Sony has brought a lot of cool stuff to CES 2014, including a look at its forthcoming PlayStation Now gaming service. The simplest way to describe what Sony’s trying here; it wants to be the Netflix of gaming.
The Gaikai guys have been on the show floor demonstrating how things will go. Initially Sony will be supporting PlayStation 3 games, which can be streamed to your PS4, PS Vita, PS3 and selected new Sony Bravia TVs. Beyond this, PS2 and PS One classic titles are also in consideration for future inclusion. But why are we so interested? Because one day, maybe in the distant future times, but one day for sure; Sony wants this on our smartphones and tablets.
I spent a little time trying it out playing The Last of Us on a PS Vita, and it’s actually pretty impressive. There’s no discernable lag or jankyness, and it’s just as if the game is natively playing on the device with similar graphical prowess to the console. I’m told that you only need a minimum connection of 5Mbps to be able to play games from the service. Sure, Sony will have massively controlled the experience for CES show-goers, but it gives a great first look at what’s coming.
When PlayStation Now launches in the summer, initial support will be for the U.S. only. Sony says that currently two pricing models are being explored; one for rental per game and one for a subscription as with many other content streaming services. OK, it’s not coming anywhere near our phones and tablets any time soon, but it’s on the roadmap, so we’re excited to see where it goes.