Sony is finally adding 1080p support to its game streaming service PlayStation Now. This is great news for anyone looking to play any of the PS exclusives without having to shell out money to buy them, or even a console. The update will start to arrive this week, according to Sony, but may take a few weeks to reach everyone.
The big problem for Sony is that Now compares quite badly to Microsoft’s streaming service which is just launching across a wider range of devices. The Xbox Cloud Gaming service is included with Game Pass Ultimate, which costs $15 per month. PS Now costs $10 (it’s less if you pay for a year up-front). Microsoft is also testing 1080p support right now, presumably to launch when the service leaves beta.
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PlayStation Now will begin rolling out support for streaming 1080p capable games this week.The rollout will occur over the next several weeks across Europe, US, Canada, and Japan, where PlayStation Now is available. pic.twitter.com/OEHWHtMTw8April 22, 2021
People who have played PS Now on the PC will likely have experienced some of its quirks. The interface isn’t great and there are some weird issues using it, including some de-interlacing artefacts and screen flashing. Let’s hope Sony’s got renewed energy to catch up to other services.
Currently Stadia is the resolution king, as it theoretically supports up to 4K resolutions. However Stadia’s has its own set of issues that vary wildly depending on what game you’re trying to play.
For anyone with a PC who doesn’t have a PS Now account or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, there are services like GeForce Now which allows you to add some titles from your existing Steam library and other platforms. It does support 1080p too, as well as offering RTX support if you’re prepared to pay for the service.
Whatever issues these services have, there’s a real advantage to customers here. As time goes on, we’ll no doubt see a move towards streaming and increased performance. It certainly means that if you’re not a PS5 owner, you can still enjoy some of Sony’s excellent exclusives.
As well as the 1080p update, Sony also promoted new games on the service which include Borderlands 3, available until September 29, and Marvel’s Avengers which is available until July 5.
