Sony’s apparently sold enough PlayStation 4 consoles. It doesn’t need to sell any more, and will instead focus on offering PlayStation videogames through competitors’ devices. Competitors in the TV space, that is. At CES last week Sony announced that Samsung Smart TVs will be able to stream videogames directly via Sony’s PlayStation Now service.
Samsung and Sony have been bitter rivals in the TV battle, but the companies have come together to enable owners of a variety of 2015-model-year Samsung Smart TVs to play games via an on-board PlayStation Now app. The PS Now game-streaming service will be available on select Samsung Smart TVs during the first half of the year.
The PS Now service will give owners of those Samsung Smart TVs access to hundreds of PlayStation 3 games streamed from the cloud. Word on the street is that Sony will eventually make older PlayStation games, as well as select PS4 games, available as well, though no timetable or official statement has been made in that regard.
PlayStation Now is currently offered only on the PS4. Using the subscription service, gamers can choose from more than 200 PS3 titles, from action/adventure and racing to RPGs and family-friendly games.
The service on Samsung Smart TVs will launch as an app that can be accessed through Samsung’s Smart Hub. Once launched, a game can be played using the DUALSHOCK 4 controller.
PlayStation Now on Samsung Smart TVs will support all functionality of the service, including the ability to earn in-game trophies, play games online with friends and save your game progress in the cloud.
“PlayStation Now provides a new dimension to Samsung Smart TVs that consumers have been looking for – blockbuster PS3 games accessed through an intuitive interface that makes it easy to discover and play great gaming experiences,” said Youngchan Kim, Vice President at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to collaborate with PlayStation to deliver even more entertainment value to our Smart TV platform.”
“Since we first introduced PlayStation Now at CES 2013, our vision has been to open the world of PlayStation to the masses by offering the service on the devices they use every day,” said Masayasu Ito, Executive Vice President of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “Partnering with Samsung is a key step toward realizing this vision, as we can reach a broader audience of consumers who may not own a PlayStation console to show them why gaming with PlayStation is such a unique and amazing experience.”