Sony is aiming to revolutionize the gaming experience for PlayStation Plus Premium members by introducing cloud streaming for PS5 games. The announcement comes following a series of tests, with the service set to roll out regionally in a phased approach.
According to a recent PlayStation Blog post, Sony plans to officially launch the ability to stream select PS5 games on your PS5 in Japan, Europe, and North America. The roll-out dates for each region are as follows:
This feature will be exclusive to PlayStation Plus Premium, the top-tier subscription that recently underwent a price hike. Subscribers can expect to stream a variety of games, with Sony promising to have "hundreds" of PS5 games available for streaming in the future.
At the core of this new service is the ability for players to choose their preferred streaming resolution, with options including 4K, 1440p, 1080p, and 720p. However, it's worth noting that PS5 game streaming will initially be limited to the PS5 console itself.
The initial list of cloud streaming-compatible games is impressive, including heavyweights like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, Ghost of Tsushima, Mortal Kombat 11, Saints Row IV, and others. Additionally, game trials for titles like Hogwarts Legacy and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be available for streaming.
DLC in compatible games and in-game purchases will also carry over seamlessly. Notably, this feature will only be available on PS5 consoles, with PS4 owners with Premium subscriptions not able to stream PS5 games.
Players can immerse themselves in their favorite titles with various resolution options, running at 60 frames per second with SDR or HDR output. The service will also leverage the PS5’s advanced audio capabilities, including its Tempest 3D Audiotech.
The announcement follows Sony's official tests of cloud-streamed PS5 games in June and a beta test in August, allowing select PS5 games to be streamed at up to 4K resolution.
Sony aims to enhance the gaming experience further by regionally launching cloud streaming for PS5 games. The company's SVP of Platform Experience, Hideaki Nishino, emphasized a phased approach for this large-scale service.
"Cloud streaming through PlayStation Plus Premium is currently available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States," Nishino wrote.
"We hope players will enjoy this new PS5 streaming feature that will be automatically added to their PlayStation Plus Premium membership. We’ll continue to focus on evolving the features and benefits for PlayStation Plus, so there’s more to look forward to."
As the October rollout approaches, anticipation is building among PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers eager to explore the potential of cloud-streamed gaming on their PS5 consoles.
