Listen up, PlayStation 5 users – you’re getting access to an exclusive cloud streaming service on PlayStation Plus Premium this month. That’s right – Sony has decided to get more involved with the cloud gaming hype – even more so than before – by offering the ability to stream games as part of the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription on PS5. Starting this month, Sony will be carrying out a staggered rollout of the functionality, starting with a select library of games that’ll grow over time.

That means that you’ll ultimately be able to stream games instantly without having to download them, much like you could with PlayStation Now before it ‘merged’ with PS Plus. It’s a new feature that’s exclusive to PlayStation 5, and it’ll work in the same way that Xbox Cloud Gaming does with the Game Pass service. If there’s a game that you want to play but you don’t want to download it, you can simply opt to stream it instead.

Internet Pending, Of Course

Image Credit: PlayStation

As with all the services of this kind, you’ll need to have a fairly robust connection if you want to get the best experience possible. It takes a lot of bandwidth to stream a game, and arguably, it’s the only thing holding back cloud gaming. It’s also worth noting that, at the moment, this new feature is restricted to consoles only – it won’t mimic Xbox Cloud Gaming, which can be played through the Microsoft Edge browser.

That technology is simply fantastic, though. If you have a laptop or a PC with Edge installed, you can log in and play Xbox games wherever you are, provided you have a controller and a solid internet connection. It’s brilliant – and maybe PlayStation will get there someday, who knows?

Here’s the information that was provided by PlayStation as part of an update on the blog:

DLC and in-game purchases will be available for streaming
Some high-res options go as high as 4K 60FPS (but that’ll need a phenomenal connection)
PS5 streaming includes enhanced audio options
Use the on-board capture mechanics to save screenshots and video clips

Related: How Does Fortnite Cloud Gaming Work?

When Does Streaming Come to PS Plus Premium on PS5?

It was confirmed that the roadmap looks like this:

Japan – October 17th
Europe – October 23rd
North America – October 30th

It’s worth stressing that this isn’t a new feature – but it is new for PlayStation 5 users, and that’s a big win. For those who pay the big bucks for their monthly subscriptions, it’s an added benefit that means faster access to great games on PlayStation.

In recent years, cloud gaming has seen a huge uptick in adoption, so much so that the top tech titans are looking to get more involved with it than ever before. Recently, it was suggested that Microsoft still plans to launch Project Keystone, the cloud-based console that would hit the market with a price tag of around $129.

Do you plan on playing games on your PS5 via cloud streaming?

Retro Related: Is Cloud Gaming The Future of Esports?