in Gaming

PlayStation Portal Hacked to Run PSP Games Natively

by Inovasee 21 Februari 2024, 12:55 am 1.5k Views

Sony’s PlayStation Portal, the handheld device that allows users to stream games from their PS5 console, has been hacked by Google engineers to run PSP games natively using an emulator. The hack, which was revealed on Twitter by Andy Nguyen and Calle Svensson, shows the Portal running Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, a PSP version of the popular Rockstar game.

The hackers used the PPSSPP emulator, which is a free and open-source software that can run PSP games on various platforms, including Windows, Android, iOS, Linux, and macOS. According to Nguyen, the hack is "all software based", which means no hardware modification is required. However, he also said that the hack is not ready for public release yet, as there is "much more work to be done".

The PlayStation Portal was launched by Sony in November 2024 as a $199.99 device that can connect wirelessly to a PS5 and stream games from the console using Remote Play. The Portal does not have any native games of its own, nor does it support Sony’s cloud gaming service. The device has a 5-inch touchscreen display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4150P processor, 4GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and a 3000mAh battery.

The hack by the Google engineers demonstrates that the Portal has the potential to run games locally using its own hardware, at least for older titles like PSP games. This could make the Portal more appealing to gamers who want a portable gaming device that does not rely on internet connection or PS5 availability. However, it is unclear if Sony will approve of such hacks or try to prevent them with firmware updates or legal actions.

The PlayStation Portal is not Sony’s first attempt at handheld gaming. The company previously released the PlayStation Portable (PSP) in 2004 and the PlayStation Vita in 2011. Both devices had their own library of games, some of which were exclusive to the handhelds. However, Sony has not announced any plans for a successor to the Vita, despite the success of Nintendo’s hybrid console, the Switch.

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