PlayStation Portal PS5
A fancy new PS Portal. © Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony has announced a new Japan-only version of the PlayStation Portal, adding all-new functionality in the form of internal storage exclusive to the domestic edition of the device.
Last November, Sony released a Japan-only, region-locked and language-locked edition of the PS5, cutting the price of this digital-only model from 73,000 yen ($461) to 55,000 yen ($347). In recent generations, thanks to the success of the Nintendo Switch in Japan and the high cost of PlayStation platforms relative to wages and the cost of living, Sony’s once-dominant position has weakened. Sony’s Japan-only PS5 mirrored Nintendo’s decision to create a cheaper, region-specific Nintendo Switch 2. Now Sony is repeating this tactic with the new Japan-only PlayStation Portal, but this time the device appears to be an upgraded version of the hardware.
Although this new PlayStation Portal boasts the same 1080p LCD screen and general features as the worldwide iteration of the device, for this latest version Sony has added internal storage as an all-new feature. Oddly, however, it won’t yet say what it plans to do with this storage. Sony has only said that it “will confirm the future functionality at a later date.” Due to the addition of internal storage, the price of this Japan-only model will be identical to the global model at 39,980 yen ($252), and it will be sold in Midnight Black, the same color variant as the Japan-only PS5.
The regular PlayStation Portal can only stream games, either directly from a PlayStation console or via the cloud. The lack of storage prevents games from being downloaded to the device, even though it has its own mobile chipset that, while different to PS5’s, would in theory be capable of running some games locally.
Does this new storage option mean that Sony will enable support for select titles to run natively? Will a similar device with internal storage also be sold internationally? Sony has yet to confirm anything at this time, but considering the success of Portal and the rumors of a next-generation portable, this certainly lends credence to the possibility of a hybrid approach. Pre-orders for the new Japan-only PlayStation Portal begin on Thursday, with a release date planned for December 10.
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