With the upcoming transition to the 9th console generation, companies like Electronic Arts and Microsoft are shifting their focus to the potential of video game streaming services. For years gamers have been expressing a demand for a paid gaming subscription that would be analogous to Netflix and it seems that this idea is being realized in more innovative ways.

EA Play service recently became available on Steam and it also got included with Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate package. Just yesterday, on September 15th, we’ve witnessed the launch of Microsoft’s xCloud which made Xbox games accessible on mobile devices. But what about one of the earliest streaming services – PlayStation Now? 

There are more than a few questions aching to be answered; how does it hold up? Is PS Now worth it in 2020? What does Sony have to offer for those who pay the monthly PS Now price? In this article, we’ll try to cover these and provide some additional insights for the future as we explore the most popular inquiries regarding Sony’s game streaming platform.

What is PlayStation Now?

Before diving into questions, we need to establish what the PS Now price brings to the table and how the service functions. PlayStation Now began in 2014, two years after Sony acquired the streaming technology company Gaikai. Initially, the service included only the broadcast function – players could stream real-time gameplay footage directly from their consoles, with games themselves running on hardware located on Sony’s facilities.

Is PS Now streaming good?

In spite of mandatory internet connection, what made PS Now worth it was the access it gave to a virtual collection of over 700 games from the PS2, PS3, and PS4 eras. Every title could be seamlessly streamed to the user’s location as long as there was an internet connection with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps. Since September of 2018 download option was also added although streaming still remained the only option for those who wanted to enjoy PS3 games on Windows OS or PS4 since these titles don’t have backward compatibility.

Are PS Now games free?

Once the PlayStation Network user has the PS Now cost covered, all of the games included in Sony’s digital library become accessible. There’s no need to pay for them individually and what makes PS Now worth it, even more, is that the service doesn’t require any additional fees to enjoy multiplayer modes of PS Now games. Players receive the full singleplayer and multiplayer experience right from the start!

Do you keep PS Now games forever?

All PlayStation Now games are accessible for the duration of the paid service. Once the subscription ends, streaming becomes unavailable until the service is renewed. Nevertheless, it is possible to download games directly to your hard drive and play them in offline mode for up to 7 days. After one week passes, it becomes necessary to validate the PlayStation Now subscription in order to keep playing.

Is PS Plus better than PS Now?

Is PS Now worth it if you already happen to be a PS Plus subscriber? If gaming is your priority, the answer is yes. You’ll gain access to a much broader selection of games when compared to the two monthly PS Plus giveaways. On top of that, you won’t ever need to exceed the PS Now price if you’ll want to enjoy multiplayer modes. Of course, PS Plus has multiple premium features of its own and if you happen to be interested in non-gaming related PSN products, PS Plus is worth maintaining for all the exclusive discounts and deals it provides.

Do games get removed from PS Now?

What about the risk of games being removed from the service? Is PS Now worth it in that case? Usually, the opposite is true, with PlayStation Now virtual library getting bigger and bigger every single month but occasionally, games do get removed from the services. One of the examples of that would be Final Fantasy XIII which was removed from PS Now game collection by the game’s publisher Square Enix as the company decided to pursue plans of their very own streaming platform.

What happens when games leave PS Now?

In the least desirable scenario when a game gets removed from the PS Now service, all access to it becomes unavailable. The same holds true for the downloadable content that was tied to the title in question. Is PS Now worth it in that case? Considering how rare such instances are and keeping in mind the staggering amount of alternate options available once the said game gets removed, it can be argued that the answer to the question nevertheless remains positive.

Does PS Now work on PC?

This may be a surprise to some but playing PS Now games can be streamed to personal computers but only for those who live in the United States, United Kingdom, or Canada. On top of that, certain conditions need to be met. Aside from securing a stable internet connection, creating a PlayStation Network account, and downloading the PS Now app players must make sure their PCs are running on Windows OS. Is PS Now worth it for PC players ultimately comes down to where you happen to live but hopefully, Sony is sure to expand the servers throughout more regions as time goes by. Observing the current tendencies in the gaming industry, this is not outside the realm of possibility. 

Can you play PS now on PC with a keyboard and mouse?

Currently, the answer is no – PlayStation Now games don’t have a mouse and keyboard support. All players who want to enjoy PlayStation titles on PC will have to use either DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 controller. If you already own a PS4 controller, no additional hardware will be necessary and your spendings will not exceed the standard PS Now price. 

Is the PlayStation Now subscription worth it?

Is PS Now worth it in 2020? Taking all benefits into account, the answer is yes. When the service started back in 2014, skeptics were doubtful about the streaming quality and mandatory internet connection but as long as you are okay with playing games on 720p resolution, real-time gameplay is as responsive as if it were running on local hardware. If not – there’s always the game download option that allows you to enjoy the native graphics of any game you install to your personal console. 

Considering where things are going with the growing popularity of streaming services, PS Now price stands out as a worthy investment. Sony will not back down to competition, therefore it reasonable to assume more features and updates will be added to the service as time goes on. Lastly, always keep in mind that PS Now costs will be significantly cheaper if you buy this service from Eneba. Feel free to browse through the deals on our website, pick the most preferred option, and gain the most out of your PlayStation or PC gaming experience with a cheaper PlayStation Membership!