Did Sony start the beginning of the end of the future of the console with their game streaming service, PlayStation Now? Is it just a service that Sony is offering? What does the future of these cloud services hold for the future generations?
PlayStation Now streams PlayStation 3 games to a variety of streaming devices, but this had been meant with lukewarm reception by fans and critics alike. They say it is too expensive and most people in the PlayStation ecosystem, own a PlayStation 3 and own games so why would they want to rebuy their games. Let’s talk a bit about PlayStation Now to explain it better.
PlayStation Now is in three packages: one is a month for $19.99 and the second package is three months for $34.99 and the third is where you can rent individual games for a price for a certain number of days. The rental prices vary from $3.99 for 4 hours to $29.99 for 90 days. You can try the service for 7 days for free to see how it works on your internet connection. It has over 350+ PlayStation 3 games for you to play on they subscription and more for you to rent. The basis of what Sony was thinking is to offer new ways to play without owning their hardware or someone who is new to the PlayStation ecosystem that just bought a PlayStation 4 and wants to play PlayStation 3 games. They tried to keep it somewhat affordable to the consumer also. Now that you know what PlayStation Now is and how much it costs, are these services for the future or does the future look bleak for these services?
Sony thought ahead of their current hardware sales and future proofed itself by creating a game streaming service that could be their main business in the very near future. What have other platforms done with streaming services?
Microsoft has promoted the cloud services ever since the Xbox One launched, not for games though, but to do some graphical calculations to lighten the load on the Xbox One. CrackDown 3 uses the cloud to create in game destruction. Though it is not the same as game streaming, it has the basic concept of what could they do with cloud services right now.
PC has dabbled in the game streaming market for some time now with failed success. On Live was the game streaming service that had most noteritity in the PC streaming market, but it was bought by Sony eventually to help with their streaming service PlayStation Now. On Live ran for five successful years before it was disbanded. Many critics gave it a positive review. PC game streaming was ahead of its time because of the internet connection throughout the world and in the US. So when is these streaming game services likely to become mainstream?
These three main gaming platforms have been trying to promote the game streaming have for awhile now. The future is bright for these kind of services with the addition of Smart TVs, you now can download apps to your TV, which could ultimately be hooked up to a wireless controller to play console quality games. The internet right now is a huge problem for this kind of service because not everywhere do you get 5 megabits per second in not only the US, but the world. In the future, we should be able to get faster internet throughout the world so that would not be a problem anymore. Services like, Google Fiber which its’ beginning package gets you 100 megabytes per second, helps elevate some of that problem, but it is currently available in select cities across the US, although it is trying to expand across the country.
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The latency and video compression are real faults, but I've liked my experience with PS Now and can imagine how you could just have a portable streaming system (like Wii U Gamepad) or controller & TV and no more need for PCs and game consoles or upgrading. But then you have the downside of not owning games, games getting taken off service and subscription costs you forget to use. So it is a nice option, but will probably just exist alongside regular options for now.
To Sony I would say they should offer more than just PS3 games, but PS4, Vita, PSP, PS2 and PS1 games as well, if not other company's console games, or PC games. Valve could have their own streaming service which could appear on TVs and game consoles as an app, if the companies wanted it that way. Then you could play games from your Steam account on your favorite console or just through your TV or tablet. But the latency is kind of an issue. It's not 1:1. It already isn't with wireless controllers and LCDs. But people in competitive gaming need very low latency. I was still able to play hard games like Ninja Gaiden Sigma and God of War all right with PS Now (ethernet connection). I think it's a neat service. I think it's best if it 's just another option, an expansion of existing options, rather than "the future."
Thats your opinion but its fortunate that the entire world doesnt share your opinion. Id like to own my games thank you very much. I dont like renting them and when a storm hits or small hiccups in the system it will ruin my experience. Cloud based games are not forever. In 10-20 years time, there is no guarantee the game will still be playable. Same applies to digital download. The internet is all good but i dont want every aspect to be internet based. Cloud is just another fancy name for servers. My super nes, n64, gamecube ps2 are all well alive after 2 decades no thanks to the cloud and i can still play them whenever i want. I just need a TV, electricity and the game. Im set. the whole world doesnt have the internet speed of 1gbps just like singapore canada and U.S. it will take more time but even so im not willing to stream games. You like streaming fine good for you.