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PlayStation Now: Wrong for the Vita, Right for PlayStation TV

PlayStation Now: Wrong for the Vita, Right for PlayStation TV

PlayStation Now has been gradually rolling out over 2014. It’s a program filled with promise and potential. If well executed, it could even be something wonderful. Though, in its current form, it has a few flaws keeping it from being something people would realistically rely on for gaming. Still, it’s a start.

A beginning which is about to enter a new phase, in fact. The next stage is beginning next week, and will see even more Sony platforms getting the service. Yes, PlayStation Now will soon make it’s Vita and PlayStation TV debuts. It’s exciting. Unfortunately, I think it will prove itself a success on one platform, and fail miserably on the other.

Since it’s always best to deal with pessimism and get that out of the way, I’ll be a Debbie Downer first. I don’t think PlayStation Now will work on the Vita. This service requires certain internet speeds, for one, and even Sony has recommended plugging ethernet cables into PS3s and PS4s to make them run it properly. I don’t believe the Vita will have the strength and power to work with what people have got and properly stream games.

Especially since standard, PS3 and PS4 game streaming isn’t always at its best. Some games can look good and run well, and even the ones that do work, don’t really work. Case in point, I have always wanted to play Shadow of the Colossus on a handheld. Grandiose movements are critical for me, when it comes to action games like that, and I felt I could really do better if I played on a Vita. My Vita could stream the PS3 version of it, but there was noticeable lag, even with a 20mbps internet connection. The only game that’s ever streamed really well for me was PixelJunk Eden , and it was too tiny on the OLED screen to progress very far.

However, that doesn’t mean all Vita-esque devices will crash and burn next week when PlayStation Now arrives. I think the service will work very well on the PlayStation TV. In fact, if Sony and publishers can get the prices down, I think it will be key to the micro-console’s success. One of the PlayStation TV’s biggest issues will be its prospective library, since it can’t play every Vita and PSOne game. Having a more refined version of the PlayStation TV we’ve been introduced to running on it will instantly fix that problem.

PlayStation Now: Wrong for the Vita, Right for PlayStation TV

Plus, I think the PlayStation TV will be able to successfully stream games. It has something a Vita doesn’t–an Ethernet port. Sure, it’ll be frustrating running a cable to it, but once someone does, it will make for a much stronger connection. That means less lag and a smoother experience. The biggest hurdle will be cleared, which means people will be able to better appreciate what improved PlayStation Now could offer.

Of course, this is all conjecture on my part. I don’t own a PlayStation TV (yet). I haven’t really spent much time using PlayStation Now, because there’s no way I’m spending that much money to rent games when I could own them for dollar more. Sometimes, depending on the game, full copies are even cheapter. I still maintain, based on what I’ve experienced in my own home, that PlayStation Now will be a loss for Vita owners, but a hopeful win for PlayStation TV.

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