Gamers should have more streaming options

Jan 22, 2015 15:03 GMT  ·  By

The team at Sony in charge of the PlayStation 4 announced that it was launching a subscription service for its PlayStation Now streaming platform, starting on January 13, and that it was asking gamers to pay 20 dollars (16 Euro) per month as long as they picked 30-day access.

Those interested in streaming more than 100 titles launched for the PS3 on their PlayStation 4 home console also have the option of picking up a three-month-long subscription with a discount, which brings per month fees down to 15 dollars (11.5 Euro).

Sony promises that gamers will be able to get more titles in the future via PlayStation Now and that it will also offer the service on other hardware that it creates, with smart TVs presumably being the main focus for 2015.

The service might be a hit on devices which do not have access to video games traditionally, but for the main audience, those who own a PlayStation 4, the subscription price associated with the PS Now is too high and will probably ensure streaming is underused.

Hundreds of games but not enough time

Even for hardcore players who devote all their free time to the console, it’s unlikely that they will be able to get through all 100 titles on offer at launch in a 30-day period.

For the price of 20 dollars (16 Euro) a month, a gamer can certainly visit a bargain store and pick up some of the titles included in the PlayStation Now package, those that they are really interested in playing.

Maybe Sony should have started with a lower number of titles and a lower price, allowing gamers to play those titles they want before introducing more and adding the problem of choice paralysis.

The price is also too high when compared to the cost of a new game and plenty of gamers will save their money, add a few more bucks, and try to score a new experience via a promotion.

The PlayStation 4 also has a library of solid indie games that do not cost too much that might tempt someone with 20 dollars (16 Euro) to spend.

PlayStation Now has a lot of potential, but it is still unproven

Streaming video games has been seen by many industry officials as the future for a while now, but it seems that until now the technical hurdles were too big to make it reality.

The fact that Sony will run games and players will simply stream them on the device has many advantages and could lead to a solid expansion of the video game fan base in a few years.

But PlayStation Now, and any other similar solution that Microsoft or another company might introduce, is still unproven tech and that means gamers should be able to try it out for free initially and then be charged for it as little as possible, with increases in price associated with the moment when more high-profile titles are added.

Sony has seen a lot of success with its PlayStation Plus service and it would have made sense to make the streaming free for those who use it for a while, encouraging some cross promotion between its various initiatives.

As it stands now, PlayStation Now might be a great idea which will not get the audience it needs this year.