Released on June 18, 2025, thePlayStationPortal initially received quite mixed reviews - some loved it while others didn’t feel like there was a market for one. Coming in with a $199 price tag designed solely for Remote Play, it’s easy to see why some PS fans were skeptical about the gadget. A portable device, but not really one since you couldn’t take it out of your home, the PS Portal wasn’t really a match for the Steam Deck’s ultra-portability.
However, it seems that thePS Portalisn’t doing so badly after all, as the Executive Director and Video Game Industry Advisor at Circana reveals that “it’s done better than I’d expected it to”.
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PlayStation Portal Is Doing Better Than Expected
Last year, Hideaki Nishino, who is soon to be the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Platform Business Group,saidthat the PlayStation Portal was never really intended to make money but rather increase playtime on the PS5. Designed to allow players availability to still play their favorite games while they couldn’t or didn’t want to be in front of the TV, the PlayStation Portal suited a “very specific need of a specific demographic”, so gaining profit for it was never on the books for Sony.
In a positive turn of events, the device has done better in sales than expected. Circana analyst Mat Piscatellaposted a tweeton Twitter/X talking about sales of the PS5 and where it was in terms of the PS4. He was asked if there was any data on PS Portal unit sales, with Piscatella replying that the demand for PlayStation Portal in the US had been exceeding the supply for several months, and although there weren’t a massive number of units being sold, it still had done better than anyone thought it would.
“Can’t give units… but demand has exceeded supply for several months now and honestly, it’s done better than I’d expected it to.” said Piscatella, “So, props to them. Not massive units, but hey pretty good.”
Shinobi602, who is the community manager at Keywords Studios,tweetedthis good news about the PS Portal, which caught the eye of Piscatella. In the comments, the Circana analyst said “I underestimated demand for the Portal, I admit it. The only time I’ve ever been wrong about anything, ever. Enjoy it, haters!”
Even though it won’t rival the NintendoSwitchor theSteam Deck, it’s great to see something positive happening in the game industry for once and actually doing better than expected. This has now made me a champion for the underdog PS Portal, may it keep rising to great heights and proving people wrong.
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