PlayStation Portal Officially Launches with Limited Availability

Do you like to own a PlayStation Portal? The handheld device that allows you to stream games from your PS5 officially launches today but you may have a hard time finding one at your local stores.

It seems that the situation right now is akin to the release of PlayStation 5 back in 2020. People who are looking to purchase the PlayStation Portal are greeted with a "Currently Unavailable" sign when ordering from PlayStation Direct.

Availability in other stores, such as Best Buy, is also non-existent. Using the platform's "Find Store" option will yield no results whatsoever.

Although Amazon states that the handheld device is in stock, it is sold for almost double the price! At the time of writing, the PlayStation Portal from the said online platform is $389 instead of the $200 original price tag.

Despite the negative impression when the handheld device was first announced, it seems that a lot of people actually want to get their hands on it. So much so that the scalpers are likely having a field day, selling the PlayStation Portal at exorbitant prices on eBay.

(Photo : Sony/Photo taken from PlayStation Direct)

Frustrated Customers

Legitimate customers who just want to purchase the PlayStation Portal for themselves are airing their frustrations over various social media platforms.

One Twitter user said that they just wanted to buy one for their nephew, but the handheld device is sold out everywhere.

Another user tweeted that although the PlayStation Portal has officially launched today, it is already sold out within a matter of seconds.

User @SirHandyPlays said that scalpers are to be blamed for the lack of availability. One scalper even sold the device for a whopping £570!

Unless you've pre-ordered the device back then, it is unlikely that you're going to get it anytime soon.

What is It?

(Photo : Sony/Photo taken from PlayStation Direct)

With all the hype and lack of availability, what exactly is the PlayStation Portal? Well, it is a handheld device made by Sony that lets you stream games that are installed in your PlayStation 5 using your home network. The beauty of this is that you can play your favorite games anywhere within your house and the experience is great if you have a fast and stable connection.

It is a device that looks quite similar to the PS5's DualSense controller, albeit with a screen in the middle. Although it only has an 8-inch LCD screen, the fact that you can play PS5 titles without being confined in one place is amazing.

If you like the DualSense Controller's haptic feedback, you'll be happy to know that the PlayStation Portal has that as well. You just have to play a game that utilizes the said feature.

First Impressions

While it's very likely that you're not able to purchase the handheld device anytime soon, those who have the PlayStation Portal in their hands have given good first impressions.

Redditor @wayneski was surprised by how well the device is performing. There were some concerns about input lag, especially because you need an internet connection to use this thing. However, one user allays those fears by saying that input lag is pretty much "non-existent" on this device.

What are your thoughts about the PlayStation Portal's lack of availability?