PlayStation Now (PS Now) was a separate video game subscription service created by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It allowed users to play PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 games online. These games could be played on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows computers. Additionally, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 4 games could be downloaded to play directly on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 systems. In May–June 2022, PlayStation Plus added new subscription levels. Because of this, PlayStation Now was discontinued. However, its features were added to the PlayStation Plus Premium tier.
Games could not be downloaded to a PC. Downloaded games could be played without an internet connection, but an internet connection was needed every few days to verify the game.
To use the service on non-PlayStation devices, users needed a DualShock 3, 4, DualSense, or any XInput-compatible controller, such as Xbox Wireless Controller, Elite Wireless Controller, Adaptive Controller, Logitech Gamepad F310, F510, or F710, Thrustmaster GP XID Pro, SteelSeries Stratus XL or Stratus Duo, or Steam Controller. Sony recommended that users have at least a 5 Mbps internet connection if they wanted to stream games for good performance.
History
PlayStation Now was announced on January 7, 2014, at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show. The service used technology from Gaikai. At the event, Sony showed demos of games like The Last of Us, God of War: Ascension, Puppeteer, and Beyond: Two Souls. These demos were playable on Bravia TVs and PlayStation Vita devices through PS Now. A closed beta began in the United States on January 28 for PS3 users. On May 19, the beta was expanded to include PS4 users.
To support the service, Sony built a single motherboard that worked like 8 PS3 consoles combined. This was placed in a server rack to run the games, instead of using software to mimic the hardware, because of the complexity of the system’s design.
PlayStation Now launched in open beta in the United States and Canada on July 31, 2014, for PS4. It became available on PS3 on September 18, 2014, and on PS Vita and PS TV on October 14, 2014. Some 2014 Bravia TVs later supported the service that year. At Gamescom 2014, Sony announced that PS Now would be available in Europe by 2015, with the United Kingdom as the first country in Europe to access the service. On December 24, 2014, Sony said the service would expand to other electronic brands.
At CES 2015, Sony confirmed that PlayStation Now would be fully released on PS4 in North America on January 13, 2015. On March 7, 2015, the service became available in Europe. Official beta invites for Europe were sent to PS4 owners starting April 15, 2015.
On February 17, 2017, Sony announced that PlayStation Now would stop working on PS3, PS Vita, PS TV, Sony Bravia TVs (models from 2013 to 2015), Sony Blu-ray players, and all Samsung TVs by August 15, 2017.
On September 20, 2018, Sony said that PS4 users could download PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 4 games through the service. This feature was gradually rolled out to subscribers.
On January 23, 2019, Sony announced that the service would launch in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden later that year. A beta for these countries started in early February, and the full service launched on March 12, 2019.
On April 22, 2021, Sony said that support for 1080p streaming would begin during the week.
On December 3, 2021, Bloomberg reported that Sony was developing a new subscription service called "Spartacus." This service would combine PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now, keeping the Plus branding. The service would have three tiers: the first would include all PlayStation Plus benefits, the second would add a catalog of games, and the third would include game trials and a catalog of games from PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable.
On March 29, 2022, Sony officially announced the merger of PlayStation Plus and PlayStation Now under the Plus brand. The merger was completed in May and June 2022.
Games
Users could play PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 games on PlayStation Now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and computers. In 2020, more than 800 games were available, and over 300 could be downloaded to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. New games were added each month.
After a 7-day free trial, users could choose from three subscription plans. There was no extra fee for online multiplayer games. Each plan included access to both single-player and online multiplayer features.
Availability
PlayStation Now was available in Europe (including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), North America (including Canada and the United States), and Japan.