Sony launched a new streaming handheld console PlayStation Portal this year, which was officially launched on November 15. Although it was designed for existing PS5 users, it might have been expected that it would only be a niche market, and perhaps because of this there was not much supply available. Unexpectedly, both in Japan and Europe and the United States, all products were sold out after the launch.
Recently, Phil Hayton, editor of foreign media Gamesradar+, alsoSuffering from not being able to get PlayStation Portalthe idea of finding a replacement by myself came up.
He decided to use the Logitech G Cloud streaming handheld as an alternative. The idea was that by installing the PS Remote Play app, Logitech G Cloud could create an alternative to PS Portal.
Is it possible to use Logitech G Cloud instead of PlayStation Portal?
He said that the entire process of installing the PS Remote Play app on G Cloud and then creating a PS Portal alternative is very similar to installing PS Remote Play on a smartphone. Just install the Play Store and follow the on-screen instructions to log in.
The only problem here, though, is that Sony’s PS Remote Play doesn’t seem to recognize any controller that isn’t a DualSense or BackBone One, and you won’t be able to play games.
Fortunately, though, Logitech has a solution to bridge the gap.
Through G Cloud’s built-in “key mapping” function, each physical button can be assigned to a virtual input, which means you can trick the APP into thinking you are using a touch screen, but in fact you are using physical buttons. Using this method allows you to use the G Cloud control stick to play games, but there is still a problem, that is, the user interface of the virtual buttons will still appear on the screen, which will cause interference to the screen.
However, he said that after playing Final Fantasy XVI for a few hours, he found that he got used to it and automatically ignored the on-screen buttons, so it’s not as annoying as you might think.
Using this workaround, you can barely achieve the same remote play functionality as PlayStation Portal. However, PlayStation Portal is certainly more convenient than it. For example, the screen is larger, and you can play directly with DualSense without having to endure the virtual buttons on the screen.
However, before buying PlayStation Portal, he said it was an acceptable solution.
Finally, I have to mention the price difference between the two: PS Portal is US$199.99, and Logitech G Cloud is originally priced at US$349.99. If you only want to stream PS5 among players, his suggestion is that players continue to wait for restocking. And there are more than one alternative.
