The PlayStation Portal Is Not Portable – It’s Corporate Captivity in Disguise
Hello everyone. Today we’re marching into yet another round of “it’s a device, but also not really a device” – Sony’s latest play in the handheld space, the PlayStation Portal, alongside the ever-magically marketed Hogwarts Legacy. Oh yes, it’s another corporate “ecosystem expansion” dressed up as consumer-first innovation. Strap in, because this one’s going to sting like a botched mana potion.
The PlayStation Portal: Portable…ish
So here it is. A handheld “console” that isn’t really a console, with all the standalone capability of a toaster without bread in it. It’s an 8-inch LCD, Full HD (1080p), 60 fps streaming device entirely chained to your PS5 – like buying a puppy only for it to be permanently tethered to your house. For the privilege, we’re looking at north of €215 usually… unless you catch one of these heavily marketed “price drops” that scream desperate attempt to move stock faster than an indie dev handing out beta keys at PAX.
Wi-Fi 5GHz, 4,370 mAh battery, built-in speakers, USB-C, 3.5mm jack – solid specs on paper. No Bluetooth though, because Sony apparently believes wireless audio outside its proprietary PlayStation Link™ is a crime against corporate order. DualSense-style haptics and adaptive triggers are nice, yes – right up until you realise you can only use them inside your own home network. Portable? Sure, like dragging a LAN cable around the block and calling it a stroll.
Hogwarts Legacy: Magic at a Discount
And then, because someone in marketing decided the Portal needed a gateway drug, we have Hogwarts Legacy for PS5 at a “magically reduced” price. It’s still the same sprawling, open-world wizard fantasy where you dodge trolls, duel dark wizards, and faff about with potion brewing like some half-baked Skyrim mod. You get sorting hats, magical beasts, alliances, and all the fantasy clout you could want without actually being invited to Hogwarts proper – which, in gaming terms, is just the right blend of fanservice and grind.
Yes, the game’s good. Immensely more independent than the device it’s being bundled with. It lets you explore an untouched era in wizarding history, poke around secret passages, and feel a sense of narrative progression – something the PS Portal physically cannot give you unless your PS5 is switched on and worshipped like the central processing deity it’s apparently supposed to be.
The Cynical Take
Here’s the reality: Sony’s not selling you innovation. They’re selling you dependency wrapped in a shiny plastic shell with haptic sprinkles. This is the hardware equivalent of playing a game where you think you’re in an open world, only to find the invisible walls closing in every time you wander too far from your quest marker. It’s an accessory that demands a €500+ console to function – and positioning it as a “handheld console experience” feels like a plot twist from a low-effort Ubisoft side mission.
From a doctor’s perspective, if this was a patient, I’d diagnose it with chronic codependency and recommend immediate detachment therapy – in this case, maybe something that actually works without a host system leashing it. From a gamer’s perspective, it’s like unlocking a quest you can only accept while standing in one specific room, wearing one specific hat, at one specific time of day. That’s not freedom; that’s design by corporate captivity.
Verdict
Look – Hogwarts Legacy is worth grabbing if you’re into magical worlds and do want an excellent PS5 experience. The PlayStation Portal? It’s fine… if your definition of “portable” has the caveat “never leave the living room”. Yes, it’s technically competent and smooth when it works, but fundamentally, it’s Sony selling you the illusion of freedom while keeping you in their padded cell of proprietary tech. Buy it if you absolutely must complete your shrine to the PlayStation ecosystem – otherwise, spend your gold on something you can actually take outside without asking your router’s permission.
Overall impression: mildly bad – the game, good; the “handheld” Portal, a tethered disappointment in disguise.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is entirely my opinion.
Article source: Sony vuelve a rebajar la PlayStation Portal para cerrar el verano con números redondos, https://www.muyinteresante.com/bazar/sony-vuelve-a-rebajar-la-playstation-portal-para-cerrar-el-verano-con-numeros-redondos.html
