The PS4 was launched not that long ago, and many new services are still making its way to the next-gen console.
The PlayStation Now feature has been deemed a game changer, when it becomes available.
Gamers everywhere have imagined a faster access to their beloved games, which is now possible through the power of streaming. Sony’s got the stuff, now all they got to worry about is the pricing.
It has been confirmed that Gaikai will be the service that will be supporting Sony’s streaming feature for all to use. It seems that they have announced the PlayStation Now price for streaming certain PS3 titles such as Uncharted 3 for $4.99, Far Cry for $5.99. The Last of Us and Bioshock Infinite will have a simple digital options with mock-up prices for the prototypes.
The cost will vary among the games of the console generation, how old the game is, and the size of the game may change the price of the PlayStation Now service. We would expect to see a flat rate for each generation. For example $x.xx for PS2 games, $x.xx for PS3 games.
The PlayStation Now feature is meant to save some money here and there, so once this is set to go, people can stream games to their hearts content.
We are still unsure of how long streaming games will last, once you buy them. When comparing other rental services the usual cost is under $15, GameFly rents out their games for a couple dollars, so Sony asking $4.99-$5.99 for just temporary access to a game would be unwise. We can imagine Sony giving consumers the option to keep their game forever, because limited time on rented games can turn people away in resentment.
Gaikai has been very slow when releasing information or confirming anything. The service is said to be barely starting their beta test.
The prices mentioned before may just be a placeholder until they can figure out everything else. The placeholder prices should give you an idea of how much the games should be costing. We are just curious to see how much the subscription cost will be.
Sony has declined to comment on if the PlayStation Now feature will be included with PlayStation Plus. Business wise, I have a feeling that Sony will have a completely different fee for the service when it becomes available. They would need to use the income to continue supporting Gaikai and content management fees. These decisions aren’t entirely up to Sony, they will also be molded by Gaikai as well.
Streaming games have is now turning into reality, and Sony has taken the lead with this technology.
How much would you pay to stream games? Comment below.