Sony announces a major addition to PlayStation Plus: PS5 streaming in 4K. A snub to Xbox, which had nevertheless made cloud gaming its specialty.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales // Source: Marvel
Sony recently unveiled its new PS5 Slim console, which isn’t quite as slim, and as a result the company has also made changes to its PlayStation Plus subscription service.
Sony has just announced the launch PS5 cloud streaming for PlayStation Plus Premium members. After a beta phase, this functionality is now available to all subscribers to the premium service.
4K, 1440p, 1080p and 720p, at 60 FPS and SDR or HDR output // Source: Sony
PS5 cloud gaming streaming offers gamers the ability to play streaming games in 4K HDR, a remarkable technical achievement that puts Sony in direct competition with Microsoft and its Xbox Cloud offering included in Game Pass Ultimate. Until then, only Nvidia GeForce Now offered 4K streaming thanks to cloud gaming. This was also the case with Google Stadia, but the service has since disappeared. However, we have to wait until then October 23, 2023 to enjoy it in Europe.
A mixed PS5 exclusive
Despite this new feature, PS5 cloud streaming has one significant limitation: PS5 games available through this service can only be played on PS5 consoles. This limitation is surprising since technically there would be nothing stopping Sony from offering this service on PS4 and PC, platforms where cloud gaming is also available through Sony subscriptions.
Optimized sync between local and cloud gaming
One of the main benefits of bringing PS5 games to cloud gaming is improved save syncing between local games and cloud games.
Previously, players experienced sync issues when streaming a PS4 game and then trying to access the save after downloading the game. This problem appears to have been solved with the introduction of PS5 cloud gaming, allowing for a smoother and more integrated gaming experience.
With which games?
PlayStation Plus now offers access to some of the biggest PS5 hits, making the subscription even more attractive for gamers. Members can enjoy must-haves like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a title known for its stunning graphics and fluid gameplay, Horizon Forbidden West, praised for its beautiful and detailed open world, and Ghost of Tsushima, known for its captivating storytelling and curated visual aesthetic. Mortal Kombat 11 and Saints Row IV round out this list, each offering brutal, savage action and quirky humor in an open-world environment.
For those who are curious and want to try new games, PlayStation Plus also offers trials for select PS5 titles. Subscribers can experience the vast terrain and deep intrigue of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt or explore the horror sci-fi universe of The Callisto Protocol.