Sony has announced a new Midnight Black version of its PlayStation Portal handheld that includes additional internal storage, but the company has not explained why, prompting speculation about its future console plans.
The device, which goes on sale December 10, is exclusive to Japan, mirroring the approach taken with the Midnight Black PlayStation 5 console announced last month. The PS5 model was also limited to Japan.
Extra Storage Without Explanation
The announcement on the PlayStation Blog does not specify how much extra storage the new Portal has. It only states, 'with an eye towards future functionality, the new model includes additional internal storage. We will announce details about this feature as soon as they are finalised.'
The Portal does not run PlayStation games natively. Instead, it streams games from a PlayStation 5 console. Initially, only games installed on the console could be played, but PlayStation Premium subscribers can now use cloud streaming to access select games from the service's catalogue without downloading them to their home console.
Speculation Over Future Handheld Plans
Sony's vague reference to 'future functionality' has led fans to speculate that the extra storage could allow the Portal to store and run games natively, making it more useful as a portable console. Sony has long been rumoured to be working on both a new home console and a handheld device for the next generation, possibly a hybrid model similar to the Switch 2.
Recent comments about development on the next console 'progressing as scheduled' and planned investment in the new platform from the next fiscal year, which begins April 2027, have added to the speculation that Sony may be testing handheld capabilities through the Portal.
Pricing and Limitations
A key concern about a hypothetical PlayStation 6 handheld is whether it could run PlayStation 5 games natively, which would likely make the device expensive. However, the new Portal is priced at ¥39,980 in Japan, the same as the current model, which costs £219.99 in the UK. This suggests the added storage is not extensive.
The current Portal has about 6GB of internal storage, which is inaccessible because the device is streaming-only. Some Reddit users speculate the extra storage could be used to run apps like YouTube and Netflix, while others suggest it might enable playing games from older consoles, such as the PlayStation 1 or PlayStation Portable.
