PlayStation Now open beta: over one hundred games available
PlayStation Now, Sony's streaming games service for PS4, goes into open beta today.
The PlayStation Now open beta will be available in Canada and the US on July 31.
According to the PlayStation Blog, there'll be over 100 PS3 games available from 50 publishers, with more added regularly.
Games accessed through PS Now support cloud saves as well as trophies, leaderboards and online multiplayer - including with those who have retail or stand-alone digital copies of the game.
PS Now is fully integrated with the PS Store, so you can rent games directly from their Store page. Rental periods range from four hours ($3) through seven days ($6), 30 days ($8) and 90 days. ($15). All rentals are renewable if you want to keep playing, and many contain DLC packages at no extra charge.
Sony said it will be experimenting and gathering feedback on the service through the beta, so expect these prices to alter. For example, the company already plans to offer $2 four hour rentals. A subscription service is possible, too.
"We’ve heard you loud and clear for an update on a PS Now subscription option and want to reassure you that we are working on it," PlayStation Now senior director Jack Buser wrote.
Goodness knows how much that will cost - but Sony did say recently that EA's Xbox One subscription package isn't good value, so presumably it will be better than that.
As for other platforms, Buser said in a comment on the announcement article that the service is soon "coming to PS3, PS Vita, PlayStation TV and select 2014 Sony TVs".
The video below gives an overview of the service. No launch plans outside North America have been announced as yet.