PlayStation Portal sales in the US might make Sony think twice about the PSP 2
New data suggests the PlayStation Portal hasn't been the success we first thought
🤏 Fewer than 3% of PS5 owners in the US bought a PlayStation Portal
💰 The PlayStation Portal was the best-selling accessory in terms of dollar sales for 2024
🤔 It might make Sony think again before it releases the PSP 2
🤷♂️ Sony also needs to prove it can support multiple devices
The PlayStation Portal, Sony’s Remote Play accessory for the PlayStation 5, has been purchased by fewer than 3% of PS5 owners in the US. And it might make Sony think twice about releasing a PSP 2.
According to video game industry analyst and executive director at NPD Mat Piscatella on Bluesky, less than 3% of PlayStation 5 owners in the US have picked up Sony’s $199 accessory as of the end of July. H
That’s despite the PlayStation Portal being the best-selling accessory in dollar sales for May and 2024 year-to-date, with the handheld selling out for months when it was first released. Piscatella also thinks the console could sell well this holiday.
The PlayStation 5 has sold over 23 million units in the US, according to VGChartz, which suggests Sony has sold around 690,000 PlayStation Portal devices if we calculate for 3%. That’s not a bad result, especially for a handheld that only streams games from the console.
But it also shows that Sony would have to make the PSP 2 an extremely compelling proposition if it were to release a dedicated handheld that’s bound to cost more than $199.99.
The PSP 2 is unlikely to cost less than $299.99, especially as the PS Vita was $249.99 for the Wi-Fi model when it was released in 2011. The Nintendo Switch was also $299.99 when released in 2017, so a price point of $299.99 for the PSP 2 seems inevitable.
Questions remain about the PSP 2
Sony will also have to show it can support multiple devices. The PS Vita’s support was pulled notoriously quickly, and Sony has released the PSVR 2 with little to no first-party support, despite consumers shelling out $549.99 for the company’s VR headset.
Many will argue that Sony has struggled to deliver a healthy supply of PS5 games, overly relying on remasters, remakes, and timed-exclusivity deals from third-party publishers. Would Sony be able to support two devices that offer unique games? Or would the PSP 2 let you play cut-down versions of existing PS5 games? The latter seems more achievable.
A Sony handheld will also face stiff competition as the portable PC space grows. The Acer Nitro Blaze 7 is the latest PC hardware manufacturer to create a portable, and the Nintendo Switch 2 will be well established before Sony releases its handheld. Microsoft is also expected to release an Xbox handheld, which could join a new Xbox console in 2027.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.