PlayStation Now Streaming Service Enters Private Beta Testing Stage

As promised, Sony has just sent out invites to a select few to test its new game streaming service. If all goes well, PlayStation Now will soon be rolling out to gamers in the US by the middle of this year.

Sony unveiled PlayStation Now early this month as a way to maker popular titles available not only on the PlayStation 4 but also on other certified PlayStation devices such as the PlayStation Vita as well as BRAVIA TVs and, in the future, Sony Xperia mobile devices. PlayStation Now includes technology that Sony got it hands on when it acquired Gaikai, a company that specialized in cloud gaming.

According to Sony, only PlayStation 3 titles will be available from the service, at least at launch. These games will be available for streaming over to both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 console. Interestingly, a recent tip would have us believe that the service will indeed only have PS3 titles in its catalog, as PS1 and PS2 games can be played locally on the PlayStation 4 via an emulator.

The invitations have started to roll out to the selected individuals who have signed up to be informed for the latest PlayStation Now updates. There are certain hardware requirements in order to get access to the closed beta, such as owning a PlayStation 3 and access to at least a 5 Mbps Internet connection.

As mentioned in their announcement, the initial rollout of PlayStation Now will be limited to the US, due to technical difficulties in PAL regions like Europe. Interestingly, it seems that the private beta is even more limited, as invitations have been reported to only arrive in the inboxes of those in LA and DC areas.

VIA: Engadget