Summary
- The PlayStation Portal is one of the most popular gaming accessories, and it continues to get new features.
- According to a Sony executive, the most popular time to play the Portal is 9:00 p.m.
- That time of day is an hour later than the peak playing window for PS5 console users.
As 2024 comes to a close, and we enter 2025, one of the biggest gaming stories of the year was just how dominant the PlayStation Portal was. Back in July, it was reported that the Portal was the best-selling PlayStation 5 accessory of the year. Then, in November, the Portal received a massive update that let players stream without the need for a PS5.
In other words, the Portal has been a major part of 2024. And thanks to an unnamed Sony executive, we now know the playing habits of those who’ve bought in to PlayStation’s most recent foray into the handheld gaming market.
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Portal Owners Are Night Owls
As first reported by Stephen Totilo of Game File, the most popular time of day to use a PlayStation Portal handheld is 9:00 p.m. That time of day is just an hour later than the peak playing window for PS5 console users, according to Totilo’s reporting.
Whether it’s because the owners are naturally night owls, or they’re picking up play after a long PS5 gaming session, the Portal stands as a nighttime hobby.
“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,” Hiromi Wakai, vice president of product management said.
Whatever the case may be, it’s clear the Portal is one popular device. As Totilo noted in his report, an estimated three percent of PS5 owners have also bought a Portal. It’s with that in mind that Sony plans to continue increasing the Portal’s capabilities.
“PS Portal was a new type of product for us, so we wanted to be extra careful to ensure our users get the best possible user experience,” Wakai said in reference to the handheld’s recent updates. “We want to continue that approach with PS Portal, and make incremental steps based on community reception on the beta.”
What those new capabilities are will remain to be seen. One thing is clear: the handheld renaissance is in full swing.
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