John LittleThe PlayStation Portal launched on November 15, 2023 to some criticism due to its primary function of being a remote play device. However, over time it has found a dedicated audience. With recent updates providing the ability to stream owned games as well as those found in the PlayStation Plus catalogue, Sony has decided to provide an update into how the device has been used.
Takuro Fushimi, a Senior manager in product management, explained to TechRadar Gaming that the Portal has managed to exceed Sony’s initial expectations for engagement. He stated that it is the most used device for PS5 remote play.
“Before we launched the Portal, some questioned whether there would be demand for it, as it is such a unique product being a dedicated Remote Play device to start off with.”
What is also interesting to note is that Fushimi also that he mentioned that their data showed PlayStation Portal users are more engaged than non-users’. In other words, Portal users are comprised of some of the most engaged users with the PlayStation ecosystem.
Additionally, Fushimi also stated that “the average gameplay session on PlayStation Portal is around two hours.” This interesting use statistic is not only quite insightful, but indicates that many users view it as a “complementary device” as opposed to a “standalone” product.
Fushimi also explained that one of the benefits of the recent update is that users will now be able to play games on their PlayStation Portal separately to their PS5 due to the cloud streaming, meaning that two people could use it in that case.
What do you think of the PlayStation Portal? Is it a good, complementary device, or an overpriced accessory? Feel free to comment your thoughts below.