PS5 cloud streaming already has some key advantages over Xbox Cloud Gaming
Sony may be late to the game when it comes to cloud streaming, but it's not messing around
Sony has announced that PS5 cloud streaming will launch this month for PlayStation Plus Premium members – and it sounds like it could already give Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming platform a run for its money.
PS5 cloud streaming will roll out using a phased approach, launching in Japan on October 17, Europe on October 23, and North America on October 30. These dates could slip, but it won’t be long until we can test out Sony’s new service ourselves.
So what differentiates PS5 cloud streaming from Xbox Cloud Gaming? Well, Sony’s streaming service is currently only available on PS5 consoles and doesn’t work on mobile devices, PC, or its upcoming PlayStation Portal handheld.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: PS5 cloud streaming
☁️ PS5 cloud streaming is coming this month
📆 It launches in the US on October 30
🔒 It’s only available to PS Plus Premium members
👏 You can stream games at up to 4K, 60fps, and enjoy all the PS5’s unique features
However, you’ll be able to stream at a higher quality resolution than Xbox Cloud Gaming, with resolution options for 4K, 1440p, 1080p and 720p with 60fps and SDR and HDR output. Xbox Cloud Gaming currently maxes out at 1080p and doesn’t support HDR.
What’s more, PS5 games streamed over the cloud will include all of the PlayStation 5 features you’ve come to love. You can still enjoy PS5’s 3D audio tech, including 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound, capture screenshots and record up to three minutes of video, and experience full DualSense controller support.
Sweetening the deal further is the fact you can stream games from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog, Game Trials, and additional PS5 digital titles you own, including games like God of War Ragnarok and Resident Evil 4 remake. Xbox Cloud Gaming still only lets you play games that are on Xbox Game Pass, currently.
If you’ve purchased any DLC or in-game purchases for a PS5 game, these should also show up when streaming a game, so you don’t have to worry about all your Fortnite content going missing when you boot it up.
That all sounds great, then, but if Sony really wants to challenge Xbox Cloud Gaming it’ll need to take PS5 cloud streaming off the console and onto other devices. The PlayStation Portal seems like the most obvious candidate, as it retains the DualSense features and would help add some much-needed additional functionality to the PS5 Remote Play device.
You might also be wondering why you’d opt to use cloud streaming on your console as opposed to just downloading a game and playing it natively. Well, the biggest benefit is being able to play the best PS5 games instantly. You don’t have to wait for a game to install or any updates, and you also don’t have to sacrifice any storage space if you’re already at capacity. It’s a great way of jumping into games that may have caught your eye without the time commitment or extra steps that sometimes put you off.
It seems like Sony has done everything it can to make the cloud streaming experience comparable to playing a game natively on PS5, too, but we’ll have to test it ourselves to see just how well it works when it launches later this month. Remember, you’ll need to be a PS Plus Premium member which costs $159.99 a year. The addition of PS5 cloud streaming goes someway to justifying the recent PS Plus price hike, and PlayStation Plus Premium members can also now enjoy 100 free movies on Sony Pictures Core.