PlayStation Now PC Streaming Hits North America, Adds ‘Ni No Kuni’ And More To Lineup

PlayStation Now streaming on PC hit Europe last week, and now it is North America’s turn. The ability to stream and play PlayStation 3 titles on a home computer went live for the continent Tuesday along with the addition of six new games to the service’s line-up.

The PlayStation Now app is available to download from the service official website. The app will allow PC users to stream PS3 titles just as PS4 owners can do now.

For those unfamiliar, PlayStation Now is a game streaming service that offers the ability to play games over the internet using different devices. The over 400 available titles touted by Sony is divided between games that can be rented individually for a set amount of time or purchased and those that can be played as part of a Netflix-like subscription. For example, Final Fantasy XIII will need to be rented while BioShock Infinite, God of War III, and Batman: Arkham City are part of the subscription service.

Sony has added a collection of six new PlayStation 3 titles to the service. PlayStation exclusives Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is joined by Heavy Rain, along with Mafia II, Tomb Raider: Game of the Year Edition, Civilization Revolution, and the original Borderlands. This is the best way for PS4 owners and PC gamers to play last-gen titles since backwards compatibility is not available on the current-generation console.

There are currently approximately 200 games available as part of the PlayStation Now subscription service. It costs $19.99 for a single-month subscription and $44.99 for a three-month subscription. Sony has also just added a $99.99 yearly subscription. A free seven-day trial is available as well.

Those interested in the service will need an internet connection at a speed of at least 5mpbs, the higher the better. Additionally, Windows PCs will need to meet the following recommended requirements.

• Windows 7 (SP1), 8.1 or 10
• 5 GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster
• 300 MB or more; 2 GB or more of RAM
• Sound card; USB port

Expect to experience some latency when playing games via PlayStation Now. It’s typically in the 100ms to 150ms range depending on the title. It is very dependent on your connection, but most noticeable in titles that require faster reactions, such as Borderlands.

PlayStation fans will, of course, want a controller to play games streamed via PlayStation Now. Sony is launching the DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adaptor in early September at $24.99. The adapter works with both the PC and Mac and will enable all functions of the controller. This includes all buttons, the touchpad, motion sensors, vibration, headset jack, and even the light bar.

The wireless adaptor will also work the PlayStation Remote Play app, which allows users to stream PS4 games to their Windows PC from the console on the same network. This is the similar functionality available with the PS Vita and PS TV.

Those that are unable to get the DualShock 4 USB Wireless Adaptor still have options to use their PS4 controller on the Windows PC. Third-party applications like DS4Windows are available to install on the PC to use the DualShock 4 with a computer when hooked up with a USB cable. The Xbox One or Xbox 360 controller should work with the PlayStation Now app as well, just not with the full functionality.

Have you tried out PlayStation Now on your PC? What games did you try and what was your experience like? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via PlayStation]