There is no doubt that Sony PlayStation Plus the subscription service has proven to be a hit with gamers and a strong competitor to Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. The ability for gamers to gain instant access to a number of PlayStation’s best and most popular titles only adds to the system’s popularity, as the subscription service provides easier access to these sensational gaming experiences. Yet, There’s one aspect where PS Plus pales in comparison to its competitor: cloud streaming.
The inclusion of Xbox Cloud Gaming in Game Pass is a huge benefit for members of the service. The ability to play a large selection of stellar games on a variety of compatible smart devices allows for greater accessibility as it eliminates the need to purchase a physical console, making Game Pass a more affordable investment than PS Plus, which was restricted to Consoles PlayStation. That was until the announcement of a new update for the PlayStation Portal handheld, suggesting that Sony is finally catching up to its competitors and making the PlayStation more affordable in the process.
Cloud streaming is being added to the PlayStation portal
Update makes purchasing the PlayStation portal more attractive
Sony appears to be making efforts to make the PlayStation more accessible with an update to its current cloud streaming offerings. The officer PlayStation Blog announced an update rolling out to PlayStation Portal devices that will allow PS Plus Premium subscribers to access select titles on the system without the need for a PS5 console. Cloud Streaming beta currently gives PS Portal players access to over 120 PS5 titles while streaming games at 1080p and 60 frames per second and providing 100GB of cloud storage for saving data and progressing through the game.
The update is a big step towards making PlayStation more accessible, making PS Plus more accessible to gamers. Without the need for a PS5 console, the PS Portal becomes a more worthwhile investment as a much cheaper alternative, enticing more gamers to jump onto PlayStation and experience the system’s incredible first-party titles. The update also improves the PS Portal, increasing its portability as the device is no longer docked to a PS5 console, allowing players to take the PS Plus library wherever they go.
Sony appears to be taking cues from Microsoft
Adopting Microsoft’s cloud streaming strategy will benefit Sony
While this update is incredibly exciting, it’s hard to deny how Sony appears to be following in Microsoft’s footsteps. Xbox’s Cloud Gaming beta is a model for making gaming more accessible and accessible to gamers, eliminating the need for large hardware purchases and giving them the option to start playing at any time. While Sony’s latest update is still limited to PlayStation hardware, It’s certainly a step in the right directiongiving PS Portal owners the option to take their games anywhere.
There’s always the possibility that this is just the beginning of Sony’s path to making the PlayStation more accessible. The PC versions of several blockbuster PS exclusives are proof that the company is interested in giving more players the opportunity to experience these titles without needing to purchase a PS5 console upfront. If Sony continues to adopt Microsoft’s strategy with cloud gaming, PlayStation and PS Plus will certainly become more successful as more players can access the fantastic library of games on offer.
Source: PlayStation Blog