Sony Begins Testing PlayStation 5 Streaming Play
Recently, Sony’s Global Sales Deputy Director, Nick Maguire, confirmed the commencement of testing for PlayStation 5 gaming content via a streaming play mode. Meanwhile, users on the Reddit forum revealed that Sony has begun sending test invitations to specific players, noting that the content under examination may differ from the version ultimately released.
Currently, invited test players have indicated that Sony is expanding the PlayStation Plus service with a dedicated section for streaming game content. By selecting any one of these streaming games, players can launch them within a matter of seconds. The selection includes titles such as “God of War: Twilight of the Gods,” “Horizon Forbidden West,” “Fortress Heroes,” “Destiny 2,” and “Death Stranding,” with image quality adjustable between 720p and 2160p.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Sony’s service will compete with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cloud streaming service. However, it is anticipated that it will also encounter content copyright and service location limitations similar to those faced by the previous PlayStation Now service, possibly limiting its availability to specific markets and perhaps not providing it across all PlayStation Plus service markets.
Although Sony had previously stated that offering gaming content via subscription downloads and streaming was not practical, it is evident that they have not abandoned the possibility of such development. They have even recently announced the launch of a handheld device named Project Q, featuring the ability to play PlayStation 5 games through Wi-Fi connectivity, and possibly allowing players to use the streaming play service through Project Q in the future.
Nevertheless, Sony has not yet confirmed the specific release date for Project Q, and they have further clarified that the streaming play service for PlayStation 5 games is still in its early testing phase, with no definitive plans for an official service timeframe.
