Item: Sony’s PlayStation Portal Has Already Sold Out In Japan
Rating: 0
Author: Low Boon Shen

Sony’s PlayStation Portal Has Already Sold Out In Japan

The PlayStation Portal is a bit of an oddball when you compare it to other gaming handhelds launched in recent years – think ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and Steam Deck. For one, it’s not a standalone device, meaning you must first have a PS5 console in order for it to work. It’s essentially a remote controller with an 8-inch 1080p 60Hz display attached to it, for the sole purpose of streaming the game directly from the console.

On paper, the PlayStation Portal certainly makes little sense when full-fledge miniaturized PCs in the form of gaming handhelds exists, with the prices on the same ballpark as the PS5 itself. (The Portal meanwhile costs $199.) However, a rather surprising phenomenon happening in Japan indicates that the device is in fact, sold out in all stores.

PlayStation Portal pre-orders have sold out at all online retailers in Japan! 👀#PlayStation

Amazon: Sold out
Rakuten Books: Sold out
Yodobashi: Sold out
Bic Camera: Sold out
Yamada Webcom: Sold out
Sofmap: Sold out
Joshin: Sold out
Sony Store: Sold out
Edion: Sold out
Aeon:… pic.twitter.com/D8N9FAOi9z

— Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) September 29, 2023

All of these happened within a day, which points to a surprisingly popular product for its relatively limited feature set and capabilities. Even over at US, Amazon is listing the handheld as out-of-stock, while PlayStation Direct stores are limiting purchases due to high demand. Other stores in America, such as Gamestop, have even labeled it as “bestseller” models, while Best Buy is only accepting orders from its Pro plan subscribers at this moment.

Given that there are a grand total of 40 million units of PlayStation 5 consoles sold thus far, there’s a significant amount of untapped customer base for Sony to tap into with the PlayStation Portal. For reference – the PSVR2 sold 600,000 units in its first 3 months, so this could end up spelling good news for the company if these two markets are any indication.