PlayStation Now Coming to PC

[JamesD]

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/08/23/playstation-now-coming-to-pc-dualshock-4-usb-wireless-adaptor-unveiled/

[Flojomojo]

I wonder when they'll add PS4 titles to PSNow? It seems overly retro as it stands now.

[HammR25]

I'd be interested in picking up a dualshock 4 because I'm kind of a controller collector but don't really care about Sony OnLive.

[Punisher5.0]

Pretty cool. I don't get the wireless adapter though. The PS4 controller works through bluetooth and doesn't require special drivers to use on Windows 10.

[Deep_wolf]

So now I can play PS games on PC via PS Now?

 

They must've called it Right Now/

[Schizophretard]

It seems strange that they would be putting their games on their main competitor's operating system.

[leods]

Are the prices still too high? Just get a PS3 and buy those games. Better experience and cheaper. But to each their own. PC master race guys are loving this just to say they now can play playstation exclusive games... With input lag and degraded quality...

 

Prices are actually fine. The only problem is the whole Streaming thing. I'd rather just get the console and play the best experience.

Edited August 24, 2016 by leods

[MrMaddog]

Just more games to play on a PC, is how I look at it...

[Flojomojo]

It seems strange that they would be putting their games on their main competitor's operating system.

Only insofar as watching Netflix on a PC is like putting movies on a competitor's system. It's just another screen. There are already unofficial mobile apps for remote playing PS4, and I suspect the real thing is coming eventually.

 

I haven't found it compelling enough to subscribe ....it would need to be a lot cheaper and have a bit more variety for me to be interested. Problem: I already have more PlayStation 1/2/3/4 games than time to enjoy them.

[Deep_wolf]

Also, I don't really understand, for whom this thing is brought to? PC gamers, PS gamers?

 

Who wanted to play PS-3 titles, bought PS-3 a long time ago, they don't need PS-3 games on PC.

 

Who didn't played PS games before wouldn't think about it to play now. Why not? Because it's easier to get actual console and play games there, then on the web-streaming thing. On-Live is dead. Why? Because of the same thing.

[English Invader]

It seems strange that they would be putting their games on their main competitor's operating system.

 

When you bear in mind that Microsoft's E3 presentation was all about XBox One exclusives being available on Windows 10 (and vice versa) and being able to do online multiplayer with consoles and computers on the same network, it makes sense that Sony would want to do something to tap the PC market before they get left behind.

[Schizophretard]

I wonder when they'll add PS4 titles to PSNow? It seems overly retro as it stands now.

Only insofar as watching Netflix on a PC is like putting movies on a competitor's system. It's just another screen. There are already unofficial mobile apps for remote playing PS4, and I suspect the real thing is coming eventually.

 

I haven't found it compelling enough to subscribe ....it would need to be a lot cheaper and have a bit more variety for me to be interested. Problem: I already have more PlayStation 1/2/3/4 games than time to enjoy them.

In what way is Netflix in competition with Microsoft?

 

If PlayStation Now also got PS4 titles then this move would make even less sense to me because at least people would still have to buy a PS4 to play PS4 games instead of playing them on Windows.

 

When you bear in mind that Microsoft's E3 presentation was all about XBox One exclusives being available on Windows 10 (and vice versa) and being able to do online multiplayer with consoles and computers on the same network, it makes sense that Sony would want to do something to tap the PC market before they get left behind.

It makes sense for Microsoft to do that because they own both platforms. With Sony doing it too it seems like they would be helping their competitor more than themselves because Microsoft could say,"With Windows 10 you can play both XBOX and PlayStation exclusives as well as Steam. So, why buy a PlayStation?" It seems similar to if Atari would have provided COLECO their Expansion Module #1 for them. It also seems like it opens the door to the possibility of Microsoft making XBOX and Windows one unified gaming platform and, therefore, the next-gen XBOX would have PlayStation exclusives directly on it. Exclusives that are on your competitor's platform(s) aren't really that exclusive.

 

Anyway, for Sony to compete in a similar fashion it would make more sense for them to put the PlayStation Now client on their own TV's and Blu-ray players, their Xperia tablets and phones, Chromebooks, Linux, MacBooks, set top boxes, etc. Basically everywhere and anywhere the PlayStation Now client could run except on competitors' hardware and software.

[Flojomojo]

Both Sony and Microsoft rent and sell movies. They're totally competing with Netflix from that perspective. They're also competing to get the best, most ubiquitous, cloud service -- which means putting their software client on every screen they can. I don't see anything complicated about that.

 

Microsoft might not allow them to put PSNow on XBone, but Sony could always try. Just like how Amazon is eventually going to build an AppleTV app for Prime Streaming, or so they say.

[negative1]

i would never buy a ps3 or a ps4. since i already have an xbox 360.

 

however i would consider playing some of the exclusive games on a PC. (although there isnt much of choice games now)

 

unfortunately the high price of the subscription, is a big part of the problem.

 

if it was kind of like steam, it would have been better.

 

later

-1

[Schizophretard]

Both Sony and Microsoft rent and sell movies. They're totally competing with Netflix from that perspective. They're also competing to get the best, most ubiquitous, cloud service -- which means putting their software client on every screen they can. I don't see anything complicated about that.

 

Microsoft might not allow them to put PSNow on XBone, but Sony could always try. Just like how Amazon is eventually going to build an AppleTV app for Prime Streaming, or so they say.

 

I'm still not seeing how Netflix is analogous. Netflix started out as a DVD rental/streaming services for flix that you get on the net. They don't have an operating system and/or console that is competing with Microsoft. They are a service that you access from their website in a browser that has also expanded into smart devices. So, of course they would start out on Windows because that is where they would find most of the users of browsers to access Netflix on the internet. The Google Store sells things. You can access it on Chrome. eBay sells things. You can access it on Chrome. Therefore, eBay is competing with Google on their own browser by granting their customers access to eBay from Chrome. That is what your analogy sounds like to me. In short, Netflix just so happens to pop up on the screen of Windows PC's because that is where most people open a browser. That seems a lot different than a console company creating an app to play their "exclusive" games directly on their main competitor's platform.

[Flojomojo]

Whatever dude. You're the one who couldn't understand why Sony would allow its games on a "competitor's hardware" (PSNow on PC). You'll just have to figure it out on your own.

[Flojomojo]

.... That seems a lot different than a console company creating an app to play their "exclusive" games directly on their main competitor's platform.

Feeling more awake now, and a little nicer... one more thought comes to mind

 

To me, hardware exclusivity tricks seem like they're on the way out, a losing strategy that is being abandoned in favor of more openness and ubiquity. Especially on a service with recurring fees like Playstation Now. In this case, Sony is exploiting the PC platform, not competing with it.

 

Some more examples:

 

- Microsoft Office on Android, iOS, Macintosh ... Steve Ballmer would have kept it all on the Windows Phone platform even as it circled the drain

- Apple Music on Android ... Steve Jobs would not have put that on Android. Still no iMessage on non-Apple platforms, that's an ecosystem differentiator

- Google everything on everything ... the person who wanted to force everything thru Google+ is out of the picture. Google apps often get core features on iOS before appearing on Android

- BlackBerry embracing Android as a mobile OS. They're finally getting off the train tracks.

[godslabrat]

There was a time when I bought tons of consoles so I could always have access to every game. For various reasons, I don't do that anymore. Now, I pick the hardware I like and stick with it. If a game is good enough, chances are it will come to me. 10-15 years ago, that would have been stupid to say. Now it's the reality of the industry. If you want customers, you have to make your game available to them. They're becoming increasingly unlikely to buy into a new platform just to get your "killer app".

Edited August 26, 2016 by godslabrat

[TheObscureGamer]

And this is why I have a PC and no interest in any console besides the Wiiu

[+Gemintronic]

I like to call it the Playstation No

 

* No I wont pay monthly for stand-alone games

* No I don't have bandwidth that can stand this

[spencerhm]

Are the prices still too high? Just get a PS3 and buy those games. Better experience and cheaper. But to each their own. PC master race guys are loving this just to say they now can play playstation exclusive games... With input lag and degraded quality...

 

Prices are actually fine. The only problem is the whole Streaming thing. I'd rather just get the console and play the best experience.

Yeah I remember the days when playing games over modem (very slow actually) but not all the graphics either. Is this what this is about??? Even in the olden days it never was my cup of tea. I'd always want to play games on my PC!!!! So this Windows app. I wonder is it an interface for the PC to the PS world to play the games online or do you get the actual games to install/play on the PC? It says "A minimum 5Mbps connection is required to use PS Now on any device." If it's online games I wonder the costs of any membership. I'd guess the Windows app would be free (if it's just an interface). I do not know. Never been a PS or Xbox guy.

[Flojomojo]

It's streaming games from their servers ... the only processing done on your end is controller button presses. This is likely to be an important way to play games in the future, once everyone gets fast enough bandwidth and lets go of the "gotta own a disk" mentality. If they offered something great that I could not play any other way, I'd be into it. As it is, most of the PS3 games they offer are already cheap and easy to purchase outright.

[spencerhm]

It's streaming games from their servers ... the only processing done on your end is controller button presses. This is likely to be an important way to play games in the future, once everyone gets fast enough bandwidth and lets go of the "gotta own a disk" mentality. If they offered something great that I could not play any other way, I'd be into it. As it is, most of the PS3 games they offer are already cheap and easy to purchase outright.

Hate to say it but the "gotta own a disk mentality" isn't likely to go away in a longgg time, and maybe never. It's sort of passed on from generation to generation, but OF COURSE many like the online gaming/streaming. A smart business will provide both but not necessarily equal shares but based on desires of a product imho.

[Schizophretard]

Feeling more awake now, and a little nicer... one more thought comes to mind

 

To me, hardware exclusivity tricks seem like they're on the way out, a losing strategy that is being abandoned in favor of more openness and ubiquity. Especially on a service with recurring fees like Playstation Now. In this case, Sony is exploiting the PC platform, not competing with it.

 

Some more examples:

 

- Microsoft Office on Android, iOS, Macintosh ... Steve Ballmer would have kept it all on the Windows Phone platform even as it circled the drain

- Apple Music on Android ... Steve Jobs would not have put that on Android. Still no iMessage on non-Apple platforms, that's an ecosystem differentiator

- Google everything on everything ... the person who wanted to force everything thru Google+ is out of the picture. Google apps often get core features on iOS before appearing on Android

- BlackBerry embracing Android as a mobile OS. They're finally getting off the train tracks.

 

That is a much better explanation than your Netflix analogy. I still have to slightly disagree, though.

 

For your more examples that is mostly because Google's services and Android dominate so much that Microsoft, Apple, Blackberry, etc. have to take more of an,"If we can't beat them then join them." type of an approach. The PS4 is hardly in that type of a position relative to the XBOX ONE. I mean, it isn't the Wii U.

 

Sony's response to Microsoft putting XBOX ONE games on Windows 10 being to also put PlayStation games on it to exploit it seems like it would be helping Microsoft just as much if not more than they would be helping themselves because PC sales have been down and Microsoft is doing everything they can to get people to adopt Windows 10 and therefore PlayStation games would be helping them get another reason for people to do so.

 

Also, since Windows 10 is going to be the last version of Windows, the XBOX ONE has been upgraded to having Windows 10 as its core, they are going to put XBOX ONE games on Windows 10, and ONE means all-in-one then it is possible that the next-gen XBOX could turn out to be some kind of desktop gaming PC/console hybrid something like a Steam machine where you could switch between a desktop mode and console mode. People could hook up their XBOX ONE TWO to a PC monitor, TV, and/or it streams between both and people use it for both their game console and general purpose PC(as well as their Blu-ray/media player). I could totally see Microsoft doing something like that and if they did then along with it having the benefits of also being a PC it would already be a console that could play Steam games and now PlayStation games. And if PC gamers say,"Why would I buy an XBOX ONE TWO when I can get a better gaming PC that can already do that all, do it better, and do more?" then it would be a question that Microsoft would have no problem with because they would have no problem with rather or not a gamer chooses to help PC sales or console sales as long as they choose to do it with Windows 10.

 

So, since that is a possibility and, in my opinion, not a far fetched one Sony should be doing what they can to not help with it while still getting PS NOW everywhere. They could put it in Smart TVs, Smart phones, tablets, Chromebooks, media set top boxes, Android game consoles, Linux, Blu-ray players, everywhere and anywhere but Windows 10. They could probably get just as much if not more access to new subscribers that way as they would with Windows 10 while also making PS NOW more appealing by being on those platforms because they are lacking in high quality console style games. Hell, maybe they could put it on Windows too but limit it to previous versions to be a dick to Microsoft by giving people another reason to postpone an upgrade to Windows 10. To use your Netflix analogy differently, I have had no issues accessing it because it is in so many places and I haven't once needed Windows 10 to do so.

 

Anyway, you did make good points this time or at least this time I better understood them. It just, in my opinion, doesn't seem like a smart move to help what is practically your only competition that much.

[Flojomojo]

Well, too bad, they did it anyway.