By: Max Cannon
If you've typically stayed away from a PlayStation console but wanted to try games like The Last Of Us, InFAMOUS, or The Uncharted trilogy than your patience has finally paid off. Sony's game streaming service, PlayStation Now, will be hitting Windows PCs "soon" in Europe and "North America shortly after," according to the PlayStation Blog.
PlayStation's Netflix For Games
PlayStation Now doesn't work by downloading your games to your console but by streaming them, the same way a YouTube video works. So if you don't have access to a strong enough internet connection - Sony recommends 5mbps - then you won't be able to take advantage of the service. Also if you were looking forward to playing the latest PlayStation 4 games you're going to be in for some more disappointment, PlayStation Now only supports PlayStation 3 games at the moment but that could potentially change down the road.
Assuming your computer doesn't have Bluetooth capabilities, and you have a hankering to play your games wirelessly, Sony is selling a Bluetooth dongle for your PC to allow you to use your Dualshock 4 controller wirelessly. The dongle retails for $24.99 ($29.99 CAD) and is planned to hit store shelves in early September. You won't need a strong PC to run these games and Sony has released the suggested specs for an ideal PC to run PlayStation Now.
- Windows 7 (SP1), 8.1 or 10
- 3.5 GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster
- 300 MB or more; 2 GB or more of RAM
- Sound card; USB port
The Bluetooth dongle that will allow your Dualshock 4 to wirelessly work on PC.Courtesy of PlayStation
The Spendy Subscription Service
PlayStation Now is a little on the pricey side of things. Games are only rented through the service, not purchased. So if you want to pay a game you'll need to rent it based on a price that differs from game to game. One game could cost 7.99 for a month, while another could only offer a week long rental period for 3.99. You could sign up for PlayStation Now as a subscription service but that is also more expensive than hoped. $19.99 for 1 month, $44.99 for 3 months, and $100 for a year. The 400+ games offered by PlayStation Now are often on the cheaper side if you were to pick the disc up for an actual PS3, but if you're hoping to play on your PC this is your best and only option. A one week trial is available for new customers to get a feel for the streaming platform.
This may be viewed as an attempt at competition against Xbox's Play Anywhere program. Microsoft plans to release nearly all of their exclusives on both PC and Xbox, this includes the upcoming Gears of War, Forza Horizon 3, and ReCore. The obvious pro to Xbox's program over PlayStation's is that Xbox games will run natively and download right to your computer, unlike PlayStation's streaming of primarily older games. But hey, it's a start.
Uncharted 3 streaming onto a PC via PlayStation Now.Courtesy of PlayStation
Have Your Say!
Will you be subscribing to PlayStation Now? Or will you stick to your PlayStation games on your PlayStation consoles? Share your thoughts below!
