Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a new PlayStation Portal update that will let users stream some PS5 games via the cloud.
The new cloud streaming support for PlayStation Portal, for PlayStation 5 will be in beta and will be available for subscribers to their PlayStation Plus Premium plan.
Here’s a rundown on the new update:
Today we’re pleased to announce a new system software update for PS Portal that will begin releasing starting later today (Europe release begins Wednesday), which will introduce refinements in the audio experience, including:
- Speaker audio output adjustment to make the volume lower when the audio level is set to minimum
- You will now be able to adjust settings of your PlayStation Link device from the PS Portal Settings menu, allowing you to optimize the volume and sidetone volume.
This update will also include a beta version of a new feature that many fans have been asking for – support for cloud streaming on PS Portal. When the update is live, PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to participate in a beta for cloud streaming on PS Portal, allowing select PS5 games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog* to be streamed directly from our servers, even without a PS5 console.
Since Cloud Streaming (Beta) on PS Portal is still an experimental offering, the features available during the beta period may change over time and may not reflect the final experience.
Let’s take a deeper look at what you can expect in this beta:
Features available during the Beta
- Stream select PS5 games in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
- Over 120 PS5 games from the PS Plus Game Catalog, including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, will be accessible on PS Portal via cloud streaming*
- Streaming up to 1080p/60fps**
- DualSense wireless controller features, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, speakers, touchpad (emulated on the touch screen for PS Portal), and motion sensor***
- PlayStation Plus Cloud storage
- Save data and game progress can be stored up to 100GB and will be automatically synced with your PS5 console, making it easy to switch seamlessly between local and streaming gameplay, and between multiple devices.
Cloud Streaming (Beta) for PS Portal will be available through the PlayStation Plus Premium plan, which is offered in the following locations:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.
How to access Cloud Streaming (Beta)
To access the beta, you will need the following:
- PlayStation Portal remote player
- An account for PlayStation Network****
- An active PlayStation Plus Premium membership
- Access to broadband internet Wi-Fi
- To establish a cloud streaming session: requires minimum 5Mbps of upload and download speeds
- To stream at 720p: requires minimum 7 Mbps
- To stream at 1080p: requires minimum 13 Mbps
Once the beta is available, you can access the beta by updating your PS Portal to the latest system software and completing the following steps:
- Open “Quick Menu” and access “Settings” on your PS Portal.
- Select the “Cloud Streaming (Beta)” button
- Switch the Cloud Streaming (Beta) toggle on (this will be off by default).
After you’ve enabled Cloud Streaming (Beta) in the settings menu, you should see a new option on the Home screen of your PS Portal that allows you to access games via cloud streaming. The beta option can be turned off any time, and your Home screen will revert back to the standard version once the option is turned off.
Features not included in the Beta
As we are in the beginning stages of publicly testing cloud streaming on PS Portal, some features will not be available, such as Game Trials, streaming games purchased on PS Store, system features such as Party voice chat and game invites for select games, Create button, 3D audio, and in-game commerce.
Additionally, the streaming games playable on PS Portal are limited to PS5 games, and PS4 games/PS3 games are not supported.