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[IbizaPocholo]

PS5 Games on PS Now May Soon Be a Reality

Recently published Sony patent reveals upgrades to provide PS5 games on PS Now along with possible future-proofing for PS6 titles.

www.dualshockers.com

A recently published Sony patent gives us a glimpse at upgrades being done to provide PS5 games on PS Now that might even be future-proofed enough for PS6.

THE PATENT​

The recently published Sony patent for ‘Ultra High-Speed Low-Latency Network Storage’ reveals the ongoing work to enable streaming for PS5 games on PS Now. The patent is specifically about using multiple NVME drives (the kind of storage drive used in the PS5) networked together for the purpose of streaming games.

The system has multiple copies of the same content across different storage drives and might switch between different drives depending on their workload. A process that is vital for a streaming service with millions of users.

The system will also be able to keep track of specific data blocks on each of the drives which is essential for some PS5 exclusive games to function. Knowing where these blocks are and accessing them directly are a big part of why native PS5 games can load things in faster than PS4 games.

Seeing all these aspects covering the specific requirements for PS5 games indicates Sony is actively working on bringing PS5 games on PS Now, but it also shows some smart thinking for the future past the PS5.

FUTURE-PROOFING FOR PS6​

While of course, things like the GPU, CPU, and RAM components would need to be brand new when it comes to PS6 game support. The way Sony is implementing this storage system can theoretically let it still be used for PS6 games.

It is a relatively safe assumption to make that the PS6 will contain a faster storage drive than the PS5, and hence the speeds some PS6 exclusive games may be designed around will also be higher than current drives can achieve on their own.

The patent mentions that alongside keeping track of the data blocks on these individual drives, the system can pull different blocks of data from multiple drives at once for processing. What this can accomplish in theory is being able to pull the required data at faster speeds than individual drives can provide, which could meet PS6 speed requirements that might not be attainable with currently existing hardware.

While this will come at the cost of multiple drives being used at once for a single streaming session, it will remove the need to perform storage upgrades for PS6 games right away.

WHEN?​

This patent may have been published earlier this month, but it was filed back in April of this year around the time the PS5 received its first major system update, so we know they’ve been working on this for some time.

Even though we haven’t seen any PS5 games on PS Now yet, Sony could already be implementing PS5 server blades on PS Now with no announcement. Much like Microsoft did for their cloud service with Xbox Series X blades earlier in June, there is a possibility that some PS Now sessions are actually being played on PS5 server blades.

If the implementation is being done anywhere close to Microsoft’s current pace, then an announcement could possibly happen at the end of this year or when the next major PS5 system update hits around April 2022.

 

[The Lunch Legend]

Amazing.

 

[lh032]

Perhaps this has something to do with the "gamepass" counterpunch mentioned by Corey previously?
Although i dont really care about subscription though.

 

[Godot25]

Fact that Microsoft has fully working next-gen cloud infrastructure and Sony is just registering patents shows where priorities of both companies lies

 

[DenchDeckard]

Bring it! Then it can become the best deal in gaming 2.0

 

[fatmarco]

Fact that Microsoft has fully working next-gen cloud infrastructure and Sony is just registering patents shows where priorities of both companies lies

Yes but Sony is going to be using some of that same Microsoft infrastructure for their cloud gaming so they'll get some of the benefits.

 

[Godot25]

Yes but Sony is going to be using some of that same Microsoft infrastructure for their cloud gaming so they'll get some of the benefits.

Yup. But they still need to deliver "their hardware" to the datacenters. I doubt PS Now will run on Xbox Series X hardware...

 

[Perrott]

Of course they will! A few months ago it was mentioned in a Sony powerpoint presentation that Spider-Man: Miles Morales (and I don't remember which other titles) would be joining PS Now later this year.

 

[MonarchJT]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

 

[phil_t98]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

Well yeah it’s Sonys game pass but nobody talks about it like that. Both services are amazing value

 

[SaucyJack]

This isn’t even remotely surprising, patent or not.

PS Now has been running for a long time, we’re nearly a year into the generation, of course PS5 games are coming.

 

[SaucyJack]

Yup. But they still need to deliver "their hardware" to the datacenters. I doubt PS Now will run on Xbox Series X hardware...

That’s really not how it works.

 

[Topher]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

No, it is the same PS Now it has always been but with the inevitable inclusion of PS5 games. The obvious differences between PS Now and Game Pass are still there.

 

[Godot25]

That’s really not how it works.

So please, enlighten me. How can PS Now run PS5 native games through streaming without custom I/O solution and PS5 hardware?

Of course they need their own silicon in datacenters. Same as Microsoft filled up their Azure datacenters with real Series X hardware...

It's not like they can run PS5 native games on server class CPUs and Nvidia Quadro GPUs...

 

[MonarchJT]

No, it is the same PS Now it has always been but with the inevitable inclusion of PS5 games. The obvious differences between PS Now and Game Pass are still there.

it will see an inevitable rebranding/relaunch soon

 

[SaucyJack]

So please, enlighten me. How can PS Now run PS5 native games through streaming without custom I/O solution and PS5 hardware?

Of course they need their own silicon in datacenters. Same as Microsoft filled up their Azure datacenters with real Series X hardware...

It's not like they can run PS5 native games on server class CPUs and Nvidia Quadro GPUs...

Kubernetes

 

[Marvel]

Hope you like Godfall

 

[Topher]

Kubernetes

How would that work when PS5 games run so close to the hardware and there is hyper-v or virtualized environment?

 

[Godot25]

Kubernetes

I will ask again. How you want to simulate Decompression HW and whole I/O subsystem of PS5 (which every native PS5 game needs) without actual PS5 hardware in data centers?

 

[Clear]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

The contentious thing about Gamepass is the day#1 exclusives, and I don't see Sony ever offering that without a catastrophic collapse in marketshare.
Bottom line is you don't change your primary business model when its working for you.

 

[FingerBang]

Kubernetes

To orchestrate what? lol

 

[Godot25]

The contentious thing about Gamepass is the day#1 exclusives, and I don't see Sony ever offering that without a catastrophic collapse in marketshare.
Bottom line is you don't change your primary business model when its working for you.

Yup. You wait until your business model is surpassed by your competition and then you start a scramble to make something competitive when it's too late. It's called Blockbuster approach.

I get it and don't get it at same time. Sony don't want their first-party in PS Now day one. In today's world it is perfectly acceptable. And since their games are selling well it is logical. But why on earth they are not bringing their first-party as a permanent addition to PS Now one year after release is just beyond me...

 

[Banjo64]

Of course they will! A few months ago it was mentioned in a Sony powerpoint presentation that Spider-Man: Miles Morales (and I don't remember which other titles) would be joining PS Now later this year.

Did they specify that MM would be the PS5 version, rather than the PS4 version?

 

[ACESHIGH]

They should focus on delivering this service in more countries first... It's laughable.

 

[Perrott]

Did they specify that MM would be the PS5 version, rather than the PS4 version?

Huh, it isn't specified as I remembered... still, it is interesting to also see the Horizon: Forbidden West logo in there

 

[Chukhopops]

I mean, it was a bit ridiculous that there was no PS5 game on it at all when the console has been out for 10 months or so. So it’s good progress but kind of expected.

 

[Clear]

Yup. You wait until your business model is surpassed by your competition and then you start a scramble to make something competitive when it's too late. It's called Blockbuster approach.

I get it and don't get it at same time. Sony don't want their first-party in PS Now day one. In today's world it is perfectly acceptable. And since their games are selling well it is logical. But why on earth they are not bringing their first-party as a permanent addition to PS Now one year after release is just beyond me...

Imho as much as anything its MS having quite different ambitions. From their perspective as primarily a software company, the future is all about services, specifically integrated services with their OS and business enterprises.

They didn't invest in Azure because of gaming. But as they have existing capacity and the means and motives for future expansion of that backbone, why not integrate the Xbox business into it?

Sony don't have that and so following the same route either involves a ton of capital to build it, or dilution of profit by partnering with one of the big infrastructure providers. Big diff is that in the latter circumstance, they are a client, not an operator of said services and so means of revenue generation are restricted.

 

[El Pistolero]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

It certainly is not day and date, as of now. The strategy has been theorized for years now: Release games exclusively on PS5 initially. Wait for some time (a year or more?) and add them to the Now service. Release PC versions later...Shifting to a gamepass like model overnight is not happening, nor should it!

 

[Slicker than your average]

Yup. You wait until your business model is surpassed by your competition and then you start a scramble to make something competitive when it's too late. It's called Blockbuster approach.

I get it and don't get it at same time. Sony don't want their first-party in PS Now day one. In today's world it is perfectly acceptable. And since their games are selling well it is logical. But why on earth they are not bringing their first-party as a permanent addition to PS Now one year after release is just beyond me...

Seems the usual suspects are forgetting why MS went with game pass in the first place. They were getting curb stomped everywhere.
Sony had ps now first and it's their supplement to what they're already doing.

After 3 years of gamepass, it hasn't reserved any fortunes for MS and games are still selling way more on playstation.

Why release a game on a subscription when you know it will sell 5-10 million+.

 

[Bojanglez]

I hope Sony (and Microsoft) start letting people with these subscriptions also stream games they own from tech cloud rather than being limited to just the selection of games that are on Gamepass or PS Now.

 

[Bojanglez]

Yup. You wait until your business model is surpassed by your competition and then you start a scramble to make something competitive when it's too late. It's called Blockbuster approach.

I get it and don't get it at same time. Sony don't want their first-party in PS Now day one. In today's world it is perfectly acceptable. And since their games are selling well it is logical. But why on earth they are not bringing their first-party as a permanent addition to PS Now one year after release is just beyond me...

Sony's policy seems to be give PS Now just enough content to provide good enough value for subscribers without devaluing their first party releases. The reason they don't publish all first party games on there permanently is (presumably) because a decent chunk of people would probably just wait the X months that it took to become permanent, so making it unpredictable helps negate this.

Sony are having their cake and eating it, they benefit from revenue of $70 sales currently , but also are putting the infrastructure and services in place that if they ever wanted to in future they could pivot to a Gamepass model (including all first party available day 1) relatively quickly, so it is not exactly the same as situation that Blockbuster were in.

 

[Godot25]

Sony's policy seems to be give PS Now just enough content to provide good enough value for subscribers without devaluing their first party releases. The reason they don't publish all first party games on there permanently is (presumably) because a decent chunk of people would probably just wait the X months that it took to become permanent, so making it unpredictable helps negate this.

Sony are having their cake and eating it, they benefit from revenue of $70 sales currently , but also are putting the infrastructure and services in place that if they ever wanted to in future they could pivot to a Gamepass model (including all first party available day 1) relatively quickly, so it is not exactly the same as situation that Blockbuster were in.

I mean, if they are fine providing service that only has 3 million subs and pay license fees to include games in their service it's their choice...

For me it's just strange. It's like Netflix without Netflix Original content...

 

[Skifi28]

Meh, wake me up when we can play PS3 games locally.

 

[Godot25]

Imho as much as anything its MS having quite different ambitions. From their perspective as primarily a software company, the future is all about services, specifically integrated services with their OS and business enterprises.

They didn't invest in Azure because of gaming. But as they have existing capacity and the means and motives for future expansion of that backbone, why not integrate the Xbox business into it?

Sony don't have that and so following the same route either involves a ton of capital to build it, or dilution of profit by partnering with one of the big infrastructure providers. Big diff is that in the latter circumstance, they are a client, not an operator of said services and so means of revenue generation are restricted.

Ehh. I think you missed my point.
Of course, Sony want's to leverage current Azure infrastructure. It's a goal of their partnership.

All I'm trying to say is...even within Azure infrastructure they need to provide their own hardware for those datacenters. Because PS5 games won't run on specialised server class hardware of course. That's why Microsoft has real Xbox Series X hardware in their datacenters that is supporting xCloud. Because to ran Xbox games you need a Xbox hardware. And same applies for Sony. Especially because of advanced I/O solutions and fast SSD that is required to ran PS5 games.

 

[JLB]

Of course it will happen. This is like xbox dropping xbox live sub, it will happen, we just dont know when yet.

 

[mejin]

PSN Now is not a top priority for Sony...yet. +3.2 million and the service is missing for a lot countries where Plus is already a reality.

Fact that Microsoft has fully working next-gen cloud infrastructure and Sony is just registering patents shows where priorities of both companies lies

It really doesn't matter who started first. Xbox Live is way older than PSN and today PSN is bigger.

 

[Skifi28]

All I'm trying to say is...even within Azure infrastructure they need to provide their own hardware for those datacenters. Because PS5 games won't run on specialised server class hardware of course.

If Sony is lucky, maybe they can find a few PS5s on the next batch for their datacenters or just bite the bullet and get them from scalpers!

 

[MaKTaiL]

What's the point when PS Now is only available is VERY limited countries?

 

[Skifi28]

What's the point when PS Now is only available is VERY limited countries?

Yeah, how is this still a thing? If you can't provide streaming in every country why not at least let people use the service to download games? It seems this is the preferred way of using it anyway.

 

[Lupin25]

They could also want to wait long enough to build the PS5’s catalog and allow those exclusives to reach their expected sales benchmarks—Which have been stagnated by the lack of stock.

Any exclusive that’s released isn’t even a year old yet, as well. With that said, I could see PS5 games coming as early as next year on PSNow. Possibly the launch games from last year.

Edit: If this is true, they should be working heavily on expanding to other countries.

 

[Clear]

Ehh. I think you missed my point.
Of course, Sony want's to leverage current Azure infrastructure. It's a goal of their partnership.

All I'm trying to say is...even within Azure infrastructure they need to provide their own hardware for those datacenters. Because PS5 games won't run on specialised server class hardware of course. That's why Microsoft has real Xbox Series X hardware in their datacenters that is supporting xCloud. Because to ran Xbox games you need a Xbox hardware. And same applies for Sony. Especially because of advanced I/O solutions and fast SSD that is required to ran PS5 games.

Huh?

My point was simply that MS are way more motivated to go towards Cloud distribution as they have already invested massively in Azure. That investment is not just a means to an end, its an end in itself. Its a business in its own right with utility far beyond games.

Sony on the other hand are not in that business, they are just another potential corporate client who wants cloud utility to bolster their existing ventures.

 

[El gallo]

PS Now is garbage. The whole idea of streaming games is fucking dumb. Get to emulation Sony!!!!

 

[SaucyJack]

How would that work when PS5 games run so close to the hardware and there is hyper-v or virtualized environment?

I will ask again. How you want to simulate Decompression HW and whole I/O subsystem of PS5 (which every native PS5 game needs) without actual PS5 hardware in data centers?

To orchestrate what? lol

Apologies, was a non-obvious joke. Let me explain further …..

 

[Bojanglez]

I mean, if they are fine providing service that only has 3 million subs and pay license fees to include games in their service it's their choice...

For me it's just strange. It's like Netflix without Netflix Original content...

It is probably more like Disney+ and their movies, they don't want to cannibalise their existing business model (just yet). So traditional models will exist for a while, but one day when the economics dictate they can just go all in. There is no need for them to do so at the moment. The desire of the public for game streaming is still in question, so why rush, unless you are a challenger brand in a market, it is reasonable to be a bit more cautious, whilst also planning to pivot if/when you need.

 

[Ozrimandias]

Bring PSNow to Latin America Damn Sony FFS!!!!!!!

 

[MikeM]

I just want PS5 games on PSNow for download. Where they at Sony?

 

[NickFire]

hint: the Sony gamepass that everyone saying is not sustainable

Well yeah it’s Sonys game pass but nobody talks about it like that. Both services are amazing value

You both know that the two services have significantly different business models.

 

[MonarchJT]

You both know that the two services have significantly different business models.

i know ...right now.....and for this reason they gonna change it

 

[phil_t98]

You both know that the two services have significantly different business models.

Well yeaH, one gets exclusives day one and the other gets the exclusives down the line

 

[NickFire]

i know ...right now.....and for this reason they gonna change it

You're making stuff up with nothing substantive to justify doing so. PS Now has had fairly recent games for a long time, and PS5 has been out for a year almost. Bringing PS5 games to it is a natural evolution consistent with long standing business practices. Business as usual is not evidence of intended changes.