Summary
One Google engineer is showing off aPlayStation Portalhack that allows the device to play PSP games. The PlayStation Portal is designed to be a handheld device that remotely controls the user’sPS5console, but that hasn’t stopped enthusiasts from trying to expand upon the accessory’s utility.
Despite limited use cases, thePlayStation Portal has garnered solid reviewsand struggled to stay in stock for long at popular retailers. The eye-catching form factor has proven to be the most ergonomic method for Remote Play, a service that has been around since the PS3.
PlayStation Portal Shown Running PSP Games Natively
Google engineer Andy Nguyen has taken to social media to show off their hacked PlayStation Portal device running PSP emulation software PPSSPP. After “more than a month of hard work,” and help from another Google engineer, Calle Svensson, Nguyen’s PlayStation Portal can play PSP titles natively. The image Nguyen shared shows the Portal running the acclaimed PSP titleGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
Despite rumors that anew PlayStation handheld is in development, Sony has yet to announce any new hardware. After the failure of the PSP’s successor, the PS Vita, Sony has more or less removed itself from the portable gaming market. That said, the success of the PlayStation Portal may lend credence to reports that suggest a new dedicated handheld device is on the way.
The success of the Nintendo Switch and various handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally proves that there is a market for portable gaming devices. Rumors have even circulated that Microsoft could be planning a handheld Xbox console. Microsoft Gaming CEOPhil Spencer even stoked the Xbox handheld rumorsthrough recent social media activity.
PlayStation Portal
While not exactly a PSP successor, the PlayStation Portal solves an age-old issue of having to share one TV in a household. This remote play device allows users to stream whatever is happening on their PlayStation 5’s directly to the large 8-inch 1080p LCD screen. What makes the PlayStation Portal unique is that it comes packed with all the advanced technology of the DualSense wireless controller, such as adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. One downside is that it doesn’t feature Bluetooth support for wireless audio, but it does work with the PlayStation Pulse earbuds and headset, while also sporting a 3.5mm audio jack for wired audio.
