It's only a matter of time before Sony delivers on its promise to turn PlayStation into a "service" catering to all platforms.
This means that PlayStation games will be available for the Windows PC and Mac, wedging the gap between console and PC players.
The company already took steps in this direction by releasing the Remote Play client for the PlayStation 4, which permits console owners to stream their games to either a laptop or a desktop.
According to the latest rumors, Sony is gearing up to deliver PlayStation Now to Mac and Windows users, as well.
Rumors suggest that Sony is preparing an announcement about PlayStation Now on Aug. 23. The first markets to tap into it are the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, with Canada and the United States following in their footsteps after a week. No details have yet surfaced about launch dates for Japan or France.
Keep in mind that Sony has already sent out invitations to a mysterious "Playstation Meeting" on Sept. 7, where insiders familiar with the matter expect the PlayStation 4 Neo to be announced. It is not unthinkable that Sony will use the stage time to showcase the PlayStation Now on desktop alongside the new console.
Those unfamiliar with PlayStation Now should know that it enables gamers to stream games from PS2 and PS3 to the PlayStation TV set-top box, PS Vita handheld, PS3 and PS4.
The service comes with a consistent list of games (topping 400), and it recently beefed up its library with 15 RPG titles, just in case you were bored with existing ones. A slew of PS exclusive titles are available, such as the Uncharted games, The Last of Us and the God of War installments.
It should be noted that the service is far from cheap: users must shell out $20 per month or $45 for a three-month subscription. Should you want to test some games out, you can rent them: $3 will get you four hours of gameplay, and $6 seven days of console fun; $8 delivers 30 days, while $15 lets you rent games for 90 days.
Reports indicate that the service is undergoing testing in a closed beta stage, but an open beta is expected to follow through soon enough. When it comes to the system requirements, keep in mind that PlayStation Now is a streaming service. This means that hefty hardware specs will not be mandatory, which is good news.
All we know is that Windows 7 and a connection of at least 5 megabits per second or more are the minimum required, and PlayStation recommends you sport a connection of 12 megabits per second. Seeing how OnLive used to work well on connections of 2 megabits per second, it is likely that PlayStation Now will be fine with less. The service will play nice with the DualShock 3 and DualShock 4 controllers, but gamers on a budget will be able to get cheaper third-party models.
In the future, we expect to see PlayStation Now making its way onto other devices, such as tablets, Smart TVs and smartphones, in addition to desktops, and we will keep you posted when that happens.
