Many companies continue to push cloud streaming of video games as the next evolution of the industry. Sony clearly wants to be one of the leaders with the launch of cloud streaming for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers. But, what’s the buzz about cloud streaming of video games?
So, what is cloud streaming of video games? Normally, you must either slot in a disc or download the digital version of any game to play. With cloud streaming, you don’t need to have the game installed on your device or on any disc. Once the game you want to play is available in the catalog, you just start playing.
In cloud gaming, a big remote computer (called a server) handles all the processing. The user interacts with the computer (wirelessly makes input and receives output) with the help of a fast internet connection. It’s something similar to when you find and stream movies on Netflix without owning a copy of the movie—except that in this case you will be interacting with it.
ALSO READ: Finally!!! New PS5 Consoles Unveiled After Months Of Speculation, On Sale From November
“Starting this month, we will begin launching cloud streaming access for supported PS5 digital titles within the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Game Trial, as well as supported titles in the PS5 game library that PlayStation Plus Premium members own,” wrote Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE).
Although the library of games that will be available for cloud streaming will be very low at the moment, we anticipate that Sony will gradually expand the roster in the coming months. Without giving number specifics Nishino said, “We’re planning to have hundreds of PS5 titles to support this new benefit”.
What can you do with cloud streaming on PlayStation Plus Premium?
The first thing that you need to know about cloud streaming on PlayStation Plus Premium is that it will be exclusively available to PS5 at launch. The first question that came to my mind when I heard this was, so why should I care if it is a PS5 exclusive feature?
If I already own a PS5 console, why should I care about streaming the game rather than just purchasing and playing it? I am sure many of our readers will also have this thought running through their heads.
Well, cloud streaming games on PlayStation Plus Premium has its perks, and I will explain. In recent months, the price of AAA games has moved up to $70. However, the price of subscribing to PlayStation Plus Premium is $159.99, charged once every twelve months.
ALSO READ: Disney Mulls Acquisition Of EA Or A Video Game Publisher On The Same Scale
In other words, with just $160 you can cloud stream all the AAA games on the catalog that would normally cost you $70 each—and you will be able to do that for a full year. In addition to cloud streaming, hand-picked games are offered monthly to Premium members for free.
Also, cloud streaming will come in handy for players whose game catalog has filled their available memory, and they don’t want to erase any of them. All these perks make subscribing to PlayStation Plus Premium and cloud streaming games feel like a no-brainer. Nevertheless, it has its downsides too.
For example, Nishino mentioned that players can only record their play for 3 minutes which is clearly not suitable for YouTubers that upload long game walkthroughs. Also, cloud streaming of video games will lead to a spike in your data subscription. That brings me to the features that Sony has promised for their cloud streaming service.
#1. High-quality resolutions
From the information that I gathered, cloud streaming games on PlayStation Plus Premium will offer the same visual fidelity as playing the game on your console. Streamers will have the power to adjust the resolution of their games up to 4K or lower it to 720p with 60FPS and HDR or SDR output.
While this may sound exciting, I would like to mention that the higher you set the resolution, the harder it will bite on your data. Also, if you don’t have a stable Internet connection with a download speed of 15 to 25 Mbps, it would be a smart idea to lower your resolution to 720p. For 4K streaming, Sony recommends having a download speed of at least 38 Mbps.
#2. Enhanced audio
Nishino mentioned that PlayStation Plus Premium cloud streaming will “support all PS5 audio capabilities including 5.1 and 7.1 as well as Tempest 3D Audiotech”. In simple terms, players will not notice any difference in audio quality when cloud streaming compared to playing locally on their console.
ALSO READ: Is Sony’s PlayStation Portal Going To Be Steam Deck Killer? Will Sell For $199.99
#3. DualSense wireless controller support
This was actually my biggest worry when the news broke. Let’s face it, what makes DualSense unique is the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Taking those away would really dampen the playing experience—and perhaps make many players rethink cloud streaming. Thankfully, all the good stuff about DualSense will not be lost when you stream your game on the cloud.
#4. DLC and in-game purchases
Nishino also mentioned that DLC and in-game purchases “will be available for PS5 game streaming” in the same way as gamers playing digital copies of the game.
PlayStation Premium Plus has a tiered release date
PlayStation Premium Plus cloud gaming will first launch in Japan on October 17. the company is also targeting October 23 and October 30 launches for Europe and North America. The reason for the tiered launch is that “this will be a large undertaking for our teams,” said Nishino.
The countries where the service will be available by the end of this month include 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.
ALSO READ: 10 Female Video Game Characters Loved For Their Beauty, Brawn, And Bravery
The feature will be added automatically to all PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers. Nishino pointed out that the service will continue to evolve and that many more benefits lie ahead for members of PlayStation Plus.
Are you eager to give the PlayStation Plus Premium cloud gaming service a try? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
Remember to share and bookmark this website to stay up to date on all the hottest news in the gaming industry.
