PlayStation5 cloud streaming beta begins with 4K support for PS Plus Premium subscribers

Sony has started to roll out a cloud streaming beta for PS Plus Premium subscribers, allowing them to stream PS5 games in up to 4K resolution. The feature, which was announced in June as being in the “early stages” of development, will support PS Plus catalogue titles, game trials and supported digital PS5 titles that players own.

The feature could help PlayStation owners avoid lengthy downloads that take up precious storage. According to an alleged PlayStation email to an invited tester, posted on Reddit, the beta period uses exclusive invite codes that can’t be shared with other users. The email notes that features could change before cloud streaming’s official launch.

“We’re excited to unveil PS5 cloud streaming, and your help testing it means a lot to us,” the email reads. A beta tester, ArashiGames, posted on ResetEra that they played God of War: Ragnarok and Returnal in 4K resolution with no problems.

They described resolution options ranging from 720p to 2160p for that title, and said Returnal streamed in 4K. “There’s a new section in the PS+ menu that is for Streaming PS5 Games,” they wrote. “Just click the game and it loads in a few seconds.” They listed Horizon Forbidden West, Fortnite, Destiny 2 and Death Stranding (among others) as streaming options.

4K resolution could prove a competitive advantage against Xbox Cloud Gaming, which maxes out at 1080p resolution and 60fps. Sony’s upcoming “Project Q” streaming handheld will have an 8-inch, 1080p screen with a 60Hz refresh rate.

The accessory is confirmed to use Remote Play (streaming directly from a console rather than the cloud) but could theoretically support cloud streaming as well. The device is set to launch later this year but there is no information on its price yet.

Only PS Plus Premium members can use game streaming. The $18/mo. service already supports cloud gaming for PS4, PS3 and select “classic” titles. It lets you stream available games to PS5, PS4 or PC10.

Meanwhile, Sony has announced a new update for its PS5 console that will bring new accessibility features and audio enhancements. The update is currently available for beta testers in select countries and will be released to all users later this year. Some of the new features include:

Support for a second controller for assistance

This feature allows users to assign a second controller to one account and use two controllers as if they were one.

System UI Haptic Feedback

This feature enables haptic feedback effects while navigating the PS5 system with a DualSense, DualSense Edge, or PS VR2 Sense controller.