PlayStation Now to Add PlayStation 4 Games This Year

PlayStation Now to Add PlayStation 4 Games This Year

It looks like Sony isn’t going to take Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service lying down: PlayStation Now will begin offering PS4 games later this year.

As you may know, PlayStation Now is a streaming game service that currently offers subscription-based access to almost 500 PlayStation 3 titles. The service is available to gamers on the PlayStation 4 console and on Windows-based PCs, and has been a big differentiator for the PlayStation platform.

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But then Microsoft announced Xbox Game Pass a few weeks back. That service, available only on Xbox One, will provide access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games at launch. And unlike PS Now, it will require gamers to download those games to their consoles to play them. On the good news front, at $9.99 per month, Xbox Game Pass is half the monthly price of PS Now.

Today, Sony announced that it will bring PS4 games to PS Now later this year. The schedule isn’t completely clear—actually, the whole thing is rather vague—but limited testing will start soon with randomly-chosen but active PS Now subscribers.

“All of the games in the service, including PS4 games, will be included with a single PS Now subscription,” Sony says. “We’ll share more information as we get closer to launch, so stay tuned … Also, PS Now uses cloud saves, letting you start a game on PS4 and continue playing on another PS4 or even a Windows PC (or vice versa).”

That’s big news. And it makes the PlayStation a safer bet at a time when Microsoft is really struggling to define why Xbox is the better alternative.

 

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Conversation 17 comments

  • Darmok N Jalad

    13 March, 2017 - 5:55 pm

    <p>What would really be huge is if they allow the content to be local on the PS4. It would lead me to seriously consider it, but otherwise I'm not terribly interested in streaming due to my basic internet package that otherwise suits our needs.</p>

    • SleepingPelican

      13 March, 2017 - 11:31 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#90196"><em>In reply to Darmok N Jalad:</em></a></blockquote><p>Sounds like the Xbox Game Pass is what you are looking for then. All the content is local so no issues with latency trying to stream the game.</p>

      • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

        14 March, 2017 - 12:59 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#90258"><em>In reply to SleepingPelican:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote><em>Yea, that was an interesting call by XB. I wonder if PS Now will start to give that option. Bet they will, because it was just a damn good idea. </em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • Darmok N Jalad

        14 March, 2017 - 6:56 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#90258">In reply to SleepingPelican:</a></em></blockquote><p>It all really depends on the library of games it offers. I don't game that much, so the only way it would be of value is if it offers the specific games I'm interested in. If either company commits to the entire catalog, that would make it very tempting. I'd even allow for a delay in adding the new releases, so long as it was predictable.</p>

    • ecumenical

      14 March, 2017 - 12:43 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#90196">In reply to Darmok N Jalad:</a></em></blockquote><p>If you're interested in PS Now, it's worth trying out the 7 day free trial. I was surprised at how well it worked on a "low speed" 10mb connection. I tried it with Killzone 3 (single player) and the latency was fine, even for an FPS.</p><p>On the other hand if you are referring to a low data cap then that's going to be an issue with any service, streamed or locally downloaded.</p>

  • Mcgillivray

    13 March, 2017 - 6:28 pm

    <p>How would this work with larger games? I only have XB1 – but buy most games digital. And I'd say out of ~30 games – the smallest has been 20gb in size (Tomb Raider). And I'm sure the games sizes are the same on XB1 or PS4. How could you ever steam that game or anything like it?</p><p><br></p><p>Unless they are all just smaller games which would rule out most of this generations big releases…</p>

    • Darmok N Jalad

      13 March, 2017 - 7:41 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#90198">In reply to Mcgillivray:</a></em></blockquote><p>All the work to run the game is handled remotely, you are simply streaming the content at 1080P (or whatever res they chose). It would be similar to streaming a video, though with it being non-linear due to random interaction, latency can be a real issue. </p>

      • Mcgillivray

        14 March, 2017 - 12:07 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#90216">In reply to Darmok N Jalad:</a></em></blockquote><p>Ahhh got it thanks!</p>

  • chaad_losan

    13 March, 2017 - 7:51 pm

    <p>Why would sony care? They are the market leader two to one?</p>

    • Ukumio

      Premium Member
      14 March, 2017 - 1:46 am

      <blockquote><a href="#90220"><em>In reply to chaad_losan:</em></a></blockquote><p>Possibly because they want to stay in front, or at the very least make more money. TBH on an Operating System level Microsoft has been way more proactive in fixing what was wrong with their system and adding features that people asked for, whilst Sony is just now adding External HDD support and Custom Backgrounds (that are limited to screenshots from games) which a lot of people are attributing to Sony being content with what they offer and don't see the motivation to improve because they are in front, so I'm glad that at least in this case Sony is being somewhat competitive.</p>

      • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

        14 March, 2017 - 12:57 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#90264"><em>In reply to Ukumio:</em></a></blockquote><p>Also worth noting that Sony did mention last year was the year of hardware (PSVR and PS4 Pro) and this is the year of software. When I first read that, I thought games, but really the developers do most the work on that so it's not like all the newly freed up labor hours are somehow getting put toward games. Now we have an update with Boost Mode, 3d Blu-Ray support in PSVR, increased 2D image quality in PSVR, external hard drive compatibility, and UI improvements.. and a month ago we get an announcement that PS Now is dropping support for weaker devices, which I called was so that they could put PS4 games on the service. When Sony said this was the year of software, this is what they meant. Sony was letting us know that this year there will be more updates like this. Sony had their hands full but now, we should expect to see a lot of improvements similar to what we've been seeing in just this first quarter. Of course XB is also doing great things since Phil Spencer, Cross Play, Play Anywhere, subscription service, customized controllers, Scorpio.. XB is back on track and I think they will soon start putting more pressure on Sony. I am certain Sony will stay ahead this gen, but still glad to see both XB and PS upping their game. </p>

    • anchovylover

      14 March, 2017 - 11:26 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#90220">In reply to chaad_losan:</a></em></blockquote><p>That kind of hubris by Sony or any other company would be unwise. </p>

  • SheriffFatterMan

    14 March, 2017 - 3:53 am

    <p>PS Now is also available on some Sony bluray and DVD players I believe.</p>

    • maethorechannen

      Premium Member
      14 March, 2017 - 4:59 am

      <blockquote><a href="#90288"><em>In reply to SheriffFatterMan:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Sony have announced that it's dropping PS Now&nbsp;support for everything that isn't a PS4 or a PC. </p>

    • KLEEBAN KLIBAN

      14 March, 2017 - 12:48 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#90288"><em>In reply to SheriffFatterMan:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote>Actually, while I'm not contending that PS4 has this gen in the bag, XB is copying PS in this case. PS and XB both copy each other a lot, and it's healthy. XB also copied party chat. I have both consoles and remember when XB1 got party chat in an update, along with some other feature PS4 already had but I can't remember what it was. PS also copies things like the external hard drive and suspending games while you run Netflix (an awesome thing they got from XB1). </blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote>However in this case, XB is copying PS Now with a subscription based service, and PS4 games aren't coming just because XB1 games are available to the competition. PS announced PS Now will be dropping support for weaker systems (TV's, Blu-ray players, etc.) a month ago. As soon as they announced this, I was commenting suggesting they left only PS4 and PC so that PS4 games could be added to the service. XB only announced their thing more recently. Also PS Now was always going to PC but it would take time. Sony just had to budget across PS Now, PSVR and PS4 Pro, so it was more cost effective to limit PS Now to Sony products. </blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote>I am glad to see XB joining the subscription based gaming though. This will increase competition and make PS Now better. I also called when PS Now was first launched that XB would get on board eventually, as some people failed to see the appeal to the subscription model, which is largely to future gamers who won't have played so many of these titles, but even I haven't played a lot of them. Every day younger gamers are getting older and PS Now is getting more valuable to more people. The genius of PS Now is that they make the same, older content profittable to future consumers. As for losing money by making available to PC, that's a fallacy. PS and XB still get money from the PC gaming so all it does is open PS/XB up to profit from waayyy more PC gamers that wouldn't have bought a console for a few exclusives. Consoles aren't all that profitable, and are often sold at a loss. Software is the real money maker and now that software is more widely available. The reality is, PC compatibility is way better for PS and XB, and also awesome for PC gamers. PC gamers shouldn't have to buy consoles. Consoles are for people like me that are daunted by PC and would rather buy a box and know it will work for several years and play games as optimized as they will be. People like me won't go PC just because you can get exclusive games on PC eventually. There are so many better advantages of PC that haven't made PC worth learning to our lazy asses haha, so this def won't be some new revolution in console gamers going PC. Just a revolution in PC gamers not having to spend unnecessary money on consoles. </blockquote><p><br></p>

  • Bats

    14 March, 2017 - 10:27 am

    <p>This isn't surprising at all. Whatever Microsoft will do, or any company (for that matter), it will be copied. Not only will it be copied, it will be copied IMMEDIATELY. This is why Microsoft will never win and if Paul doesn't understand, it will also be why he will always continue to be wrong. </p><p><br></p><p>Sony's move will hinder Scorpio for those gamers, who really don't want to spend the money to buy another console to be able to experience Xbox games on the console and the PC. Why do that, when you can do the same thing with your (already) powerful PS4 and PS4 Pro? Sony just took away the one marketing leverage Xbox got with the Playstation Now move. Believe me, Scorpio and Mixed Reality is not going to be huge and won't help Microsoft. I won't be surprised, if Sony has something up there sleeve by the time those two things come out. Sony just knows what they are doing and let's face it, this war is pretty much over. Even with all the Microsoft and Paul's hype with the Xbox One S, it hasn't made a dent to the PS4's lead and I don't think it ever will for this console generation. Seriously, if you are going to invest in an "entertainment" system the Playstation ecosystem is just overall better. Think about it: Movie and TV rentals/ownership, Online parties, Live TV service comparable to cable and satellite, Console gaming, and now Console gaming on the PC……your arch-rival's own platform. WOW!</p>

    • Darmok N Jalad

      14 March, 2017 - 6:51 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#90351">In reply to Bats:</a></em></blockquote><p>How is this copying MS? This is Sony expanding its existing streaming service–which existed long before this announcement and also before the addition of backward compatibility to XboxOne–to include PS4 titles, and to also allow it to stream to a PC. What MS just announced is quite different, and honestly more appealing to me than streaming content, as it eliminates all the issues associated with streaming. </p>

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