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The PlayStation Portal destroyed my backlog and I loved it – Reader Resource

April 28, 2024

PlayStation Portal – the cure for a big delay (Photo: Sony)

A reader admits his addiction to buying games he never plays and explains how PlayStation Portal solved the problem.

There's been a lot of talk recently about older players and the time constraints that come with life normal life. I completely agree. Being a partner and a father takes up most of my time. Anyway…

My name is Kevin, I'm 42 years old and I'm a backlogaholic.

Even though I can't find time to play a few hours here and there, I buy and buy and buy again. I stopped buying Ghost Of Tsushima for my PlayStation 4, so let's get it now. I clearly don't have more than 100 hours to spare, but we're going to buy Cyberpunk 2077 anyway. I've only played an hour of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, but hey, it's a good price for Survivor, so why not take the plunge and buy it. God Of War Ragnarök is £20 because of the Asda sale. Kerching, here's my money.

I'm firmly on the physical shopping team, so I'm happy to have 11 boxes of games on my shelf. It makes me feel warm inside and reassured that even if I somehow lose the 200+ games I've added to my library through PS Plus, I'll be fine. Even if there is an apocalyptic event, as long as I have my precious discs, I should be able to spend a few hours in a buggy game. Surely an apocalypse would give me more screen time, right?

But wait… Is that a savior coming over the hills toward me? Yes Yes that's it.

The PlayStation Portal. Since receiving it as a Christmas gift, I've managed to complete three games on my to-do list and have botched a few others. Being a one-screen family, I'm right in the middle of this product's demographic and can wholeheartedly recommend it.

I used to enjoy some game time after everyone went to bed. However, even with free TV, I find myself turning to Portal and playing more in bed. This has reinvigorated my gaming and means I'm not just buying games because I want them, but actually for the reason I play them.

There are precious few reasons to own a PlayStation 5. Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a good one. Seeing this the day my brother-in-law bought a PlayStation 5 hooked me. But ray tracing and refresh rates have now taken a backseat. My 8-inch HD screen provides enough graphics for me and what's the point of high-end graphics if you're not gaming?

Portal and its limitations freed me (and I'll tell you what, it far surpasses general remote play usage, if only ergonomically). I will finish more games this year than I have in the last five.

Will this stop me from buying games I don't really need? No of course not. The thrill of placing an order online and waiting for the mailman far outweighs clicking the “confirm order” button on an online purchase. As much as I'd love to buy a Metro game that I don't need, for £1.99 it's not the same thing as removing the breaking line from a physical game.

I love playing. I've done it since the NES and I still do it now. The difference Portal has made is that now I'm playing the games I read about and buy.

By reader Kevin (kev_j_stewart – PSN ID)