Apps like Portal and Asobi let you stream PS5 games to Apple Vision Pro in stereoscopic 3D with 4K upscaling. Here's how it works, what I've been playing, and whether it's worth the premium pricing.

Apple Vision Pro is an excellent gaming platform, at least when you can find games to run on it. While I'd prefer to have a great selection of VR games, the ability to use PlayStation Remote Play is a decent middle ground.

I'll say up front that playing PlayStation 5 is still best on a home entertainment system with good audio and video. However, apps like Portal and Asobi makes Apple Vision Pro a close second option.

Both apps are available on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro. Asobi is also available on Apple TV.

There is a premium subscription for Portal and a one-time unlock for Asobi, and they are both a bit pricey, but it's totally worth it for the functionality.

The Portal app will let you stream from the PS5 in 1080p at 60fps for free. If you want all of the bonus features, you have to pay $5.99 a month, $59.99 a year, or $199.99 lifetime.

I'm fairly tempted by that lifetime offer, but for now I'm paying monthly when I know I'll have time to use the app. Perhaps this developer would benefit from adopting Apple's new annual lock-in subscription option.

Asobi is a bit more affordable with similar features and a different styling on the 3D generation model. For a single $39.99 one-time purchase, you can unlock everything across all available devices.

Streaming on Apple TV is a great bonus option, but you'll want to make sure your network is flawless to make the connection playable. I think I prefer Asobi's 3D modeling, but the navigation, menus, and windowing style aren't as good as Portal's.

What you can do in these Remote Play apps

Portal can be used to access PlayStation and Xbox cloud gaming, PlayStation Remote Play, and even UVC play via the Apple developer strap. Asobi is focused on PlayStation with connections to Remote Play and streaming options.

The reason I'm writing about Portal and Asobi is because they have some unique features just for Apple Vision Pro that I haven't seen in any other app.

Its premium features include:

  • GPU-based 4K upscaling
  • 3D depth map conversion using AI
  • Super Frame Rate at 120FPS using ML enhancements
  • HDR streaming output
  • Immersive mode with large display

You can absolutely use 4K upscaling and stereoscopic 3D in tandem. However, try to activate 3D and Super Frame Rate in Portal and you'll hard crash the Apple Vision Pro, so don't do that.

So, using these settings in either app, I am able to stream my PS5 Pro to Apple Vision Pro in a 4K-equivalent stream while viewing the content in stereoscopic 3D. It's quite the experience, especially in the immersive view.

VR view showing Minecraft gameplay with a pickaxe in hand beside a dark virtual space, alongside a floating 3D settings panel displaying a colorful depth map and adjustment sliders

Generating a 3D depth map on the fly with AI processing

I do wish the immersive view included the ability to have the display hover over the lake in Mount Hood, but I'm sure that's a limitation due to it not being video.

The 3D effect in Portal isn't perfect, but it's enough for now and will likely get better in the future. I've had worse 3D experiences on actual 3D TVs with active glasses, to be fair. Asobi's 3D effect is more solid, but not always as depthy and doesn't offer a slider.

I tested the features in Minecraft. Yes, the 15-year-old game that I still play regularly on my PS5 Pro. Fight me.

The 3D rendering was interesting. It made the UI pop out as the top level, and everything else gained some depth.

You can control the depth settings on Portal, so set it to the point that looks best for your eyes. I've found that less is more when it comes to the depth intensity slider.

Virtual reality screen showing LEGO Batman against a moonlit city skyline, alongside a floating settings panel with color and display options, set in a dark, rocky outer-space environment

'Lego Batman' looks great with 4K upscaling and 3D depth

I also played the new Lego Batman game with the 3D setting. Since this is a newer game with incredible details in the Lego bricks (sounds silly, but trust me), the 4K 3D really popped.

While I'm not going to go out of my way to play PlayStation games this way, I do think this is an excellent alternative to playing in my den. Perhaps if I want to play in my bedroom or if the den TV is otherwise occupied, I know I'll have a way to enjoy my PS5 games with a whole new dimension added on top.

Portal and Asobi are excellent examples of what can be accomplished on Apple Vision Pro, and I'd love to see more apps like it. Let's hope Apple can attract more developers to the platform with WWDC 2026.

If anything, this has made my desire for a native version of Minecraft specifically for Apple Vision Pro even greater. I know Microsoft won't bother, but at least I have a good way to play it in the meantime.

For more on Vision Pro gaming, watch for Mike Wuerthele's piece on Steam streaming — including a 3D SteamVR test with a new video card.

Updated Thursday May 28, 12:04 p.m.: added references to Asobi and the experience using that app.