
Sony has once again expanded the number of games available to stream on its PS Portal handheld, including support for over 50 PS1 and PSP titles. That means PS Plus Premium members can stream these titles directly to the peripheral, without necessarily needing a PS5.
Among the games available are legitimate PlayStation classics like Wild Arms, Everybody’s Golf, and Twisted Metal. All of these titles are using Sony’s emulator, so you can enjoy contemporary features like save states, rewind, and, in many cases, Trophies.
This latest content drop doesn’t include every PS1 and PSP game in the PS Plus Premium catalogue, as some third-party titles like Disney Pixar’s Up and Worms Armageddon are absent. But it spans a good chunk of them.
Obviously, there are better ways to play classic retro games on a handheld, but the Japanese giant has been making more and more games available to stream on the PS Portal, adding even more functionality to the extremely popular peripheral. We imagine it’ll eventually extend support for emulated PS2 games, too.
How do you feel about this PS Portal feature? Is it something you’ve personally been taking advantage of? How else do you think Sony can improve upon its Remote Play handheld? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source truetrophies.com]
Comments 48
My brother is playing the Plucky Squire using cloud streaming on the Portal. He's been pretty impressed by it. Never thought much of cloud streaming for games but the Portal has made me a believer that they definitely something there. If they can get it working for games we own in the library and get it running in more countries, it could be huge for lower income regions.
The Steam Deck costs too much (and frankly is too heavy to be a good handheld) and Nintendo doesn't really sell consoles officially in lower income countries so your only option is the extremely expensive grey market.
@breakneck The PS Plus cloud streaming technology is really good. It's massively underrated IMO because Sony doesn't talk about it much, but it works extremely well.
Not perfect, of course, but very usable.
@breakneck you cant realty compare a portal to a steam deck as the steam deck plays them natively where as they are streamed on a portal.
it cant even play ps1 games natively it has to stream them
I have the portal and it works great, I'm glad they finally came out with the Cloud gaming feature because sometimes it's really fun to play old classics, that never gets old
A legal retro handheld. The legitimacy may be in the eye of the beholder when having to stream games many other dedicated handhelds can run a massive library of quite natively. But for those already making use of Portal RP anyway, this may have well been an annoying omission, so cheers where due.
The Portal is a fantastic handheld and the cloud streaming feature has definitely boosted it's value, I've played it so much more since they added that. Recently started Death Stranding using it and it runs perfectly and in 1080p, Sony probably have the best cloud technology I've tried so far.
Don't remember my PSP, Vita or Switch needing to be connected to the WiFi to play a game...
Cloud streaming works great for me (admittedly I'm on 1Gig fibre). Would be great to get PS3 games streaming like they do on the tethered consoles.
In the past few months this has gone from a purchase I was very happy with to the best purchase I've made in years.
Can't wait to see what they do with the next handheld.
I noticed a few of these pop up last week, thought it was odd they didn't do a full announcement as it's a hefty improvement to the amount of games you can stream.
It was a brilliant device before they added this feature, this just takes it one step further.
Awesome what they're doing with this, just wish it was more global so I could use it
@Shepherd_Tallon 100% agree. I bought one at launch and, even though I sit squarely in the target market, the limited use case meant it was a 'nice to have' option when the TV was in use. Fast forward to now and the additional streaming functionality means I can't stop picking it up. As a way of maximising gaming time in a busy household, it's amazing.
There's already a handheld console that does that it's called the Vita and you can take it anywhere still play the games not tied to an internet connection and actually own the game.
@sanderson72 oh the horror! In 2025 everything needs internet connectivity, as I type this from my iPhone. For the price the portal is pretty amazing.
@Lindy01 If the rumours are true of Sony coming out with a self contained proper handheld alongside the PS6, with that functionality as an option, then I'd be excited.
I think this is great, but your ads are beginning to make the experience of going to push Square Not so fun anymore. I understand your need for revenue, but this is becoming ridiculous.
I wrote a large comment on the other article, so I won’t repeat my fondness for the Portal…, but as it relates to this subject of retro cloud streaming, it’s certainly some nice additions for those into revisiting older titles. I’m not too interested in retro gaming, personally.
What I’m hoping for is a better way to view the cloud gaming library. Presently there’s no way to filter the titles, they’re not in alphabetical order, and it’s just a weird smorgasbord of games that is now quite large to dig through to find what you want. It’s still a beta so I suspect filtering and searching features will come eventually.
The other request I’d have is including our digital purchases into the Portal cloud library and not staying limited to PS+ games. If and when this happens, it will change my game purchasing habits and shift me even further from physical game purchases.
Basically the same games that have been on PS3 PSN for years until they started removing some. The PS1/2 games for the UK have been crap Sony have never really tried to get any more on it, remember when the store finally started getting new stuff. And where all like can't wait for PS1 and 2 games to come
@UltimateOtaku91 I’d argue that GeForce Now is probably the best. The fact it can get up to 120fps and still feel native with input response is nuts.
I can remote to my PC using Sunshine as the host and Moonlight as the client and no matter where I am it feels darn-near native (only reason I mention is because it’s built off the technology GeForce Now uses).
I was playing games on a public wifi and it still felt native (I had to lower the bitrate on the client end, but controls were responsive even if resolution quality was lower).
I could play Alan Wake 2 from my PC to a friends house an hour away and was totally fine (using a controller).
Sony is definitely in second place - Remote Play is also very responsive. Input response feels great. Resolution is high. Framerate is great. And it can do HDR!
Microsoft is, again, in third place (just can’t seem to ever get out of third place can it). Picture quality just isn’t there and Remote Play is spotty (too many times it is unable to connect despite having it enabled on the console and the system is in standby). Though, input response feels pretty good.
@sanderson72 Sure at 2-3x the cost.
@GamingFan4Lyf I have yet to try Geforce now but i went to subscribe a couple of months ago but all their tiers were sold out and not accepting any new members. I am currently on the waiting list though for the middle tier.
This just keeps getting better and better! I wish they’d also make a different version with a bit of storage, around 128GB, and a capable chipset to download and natively play those PS1 and PS2 classics. Making it a native retro handheld as well as a streaming handheld
@UltimateOtaku91 Wait list for cloud service?! Sheesh!
I had a free trial a while back when I had a potato laptop. It was more just a curiosity for me. I was very impressed and I couldn’t believe I was streaming (on a wireless connection, too).
But it wasn’t until I got my Gaming PC and researched Moonlight and Sunshine for my own game streaming that I fully saw just how powerful the tech really is.
Moonlight as a streaming host is sadly no more since it relied on the old Nvidia App and the new App made it obsolete. Sunshine is the alternative and it’s hardware agnostic.
It’s super easy to setup, too.
@GamingFan4Lyf
Does Sony use Azure or AWS for its cloud technology?
It would be great if Sony made it possible to stream their games to a TV without owning a PS
@GamingFan4Lyf I can't love Geforce now anymore than I do. My steamdeck is my most favourite purchase. I think the portal is on my wishlist as my second most desired handheld.
Hands down steam deck with geforce now and the ability to stream my Ps5 on it is epic. I think that handheld are my most favourited way to play games these days. With the steam deck have 1000 of legit games to play and not enough time lol. Adding all these old Ps1 to 3 games is a no brainer.
One game that I would love to come to PS plus is Gladius. An oldy but goody. There's no way to get that game legit. So I will wait for that. Does Tenchu exist on their backlog. Another game I would love to play.
Grandmaster!!!
@GamingFan4Lyf oh I didn't know there was a waiting list for Geforce Now thank goodness managed to get a six month space. Feel sorry for those having to wait. Its only way I can play triple AAA games on the deck.
Let's hope they add way more servers for new people.
@UltimateOtaku91 I had no idea there was a waiting list. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you won't have to wait too long.
@Nakatomi_Uk I hope they put Gladius and Tenchu on there. Eventually. If they haven't already. Haven't checked recently. So unsure
As others have said, as long as my Vita is alive and well then the Portal is honestly a downgrade to me. If Sony releases a handheld that offers steaming and download play, I’ll happily buy it.
@RPGamer1 Microsoft offers that on my Samsung TV. I don’t use it very often because my Xbox is right there, but it does work pretty well.
Now this is what a handheld is made for !!
@RPGamer1 I don't know.
I know Sony had (at one point) a contract with Microsoft related to Cloud technology, but I have no idea if that had any impact on the current services Sony provides.
Great device. I'm definitely playing games now that I wouldn't have play thanks to the portal. If you are subscribed to ps plus extra or premium this is a must have. Also, need good internet. I have 1200 gigs with Xfinity and it works great
Cool, now make it into an actual handheld system with its own games please!
Cloud streaming is nice, but I want it 1:1 when it comes to a lot of games.
@BigRadical
They will on the next iteration.
@sanderson72 can your PSP or Vita also play PS4/5 games?
A retro handheld, cough that still casts to it. Yeah totally the same thing. XD
It's nice to finally have it supported but who cares. They aren't demanding games but the smaller screen is nice to play on. Getting around to these features now is better then never I'm ok with this of any streaming/casting of games on the PS+ service. It's a fair support for sure of other titles no doubt.
If Sony had a DS like device they wouldn't have supported it as they don't care for dual screens anymore of Playlink, Vita or PSVR titles when they used to do them.
Indies can't or won't use it for dual screen or any developers unless they HAD to like with DS, 3DS, Wii U, Vita/PSP remote play or other things for different use cases just didn't happen really. That or Portal isn't designed for it or 'can't' support it so that sucks. Thanks Sony of single screen cast to single screen and no dual screen support, boooooo.
Playing retro games on a smaller screen is nice no doubt I get the appeal whether PSP/Vita, 3DS/Switch in handheld mode, Wii U on Gamepad not TV but even still.
@dodgykebaab Besides modding a Vita because Sony doesn't want to officially, it has 2.4GHZ Vita, it can support it, it doesn't need 5GHZ to deliver it, so it's possible just Sony refuses to support it and no but who wants to play them. XD
There is an appeal of old games on smaller screens no doubt though so doing it on a phone/Portal works well then to fit large TV sizes or people hooking up a smaller TV.
Sorry I just don't care for PS4/5 games that much. That and it's not like Vita isn't supported with PS4 games they still are. It's not like PS3 blocking Vita for PS1 or so game transfers via the latest firmware.
Sony took away the 360/540p resolution target of the Vita remote play app and has not put it or other resolutions to the phone app, PS4, PC or Portal. So to me it's a worse app for that and just how it runs besides it's refinement of the Vita app that it was as a base to what it is now.
I can emulate on my phone or buy mobile ports and cast my phone to the TV without need for a PS5 and a Portal.
Apps like this: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=smart%20view%20tv%20app&c=apps third party but even still.
I can cast the PS5 to my phone and cast it back to the TV with an app (that most people don't understand even those third party apps like this or even I think an official Samsung app for example with THEIR TVs [from a while ago or so I've seen on their 10+ year old TVs I still use, 2016 or 3D older one] allowed this for certain use cases) that allows that even if I want. It's just a wireless version of putting a laptop with a HDMI cable to the TV.
Even Phone Link is very limited for iPhone/Android to Windows 11 PC (almost like a file manager kind of, it's just a more similar or primitive Continuum that Windows 10/10 mobile had).
But casting your phone to any screen, and using the whole phone [the app types I linked above] (regardless of the noticeable lag, whether internet or the device specs) is still possible.
My phone has noticeable lag for videos/game playback that not even a Vita/phone has with Sony's or Xbox/Steam Link I assume. So people don't know how bad it is till they see the screen rotation or the 2-3 second immediately noticeable delay it is with games or videos with apps like that. But it is 'possible' still. At least on my weak phones that is.
It's pointless but I can still do it cast a PS5 to a phone and back to the TV. Can use my entire phone on any screen not the limit of apps/use cases the others have by design.
@SuntannedDuck2 That's a lot of word to use just to say "No".
@dodgykebaab Vita can remote play PS4 games so.....yes, just like the Portal.
Also, I can play games in Wi-Fi dead spots (e.g. aeroplane) where the Portal is a door stop.
@sanderson72 Not sure why you hate the portal so much.
It's great.
@dodgykebaab Don't hate it - I have no need for it but I do want a full handheld console, as with the PSP and the Vita (hopefully without Sony stabbing it in the back this time!)
They keep trying to sell me on one of these and it's never going to happen lol, I have zero interest in a dedicated device for streaming. I have a phone with 5G that can do that.
@dodgykebaab I like to explain to people and give people options not say a casual response response for people and leave them with nothing because I hate small talk and options are more useful.
Unless people don't care which 99% of the planet doesn't and that's why I find people boring. Can't have a critical thinking/creative conversation because people don't have the imagination for one/attention span for one.
Words have a purpose so why would I not use them in a sentence.
Why have education if all we use it for is to say NO. XD or only use it in the moment as if that's all it's really used for.
Still can’t believe it’s only a ps5 companion device for stream only. Like wtf!
I'm so tempted by the Portal. We have two PS5s in our house and I don't get to play on either of them as the kids are always on them and by the time they're in bed I'm too tired to bother. Most my gaming is on Switch in bed these days but streaming PS5 is very appealing. I used to like streaming PS4 to Vita, but it was never perfect with the lack of the extra shoulder buttons for L2 and R2. The only thing stopping me is not knowing how well it would perform. Because they're in their bedrooms, neither PS5 is wired to the internet, both on wireless. But if we can now stream directly from the cloud, that does change things...
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