PlayStation Portal without a PS5: how cloud streaming works
Since the cloud streaming update, PlayStation Portal no longer needs a PS5: with PlayStation Plus Premium it streams games straight from Sony’s servers. Here is what you need, which games work and what to expect.
What you need
- PlayStation Plus Premium. Essential and Extra don’t include cloud streaming.
- A Wi-Fi connection with at least 5 Mbps download and upload to start a session. Sony names 7 Mbps for 720p and 13 Mbps for 1080p.
- A PlayStation account for an adult. Child accounts can’t use cloud streaming.
- A supported country. Sony lists the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and most of Europe.
Which games you can stream
Only PS5 games can be streamed – no PS4 or PS3 games. Two kinds are included:
- Selected games of the PS Plus Game Catalog and Classics Catalog. They are part of your Premium membership.
- Selected PS5 games you bought digitally, straight from your library.
In United States you can currently stream 4,317 games, 4,316 of them as purchases. The list changes every week.
All streamable games in United States Included in PS Plus Buy and stream
What doesn’t work
- Game trials can’t be streamed.
- Party voice chat and game invites are missing in some games.
- Games that aren’t marked for streaming – play those via Remote Play from your own PS5.
Tips for a smooth picture
- Use 5 GHz Wi-Fi and stay close to the router; other devices streaming video at the same time cost bandwidth.
- For 1080p, plan for at least 13 Mbps – more is better, especially in fast games.
- Public or hotel Wi-Fi often blocks or throttles streaming. A phone hotspot can work if the mobile signal is strong.
Never miss a new game
We check Sony’s lists every day. New on PlayStation Portal shows the games that became streamable in United States recently.
Sources: playstation.com. The game numbers are updated every day. Auf Deutsch lesen