Sony reveals that PlayStation Portal owners spend more time playing games than non-owners, likely because the PS Portal owners are “naturally more engaged in the first place.”
If you’ve ever found yourself sneaking in one last game session before bed, you’re not alone—especially if you own a PlayStation Portal. Sony’s portable streaming device, launched in late 2023, has had an impressive first year, and recent updates have only added to its appeal.
Designed to let PS5 users take their games beyond the living room, the Portal initially only worked as a PS5 companion device. But a new cloud-streaming beta introduced this year has made it even more versatile, letting gamers stream select titles straight from Sony’s servers.
So, what’s the result of having your PS5 games at your fingertips, even when the TV is taken? According to Sony, Portal owners are spending significantly more time gaming compared to those who don’t have the device.
More Gaming, More Flexibility
Hiromi Wakai, Sony’s VP of product management, shared this insight in a recent interview with Game File. She explained that Portal users are likely already avid gamers, but data shows they’ve upped their playtime since adopting the device.
“Players who own a PS Portal tend to spend more time playing games than those who don’t,” Wakai said. “Of course, it’s likely that users who purchase PS Portal were naturally more engaged in the first place, however, our data shows that PS Portal owners tend to spend more time playing games compared to non-owners.”
Sony attributes some of this extra playtime to the Portal’s portability, which allows users to continue gaming in different rooms while others use the TV.
Sony’s data shows that the most popular time for Portal gaming is 9 PM, just after peak hours for PS5 users. Wakai believes this reflects families sharing the main screen before gamers switch to their Portal.
“This could suggest scenarios like users playing on the console first, then later switching to PS Portal to play in another room—courtesy of PS Portal’s characteristics like the ability to play in another room—while their family is using the TV,” she said.
Sony has plans to expand the device’s capabilities gradually. “PS Portal was a new type of product for us, so we wanted to be extra careful to ensure our users get the best possible user experience,” Wakai added.
“We want to continue that approach with PS Portal, and make incremental steps based on community reception on the beta.”
“The cloud game streaming option has always been in our roadmap since the early development stage of PlayStation Portal remote player. After launch, we heard from many of our users that they want cloud game streaming support—and of course, being gamers ourselves, we felt the same way.”
Apart from that, recent reports suggest that Sony is working on a handheld console for PlayStation 5 games.
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