Summary
Sony has released a new system software update for thePlayStation Portalremote player. The update brings some long-requested functionality thatPlayStation Portalusers have been waiting for since the launch of the handheld device’s Cloud Streaming beta.
Back when it launched in late 2023, the PS Portal was a somewhat confusing proposition for many. It was the first PlayStation-branded handheld since2011’s ill-fated PS Vita, yet the PS Portal essentially served as an add-on Remote Play accessory for the PS5. Despite the skepticism, the PS Portal turned out a smashing success for Sony, far surpassing the gaming giant’s demand projections. However, the initial lack of cloud streaming support was a sore point for PS Portal users, even more so since there wasn’t any reason it couldn’t be achieved on the handheld.
Moreover, there are added quality-of-life improvements to session management, where users can now pause a cloud-streamed game and put thePS Portal into rest mode, though it’ll only hold the connection for 15 seconds before auto-disconnecting. Similarly, if the PS Portal is left idle without pausing, a warning will appear after 10 minutes of inactivity, counting down before the session ends. For crowded servers, a new queue screen shows estimated wait times and automatically launches the game upon the user’s turn. Lastly, Sony has added a feedback system with emoji-style ratings, allowing users to express satisfaction with PS Plus Premium from one to five.
The latest PS Portal update is welcome news, especially for users who have been clamoring for a greater emphasis on cloud-streamed games. It’s worth noting, though, that thePS Portal’s cloud streaming capabilitiesare still in beta form, which means Sony is likely working on bolstering them further with more features and/or supported games in the near future.
PS Portal Update Patch Notes April 2025
Sort
You can now sort games in the Cloud Streaming (Beta) catalog screen. There will be a new sort icon added to the top left corner, allowing you to sort games by: Recently added to PS Plus (default), Name, and Release date.
Capture Gameplay
The Create button on your PS Portal will now be enabled during a Cloud Streaming (Beta) session. Here is what you can do:
Images and videos captured during a streaming session will be automatically uploaded to the cloud server, which can be accessed from the PlayStation App by selecting [Library] > [Captures]. Your captures will be stored for 14 days after they were created.
Queue
You can now wait for your turn to play when the streaming server is full. The estimated wait time will be displayed on screen, and the game session will automatically start as soon as it’s your turn.
Pause
During a Cloud Streaming (Beta) game session, gameplay will now pause in the following situations:
Notification of Inactivity
You will now receive a system notification when your streaming session is about to close due to inactivity of over 10 minutes.
User Feedback Screen
We have added a user feedback screen at the end of the streaming sessions to rate the quality of your streaming experience. This will help us identify what went well or could be improved, as we continue to enhance the quality of our service.
