Sony is continuing its long-term support of the PlayStation Portal with a brand new software update. Headlining this firmware update is a new 1080p High Quality mode, along with refinements for the device’s general UI and UX. The update has already started its global rollout.
The 1080p High Quality mode will be available to use during both Remote Play as well as Cloud Streaming. When enabled, players will experience gameplay at higher a bitrate, which in turn will lead to smoother frame rates and better visual fidelity. To enable this, users can go into the Max Resolution setting through Quick Menu, 1080p High Quality will be available as a new option. However, the Remote Play or Cloud Streaming session will have to be restarted for the changes to apply.
As for the UX upgrades, the changes are visible throughout the Cloud Streaming experience as well as the onboarding experience for users that don’t yet have a PlayStation account. Among the Cloud Streaming improvements are better product detail pages, clear on-screen notification for game invites, clearer notifications when the player earns Trophies, and an improved search screen. As for the onboarding experience, the PlayStation Portal will offer its users a new QR code-styled login option, as well as a generally improved interface that flows more smoothly from menu to menu.
Along with this, PlayStation’s senior manager of product management Takuro Fushimi has also revealed that, since the release of Cloud Streaming on the PlayStation Portal back in November, use of the feature has grown by 162 percent year-over-year as of this January.
“Since our last update in November, we’ve seen strong momentum on PS Portal. Cloud Streaming monthly users grew by 162% year-over-year in January, and over 50% of PS Portal users are now PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers – reflecting growing engagement with the cloud experience,” he wrote on the PlayStation Blog.
“As more players discover new ways to play on PS Portal, we remain committed to continuously refining performance and usability. Today, we’re pleased to share some new features and refinements for our PS Portal users.”
Cloud Streaming was first introduced as a beta back in November 2024, which saw slow and steady improvements over time. An update in April 2025 saw enhancements made to the feature, as well as the addition of new options, like sorting options, and compatibility with the Share button, allowing players easy access to screenshotting and video recording tools on the handheld device. These captures are automatically uploaded to the cloud, where they are stored for 14 days, and can be accessed and downloaded by players through the PlayStation App.
Rumors from January have indicated that Sony might be looking to release a refreshed version of the PlayStation Portal. While it won’t see any major hardware revisions, the refresh is noted to be headlined by an OLED display. Sony hasn’t yet made any announcement regarding a new PlayStation Portal. The report has noted, however, that it is planned for launch later this year. The same month also saw another report revealing that two million units of the PlayStation Portal had been sold in the US.
