play sessions.

I’ve initially played a handful of hours with various PS5 games (Resident Evil 4, Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon, and Astro’s Playroom, to name a few) in my limited time with the PlayStation Portal so far.

At various points in the last two years, I’ve tinkered with using Remote Play to stream games from my PlayStation 5 to my PS4, my PC, various Android devices, an iPhone, an iPad Pro, and even a Steam Deck using open-source software Chiaki.

My first impression is that this device is primarily for PlayStation diehards who want a simple, dedicated tool for streaming games around their homes.


The original article contains 714 words, the summary contains 200 words. Saved 72%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] Mango@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

How my console boys feelin? Where your games at?

[–] DeathWearsANecktie@lemm.ee 5 points 2 years ago (4 children)

What's the point in this thing if it's not an actual handheld console? What does it do that a playstation controller + smartphone/tablet can't do?

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[–] Halafax@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I suspect I'm pretty much the only market for this thing. I can play while in bed, which is where most of switch gaming currently happens. The price is probably reasonable for what it cost them, but they need to explain why anyone besides me would want one.

[–] Bayz0r@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Ok, I'll bite. What exactly makes you the only person in the world who can play a handheld in bed?

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