Sony will soon launch an updated version of its PlayStation Portal handheld in Japan with additional internal storage.

The Japan-exclusive model will land on 10 December in a Midnight Black colour, with a price tag of 39,980 yen (approximately A$366).

While the new colour is not new, and has appeared on previous PlayStation Portal models, the more significant change is the addition of internal storage, which Sony says will support future functionality that is yet to be finalised. Once it is, Sony says it will announce more details. 

The updated device will also receive a name change, dropping the current PlayStation Portal Remote Player branding for PlayStation Portal Player.

There is speculation that Sony could be preparing to introduce features beyond the device’s current focus on remote gaming.

The existing PlayStation Portal is mainly designed to stream games from a PlayStation 5 console or via supported cloud streaming services. However, it doesn’t currently support other entertainment streaming applications such as Netflix, YouTube or Disney Plus.

The additional storage could allow Sony to introduce support for media applications or offline content playback, although this speculation has not been confirmed.

The Portal is not a standalone gaming console and does not have the processing capabilities to run PlayStation games locally. Instead, it relies on a connection to a PS5 or supported cloud gaming functionality.

The new model will also come with some restrictions. Sony says the Japan-exclusive version will be locked to Japanese language settings and will only work with PlayStation accounts registered in Japan.

So international customers hoping to purchase the updated model will face limitations, even if they are able to make an international purchase. 

The announcement is an interesting development for Sony’s handheld gaming strategy.

The device has provided PS5 owners with another way to access their games without needing a television.

While Sony is keeping further details under wraps, it will be interesting to see whether the additional storage of this updated device ultimately means access to additional entertainment apps, offline media functionality, or another feature.