PlayStation 4 games will hit Sony's PlayStation Now streaming service in 2017

By Danny Cowan March 13, 2017

playstation now offers ps4 games 7 640x0 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sony announced that its subscription-based streaming service PlayStation Now will soon support PlayStation 4 games, giving PS4 and Windows PC players on-demand access to a variety of supported titles.

While details regarding the service’s PlayStation 4 expansion and launch lineup are scarce, Sony notes that a private test will kick off among a select group of PlayStation Now subscribers “in the next few weeks.”

Launched in 2014, PlayStation Now is a cloud-based streaming service that offers instant access to hundreds of supported PlayStation 3 games, including new releases and legacy titles. Unlike other gaming-focused digital distribution services, PlayStation Now’s content is delivered via streaming video, removing the need for players to download supported games locally.

While the service was originally compatible with multiple Sony-branded consoles and TVs, PS Now suffered a blow to compatibility in February when Sony announced that it was discontinuing app support for the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, and Bravia TVs. Currently, PS Now requires either a PlayStation 4 console or a compatible Windows PC.

Sony’s scaled-back platform support for PlayStation Now was apparently a preparatory move designed to accommodate the service’s upcoming slate of PlayStation 4 releases. While Sony has not yet revealed which PlayStation 4 games are on tap for PS Now in the months ahead, the service currently delivers streamed versions of nearly 500 classic titles for the PlayStation 3, including Red Dead Redemption, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Mortal Kombat, WWE 2K15, and The Last of Us.

PlayStation Now subscribers won’t have to pay an additional fee to enjoy PlayStation 4 games, as Sony assures that “All of the games in the service, including PS4 games, will be included with a single PS Now subscription.” According to Sony, further details regarding PlayStation Now’s support for PS4 games will be revealed “as we get closer to launch.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

Sony’s new PlayStation earbuds are a perfect match — for my Nintendo Switch

Sony's Pulse Explore earbuds sit next to a Nintendo Switch OLED.

If you’re the kind of PlayStation loyalist who buys every add-on Sony puts out, 2023 may have been a pricey year for you. We’ve gotten the DualSense Edge, PlayStation VR2, a brand new PS5 model, and the PlayStation Portal -- but that’s not all. Sony is refreshing its audio offerings on top of all that, starting with the Pulse Explore next month.

Sony’s new wireless earbuds are built with PlayStation devices in mind. They use a new PlayStation Link connection system, which is built to easily pair them with the PlayStation 5. That tech actually replaces Bluetooth entirely on the new PlayStation Portal, which means that the Pulse Explore will be one of the only ways to get wireless audio on the handheld this year. It’s a sign that Sony is getting more aggressive about building a dedicated PlayStation ecosystem, Apple-style. It doesn’t just want you to buy Sony consoles, but all of the black-and-white accessories that go with them too.

Gaming

You only have one week left to share PlayStation clips and screenshots to X

Two versions of the PS5 next to each other.

A notification some users received on PS4 and PS5 confirms that the platforms' integration with X -- the social media platform formally known as Twitter -- will go away next week. That means you'll no longer be able to quickly share screenshots or videos to X from the console.
"As of November 13, 2023, integration with X (formerly known as Twitter) will no longer function on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles," the notification (as screenshotted by Wario64) states. "This includes the ability to view any content published on X on PS5/PS4, and the ability to post and view content, trophies, and other gameplay-related activities on X directly from PS5/PS5 (or link an X account to do so)."

Since the release of the PS4, people have been able to share screenshots and videos taken with the controller's Share button with social media services. Twitter historically was one of those platforms, but API changes following Elon Musk's buying of the platform and rebranding to X have interfered with its integration with many platforms. Now, it seems that Sony has decided that it's best just to rid PlayStation platforms of any X integration whatsoever. PlayStation has not publicly commented on why it's removing this feature yet, but we've contacted them for comment and will update this story when we get a response.
If there are any screenshots or videos on your PS4 or PS5 that you want to get onto X, you have until November 13 to do so. After that, Apple, Discord, Spotify, Twitch, and YouTube will be the only services one can link their PlayStation account to.

Gaming

PS Plus members can cloud stream PS5 games in 4K later this month

Aloy stands on a mountain in Horizon Forbidden West.

PS Plus Premium is adding a new feature next month that will allow subscribers to cloud stream select PlayStation 5 games. The initial list includes heavy hitters like Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Horizon Forbidden West. Sony is targeting an October 30 launch in North America.

Cloud streaming has been one of the primary selling points of PS Plus since its relaunch last year. Subscribers can use the feature to access several games in the service's catalog, including PlayStation 3 games. The new feature will now extend that technology to newer PS5 releases, with Sony saying it plans to make "hundreds" of games streamable.