PlayStation Now Game Streaming Service is Now Available on PC in Canada
By Simon Hung
August 30, 2016The line that separates console and PC gaming was blurred ever so slightly today, as Sony has announced that PlayStation Now -- the cloud gaming subscription service that lets you stream PlayStation games to compatible devices -- is now available on PC in Canada.
The subscription service has been available since 2015, but compatibility was limited to select PlayStation devices and a few televisions from Sony and Samsung. Now, anyone with a compatible Windows computer can use the service and stream over 400 games to their computer to play, including over 100 PlayStation-exclusives like The Last of Us and the Uncharted series -- click here to view a list of available games. At the time of the announcement, no PlayStation 4 games are available to stream, likely because Sony would rather keep PlayStation 4 titles exclusive to their flagship console.
Like a “Netflix for video games,” a subscription grants you unlimited access to their catalogue of available games, with more being added every month. A PlayStation Now subscription is separate from PlayStation Plus and is available in increments of one month ($19.99), three months ($44.99) or one year ($99.99). A free seven-day trial is also available. Online multiplayer access is included and games are playable with a DualShock 4 controller, which must be plugged in via USB or connected wirelessly with a DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adapter, which is currently available for pre-order. Third-party controllers and keyboard/mouse inputs are not supported.
While owners of PlayStation consoles likely won’t have much interest in the service, this move should spark some interest to those who affiliate with the “PC Master Race” and don’t own a console, since there are a few critically-acclaimed exclusive games that are definitely worth playing, but aren’t necessarily worth buying an entire console for. This middle ground solution allows you to legally play those games while harnessing the power of your computer and internet connection. Sony’s minimum system requirements for PlayStation Now include:
- Processor: 3.5GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8GHz AMD A10 or faster
- Hard drive: 300MB of free space or more
- Memory: 2GB of RAM or more
- Peripherals: a sound card and USB port
- Operating system: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or higher, with support for 32 and 64-bit computers
However, since it is a streaming service, your internet connection is far more important than computer specs to ensure a playable experience. Sony recommends a minimum 5Mbps connection to ensure a “good” experience, but a higher connection speed will reduce latency and loading times. Although unmentioned, an unlimited bandwidth cap is essentially a must, as modern games can easily drain 50GB of bandwidth in a single playthrough.
Click here to learn more about PlayStation Now, subscribe or begin your seven-day free trial. You can also click here to view an FAQ about the service.
Do you plan on using the service? Think a subscription is worth the money? Maybe you just want to proclaim your allegiance to the glorious PC master race? Feel free to stick around and leave a comment!
While you're here, you can also read more gaming news like how PlayStation Plus prices are going up or the great calamity of No Man's Sky and your refund options!
Showing 40 Most Recent Comments
View allI signed up because I've been a PC gamer pretty much all my life (the last console I owned was an Atari 2600) and I was curious about some of the console exclusives people rave about. The experience doesn't compare to PC gaming when you put them side by side, but it's still pretty nice despite that.
The good:
There are a lot of titles I would have never played as I'm not interested in owning a console. Fat Princess is a lot of fun, and highly rated games like The Last Of Us and Shadow of the Colossus are there for me to play when I have the time to get immersed in a game. $8.25 a month + the cost of a DS4 to access to these games is a pretty good deal. I can also play it pretty much anywhere I can bring a controller as long as I have an internet connection, so if I go visit my brothers and want to play a casual game we can do that.
The bad:
It's a lot more limited than PC gaming. Borderlands 2 is one of my favorite PC games and I was disappointed by how the PS Now version played compared to the Steam version. The resolution on PS Now is limited to 720p so it's zoomed in closer than I like, the audio is only 2.1, the menus are slower, and because it's streamed it does feel a bit slowed down when compared to a local PC copy. That being said, you forget those things after a little while and can get into the game the same way as you would if playing it on PC.
Other things are a bit more serious. I don't know if it's my internet connection or just the speed I can press buttons, but I can't beat the first boss in God Of War because I can't press O quickly enough to defeat the hydra. Every time it smashes Kratos into the ship's mast and gets away. I've also seen a slight lag in button presses when playing Street Fighter, which is enough to throw off my move timing. I'll try a faster connection when I move later this year, so this issue may disappear.
Why would we need that poverty game experience for $99?
I wonder if this will create a huge backlog for me... I already have more games on disk than I have time to play, and new subscription games every month... So I'm not sure this is wise for me, so perhaps it is better close before trial ends...
It's reaching a fair price but not quite there yet. It would be ideal to be included with PS+
The value seems poor considering the remote play was kinda intentionally crippled on the PS3 to Vita. I think Sony lost a class action on that a few months ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_P ... _Now_games
It may not be up to date as it was mentioned that at least one game was listed as "No" on there, yet was available
I won't buy it otherwise
I'm a bit confused by this as well. I wasn't aware of the split between titles that are and aren't available through the subscription model. However, when comparing to the Wikipedia list, certain games that are said to be unavailable for subscription (Ultra Street Fighter IV, Back to the Future Ep1, Bionic Commando Rearmed 1&2, to name a few) are in fact available to play and makes no mention of additional cost. I have streamed USF4, so am I to be charged extra?
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/08/ ... -unveiled/
I ask because I only have one ps4, but multiple ps3's and could make far better use of the service that way.
They do have Killzones 1-2-3, God of wars (all 6), Infamous, Heavy rain, Ico / Shadow of the colossus, Ratchet and clanks, The last of us, Uncharted 1-2-3, Sly collection, Resident Evil 4-5-6 and a bunch of other games worth playing. It doesn't seems like a bad deal to pay 8.60$ a month to have access to this whole game collection.
For a complete list of available game : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_P ... _Now_games
Still too expensive for some people though, no doubt.
Does anyone know of any deals on a Dualshock 4? Right now I'm seeing Best Buy ($75) price matched to Walmart ($61) as the cheapest option.
no skyrim, no red dead, no GTA games (I don't think there are any rockstar games at all (!!), no call of duty games (!!), no far cry games, no metal gear solid games, no fallout games, no mlb, no madden, no nhl, no fifa, hell, no recent sports games at all.. I could go on and on.
granted, there are a lot of good games on the list, but it is disappointing to find that many of the classics (like just cause 2, catherine, C&C, dead rising/dead space games, final fantasy games, arcania, deus ex, street fighter games, ninja gaiden games, hitman games, etc.) are *not* included in the subscription.
I personally was hyped but the quality is surprisingly bad (even with my rogers 100 ignite). Gonna try it for a few more days before making my decision.
PS3 Games are playable on Vita through Playstation Now.
I wasn't even aware the service had Vita games. But that's what I meant when I said it gave new life to my Vita - if you can excuse the ridiculous button settings for L2, R2, L3, and R3, then the Batman Arkham games on a Vita is amazing.
Due to the low resolution, games look much better on the Vita than a PC as well. I'd imagine the experience to be similar when compared to a PS4 (but again, I don't own a PS4 so I can't be certain).
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; 2GB or more of RAM
Sound card; USB port
Supports both 32 and 64 bit computers
More info if interested: https://www.playstation.com/en-ca/explo ... w/support/
This service would allow me to play PS games without a PS, which is why I'm signing up now... At $99 USD I was hesitant for sure, but knowing now I can nab it for $99 CAD (vs. ~$130 CAD) it makes the decision easier.
I'll know more after the trial.
Cheers!