Remember those days of going to your local video rental store and having to search high and low for a video game that you wanted? Those days sucked, right! Thankfully though those days are over and welcome to the future of digital renting. The plans for the partnership between Gaikai and Sony have been announced.
Welcome PlayStation Now. With a planned launch of summer 2014, what does Sony need to make its new game streaming service a home run, a touch down, heck even a knockout? Well I can think of five:
1. PlayStation Plus + PlayStation Now = Perfect
Sony is no stranger to making a service feel like a deal for gamers. PlayStation Plus has turned from a simple game discount service to one that gives gamers a huge virtual library with new free games added every month. For $49.99 a year PlayStation Plus is a great deal. So why not make PlayStation Now part of that deal? Now that’s not saying give it away for free but if Plus membership included PlayStation Now it would make an already great service even better. What’s wrong with sweetening the deal that is PlayStation Plus? Nothing, that’s what!
2. Bring the Games
When launching a game streaming service, what’s more important than the games? Nothing! Sony has to bring the games this summer and have the big guns out at launch. Having shown the Last of Us, Beyond: Two Souls, God of War: Ascension, and Puppeteer using PlayStation Now, Sony is on the right track in the games department–but it will need to cater more to its entire fan base. Don’t just do the PlayStation 3, let gamers see the full range of the Sony library ranging from PS1 up to PS3. Let the players who enjoy the classics such as Crash Bandicoot and those who enjoy newer games such as Uncharted each have something to play come launch. It’s not hard, Sony; bring the games and gamers will come.
3. Why Not Try Some Stability With Your Online Service
With recent online game disasters such as Sim City, stability in Sony’s new service is going to be critical. As seen with Sim City, if companies mess something up, gamers will take to the web and destroy whatever it is in any and all ways possible. Launching a new service just to find millions of memes and internet videos bashing it isn’t the way to start.
Having acquired Gaikai (the company making streaming possible) a year ago, and with a public beta planned for January, Sony has plenty of time to get PlayStation Now off to a strong start. Word to the wise, Sony, test the servers to the limit. No matter how many people you believe are going to use PlayStation Now, plan on more.
4. Share the Game Streaming Love To Everything
As if telling gamers that they would soon be able to stream games to their PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Vita wasn’t enough; Sony decided to make it even better. Along with consoles, Sony’s BRAVIA televisions will also allow streaming of your favorite games. So what’s next? Stream to everything!
PlayStation Now has the potential to be on any device you can already stream content to already, so why not bring it to smart phones, tablets, computers and all other kinds of devices? Sony has already stated on their PlayStation website that “PlayStation Now will be available on the electronic devices gamers use most;” specifically noting non-Sony devices as a clear possibilities. Could the future hold playing the latest Sony games from our home computers or tablets? Why yes it could, and it sounds amazing!
5. Late Fees and Due Dates Be Damned
Every gamer knows the dread and awesomeness of renting a video game. It’s great that you can get the games you want for cheap, but the return date always comes way too soon. So why not give gamers what they really want from a rental: time? PlayStation Now should offer a variety of rental options ranging from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Also, let’s bring some perks to those who pay for PlayStation Plus. Does some free monthly rentals sounds nice? Maybe some extended rentals? I think yes.
PlayStation Now, you have the potential to change the way we think of backwards compatibility and gaming in general. No pressure.
So you’ve heard what I think PlayStation Plus needs, so put down in the comments your own thoughts. Maybe you think PlayStation Plus needs to give all its users PlayStation themed Mustangs? I feel I’d have to agree. Speak up in the comments.
