14 DAY TRIAL // The PlayStation Now service from Sony is at the moment in beta phase and those who have managed to get access to it are reporting that the prices that are being asked to get access to video games are higher than those that would be paid when getting them through traditional retail.
Both older and newer titles, ranging from Final Fantasy XIII-2 to Guacamelee, can be obtained for limited time frames via the streaming service, but gamers who want to own them in the long term are better served by buying them outright.
The Square Enix Japanese role-playing title costs 5 dollars or Euro for four hours of game time, or 30 dollars or Euro for a ninety-day period, but the entire package can be obtained for under 20 dollars or Euro in both digital and physical stores.
The title is more than 2 years old and it is unlikely that gamers are willing to pay as much for it just in order to get it using PlayStation Now on the PlayStation 4 or on other devices.
The prices are similar for newer video games, but they still seem too high considering that the player is only getting access to them for a limited time.
At the moment, all games offered in the beta phase of the service bear a warning that states, "Game titles and features shown are for testing purposes only. Not indicative of the final price."
The official Frequently Asked Questions document for PlayStation Now explains that, "The upcoming Open Beta will test multiple pricing tiers and rental durations. You will see shorter rental periods prices as low as $2.99 and most titles are between that and $19.99. More information to be announced later."
The new service is designed to use the streaming tech that Sony acquired with Gaikai in order to create a fast and simple way for gamers to get their favorite titles on a variety of devices without having to buy them outright.
Launch is planned to take place before the end of summer in the United States, initially only on the PlayStation 4 home console, and will then be expanded to the PS3, the Vita handheld and all smart television sets from the company.
Sony says that it is facing some network-related issues in Europe and that it is working to also bring PlayStation Now to the region at a later date.