The month was September 2018 and Sony had just announced its streaming service PlayStation Now would allow "almost all" PS4 games to be downloaded to your console and played natively instead of relying on a constant internet connection. Nearly three years later and the overhaul at the time has very much lived up to that promise — pretty much every PS4 game part of PS Now can be both streamed or downloaded. The former has always been at the heart of what makes the service tick (even if most subscribers don't utilise the option), but following today's line-up of PS4 game additions, do we have the first title to ditch the functionality entirely?
Red Dead Redemption 2 will be part of the service "exclusively via PS4/PS5 download" until 1st November 2021. We have to assume this is a result of the deal Sony managed to strike with Rockstar in order to bring the western epic to PS Now, but it's interesting to see the service evolve to the point where one of its premier titles doesn't even offer the feature it was originally built upon.
When Grand Theft Auto V was added to PS Now back in October 2019 before later leaving the service, GTA Online and the Rockstar Games Social Club were not available in the streaming version. This drawback was later updated to include streamers, with the PlayStation Blog updated to say: "Online features are now available for the streaming version of Grand Theft Auto V. However, the Diamond Casino mode is currently only available in the downloaded version." Could the fact that Red Dead Redemption 2 can only be played via PS Now by downloading it have something to do with Red Dead Online, then? It's possible given what happened previously with GTA 5.
It's something we don't think you should read too much into in terms of the future of the service, but it is an interesting development given the history of PS Now. We do think subscribers will be happy it's not the other way around, however — only being able to stream Red Dead Redemption 2 may have been met with criticism.
[source blog.playstation.com]
Comments 28
"We do think subscribers will be happy it's not the other way around, however"
Definitely. I wouldn't even mind all of PS Now being download only. Streaming is unreliable at the best of times and the only advantage I see in it (saving space) is not relevant to me since I delete apps once I complete the games.
Since PS Now access in my region is probably never coming, I hope this means RDR2 will be on PS+ in a few months.
You're probably thinking "just buy the game if you want to play it" and I probably would if not for the fact that I tried the first one and I was not into it. Now with the sequel getting as much acclaim as it has, I do wanna try it, but I kinda expect not to be into it either.
Maybe because they didn’t want PC players to get it too? Sony may well have had to pay more for that. Only reason I can think of.
This is why they should just combine plus and now. Ps + Pro or something.
Agreed this is likely to stop PC players getting it too which would be another deal. BUT it may also help convince people that you can download most games on PS Now. I STILL see a lot of people misunderstand that it's not JUST a streaming service. I've advocated for a rebrand for this reason for a while especially if they start trying to compete with Game Pass a little more (which the last few months seem to suggest)
I wish PS3 titles were downloadable(I understand why they're not) cause I really want to play Siren Blood Curse there but the streaming is not good.
I'm glad that it's not streaming. I can't imagine many people picking streaming over downloading?
@Voltan Just to let you know : I tried the first one and never could get into it.
But RDR2 is a pure masterpiece. It is my game of the generation, and very far ahead of any other. The world Rockstar has created is absolutely gorgeous, organic, natural, full of life, and the characters are relatable almost from the start to finish.
I can understand those who didn't like it : it is slow. Every movement is deliberate, has its whole animation, but to me it only makes the whole adventure more realistic.
Oh, and did I mention it's gorgeous?
Do yourself a service and play this game, any way you can, if you have any love for open-world games and are ready to take your time, you won't be disappointed
@Voltan RDRII on PS+ in a few months...? 😆😆 Are you kidding me... GTAV is never even below £10.
@Olmaz yea RDRII is methodical so people who like things fast, too lazy to tap X to run can't get into it. It's a masterpiece!
Not sure it makes a big difference, but RD2 Online is on Game Pass and Cloud Streaming, so maybe Xbox has a clause for exclusive cloud streaming or something?
Or maybe Sony would have to pay extra for the streaming rights and they didn't want to?
Who knows...
@Olmaz To add to that: I could never get into any GTA either so I just don’t feel like buying Rockstar open world games without trying them first and I don’t know anybody in my area who has it on disc (not for PS4 anyway). I will play it when I get the chance to do it cheap enough
@Voltan you can create an American account and buy a subscription for ps now, make it a primary account on your ps4 and play all of what they have to offer streaming or download. I do that because there is no official support for ps now in my region. I didn't face any kind of problem streaming, I played sly cooper and other games and faced no problem, as long as your internet is fast enough.
We support this. Never bothered streaming games and hope an option of downloading PS3 games is a reality soon.
Make downloading PS3 games onto the console for PS5 for example and watch a lot of people upgrade sooner rather than later
@blinx01 Yeah.... That wouldn't be the case since RDR2 is on Stadia
@Voltan Yeah I get you. I played, of course, GTA3 when it came out as it was a revolution. But I never finished it, it was just a big sandbox for destruction to me.
I didn't play any of the sequels until GTA5, and I have still to finish that.
What I mean is that RDR2 is different. There is something that clicked for me.
@SamMR Any advice for somewhere trustworthy to buy PS Store credits in US dollars?
@SamMR Most of the time streaming is fine but sometimes you get a timing critical thing like the voodoo woman in Sly Cooper. I blame my inability to beat her on the additional latency of streaming.
@Olmaz I use CDkeys to buy my ps plus and ps now subscriptions. You will also find that they sell usd credit on their site, I buy my wallet top up from a local store.
@Ryall I have also faced a problem defeating her but I was playing on a laptop which strangely had some lag issues at this particular stage. I have tried on the ps4 and did manage to defeat her no problem
@Voltan I can already see it: there will be a PS5 version of RDR2, and only one version or the other will come to Plus. If it's the PS4 version it'll come a month before the upgrade, which won't be available to Plus owners.
I have ps now for around 3 years now and I have only used streaming for around 4 games from PS2 era. Always downloading them.
So its not available on pc?
@TheArt I was one of those people. I absolutely hated RDR2 when I played it on release day. I played a few hours and gave up. Two years later I decided to give it another go ...now I think it’s the best game R* have ever made.
@fR_eeBritney It's a masterpiece on all levels. It's sad newcomers are going to be playing with the "put on something warmer" bug because R* are slow in fixing bugs sometimes.
@Olmaz Agreed 100%
PSNow streaming works great for me. As long you have a nice connection, it runs great.
For years I thought PS Now was only for streaming PS3 games, I even somehow missed the news when it allowed downloading PS4 games, yes that's how bad PS Now marketing is, and you can still see many people mixing this up thinking it's only for streaming!
But now that I have it, it's a great service and I mostly download games for maximum experience and wish it allows for all games to be downloaded, I know emulating PS3 games is a big challenge but I'm also sure PS5 can handle it, so fingers crossed they make it happen because downloading the games is much more reliable than streaming them!
RDR2 is easily one of the best games I've ever played, campaign is incredible.
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