PlayStation Portal Usage Peaks At Night

Summary

• PlayStation Portal is a popular second screen for PS5, selling better than expected.
• The device is used most at 9 pm due to its portability, allowing gaming in another room while family is using TV.
• Sony is considering a new handheld device for PS5 games as PlayStation Portal’s success indicates demand for portable gaming.

While the PlayStation Portal isn’t a full-fledged handheld gaming device and seems to be nothing more than a glorified second screen for the PS5, it has found an audience. Not only that but according to Sony, the device is selling better than expected.

For those wondering how often people use it and when, since gamers do need a PS5 to make it work, Sony has answered that, and the answer isn’t that surprising.

PlayStation Portal Gets The Most Use During Night Time

According to Hiromi Wakai (via Game File), vice president of product management at Sony Interactive Entertainment, the most popular time the PlayStation Portal gets used is at 9 pm, an hour later than the peak playing time for PS5 users.

Why is the device played the most during the night? Wakai has a theory about it, sharing, “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.”

While the PS Portal was mostly seen as a niche device when it was released in November 2023, the handheld has sold out across various retailers, proving that gamers want to play their PS5 games on the go.

It’s not just a way to mirror PS5 games on a smaller screen, as Sony uses the PlayStation Portal to allow owners to stream PS5 games from the cloud to the device with no required connection to the PS5 console. The streaming functionality is now in the beta phase, and some features, such as game trials, party voice chat, and more, aren’t functional yet.

Perhaps the Portal’s surprising retail performance has made Sony rethink its portable gaming strategy. While the last standalone gaming handheld from the company has been the PlayStation Vita, which was released in December 2011, a new rumor has surfaced recently stating that Sony is currently developing a standalone device that aims to play PS5 games in a portable form factor.

What time do you use your PlayStation Portal? If you use it before going to bed, you’re not the only one, and I suspect thousands all over the world sneak in some game time before dozing off.