A Rediscovered Patent Suggests PlayStation Portal May Have Been Planned for PS4

A recently rediscovered patent application from Sony Interactive Entertainment indicates that the PlayStation Portal may have been originally conceived as a remote player for the PS4. The patent, filed in 2015 and brought to light in 2017 on gaming forum NeoGAF, features illustrations that bear a striking resemblance to the recently released handheld. The layout of the figures in the filing closely mirrors the design of the PS5’s Portal, raising questions about the original intentions behind the device.

The patent, which appeared to be tailored for use with the DualShock 4, went relatively unnoticed over the last six years until a Reddit user, kasual7, came across it. During the time that the patent was first unearthed, speculation surrounding its purpose ranged from a “Switch-like” handheld to a potential successor to the PS Vita. However, it has since been revealed that the device operates as a basic remote player for the PS5.

Sony has also hinted at the potential expansion of the Portal’s capabilities, including the possibility of integrating cloud streaming. As of now, the handheld is limited to playing games that are installed on the PS5.