PlayStation 5’s 4K cloud streaming service is entering beta

Sony has begun to roll out beta testing for its new cloud streaming service on the PlayStation 5, allowing players to skip the process of downloading titles to their console.

The details:

• Beta access appears to have been distributed at random to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers, Sony's most expensive online service tier. Cloud streaming will reportedly support all PS5 titles from the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue and Game Trials, as well as any digital titles purchased by the user.
• Those chosen for the testing period have received email invitations, with a ResetEra user from North America among those chosen. The service, according to the user, supports streaming in 720p, 1080p, 1440p, and even 4K, giving the new service an advantage over Xbox's XCloud. Another tester described the quality as "fine" with a slight input delay when using an Xfinity Gigabit connection, while the original user stated that they had "no issues so far" when testing God of War: Ragnarok at 4K.
• Unlike Xbox's similar service, Sony appears to be restricting it to PS5 owners only, with no ability to stream titles from the cloud directly to a mobile device. It also appears unlikely that the upcoming Project Q handheld will be able to use the service in any way, as its primary focus will be on the PS5's remote play function rather than the cloud.
• Earlier this year, CEO Jim Ryan told investors that PlayStation had "fairly interesting and quite aggressive plans" for cloud gaming, which he described as "fundamental" in order to "exploit that trend of mobility." Ryan declined to elaborate, saying only that the plans would "unfold over the course of the coming months." It is expected that this will be a major part of the company's plans.

More PlayStation news:

• RPCSX, a PlayStation 4 emulator, has become the first to run FromSoftware's Bloodborne and a demo of Hideo Kojima's canceled P.T. Both games are far from playable, as the emulator's inability to draw graphics causes the game to display nothing more than a black screen. Regardless, it's an incredible feat to accomplish in just a month, and we may see more developments soon.
• Following a price decrease in July, PS5 sales increased by 75%, with retailers selling the console for as little as £399, with bundles including God of War Ragnarok and Gran Turismo 7 helping to push more units. The sale is only temporary, but it has added to the console's success after two years of hardware shortages.