Sony at CES 2014 unveiled a new PlayStation-related service, one that many users may enjoy in the future, without actually having to purchase a PlayStation console.
Dubbed PlayStation Now, the service will rely on Gaikai cloud gaming technology to stream PS3 games to a variety of devices including Sony’s PS4, PS3, PlayStation Vita and 2014 Bravia TV sets but also to non-Sony devices and, most importantly, to smartphones and tablets.
Since games will actually run in the cloud, users will only require a decent mobile connection to play supported titles on Android devices, and Sony will probably offer an even better experience to flagship smartphones and tablets that are getting more and more powerful in terms of internal components.
However, the service will launch in beta in the U.S. at first – at the end of January – and will be limited to consoles and Sony TVs. Sony plans to roll out the service by the end of the summer, at which point U.S. gamers will be able to rent or subscribe to the service, which will offer cloud game saves as well as online multiplayer support, trophies and messages.
It’s not clear when PlayStaton Now will launch in Europe, where Sony says it has to work with multiple Internet service providers to ensure a decent service for the end-user. Also, it’s not clear when tablets and smartphones will get access to it, but we certainly expect it to happen in the near future, starting with Xperia top-shelf devices.
In the video above, you can check out The Verge’s hands-on preview of the PlayStation Now service, which shows that game play is rather decent on a Bravia TV set that’s connected to the Internet, and we can only assume that it’ll get even better in time.
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