Sony cuts PlayStation Now price to $100 a year
The streaming game service is normally $20 a month. A new promotion offers a hefty discount, but it's available only for a limited time.
Cough up $100 a year, and you can stream an unlimited number of Sony games to your PlayStation and other supported devices.
Gamers who want to stream and play an unlimited number of titles may now find Sony's PlayStation Now service more appealing.
On Saturday, Sony said it's offering an annual subscription to its PlayStation Now service for $100 a year. That's down from the usual cost of $20 per month or $45 for three months. PS Now gives gamers the chance to stream an unlimited number of supported PS3 titles to any PlayStation gaming platform as well as to select 2015 Sony Blu-ray players and select Sony Bravia or Samsung Smart TVs.
It's a question of balancing price and performance. PlayStation games can cost upward of $50 a piece, a challenge for budget-conscious gamers. Streaming offers an alternative, but obstacles include inconsistent performance, a lack of sufficient titles and, once again, a high price tag. A drop in the price could convince more Sony device owners to give PS Now a shot, especially since the discount applies to both new and existing subscribers of the streaming service.
Sony gaming rival Microsoft has also been active in the streaming arena, allowing Xbox One owners to stream games to Windows 10 devices and looking into ways to stream PC games to an Xbox One.
PlayStation Now subscribers snag access to hundreds of PS3 games, including "Only on PlayStation" exclusives, blockbuster hits and independent titles. The lineup covers such games as Batman Arkham Origins, Assassins Creeds III, The LEGO Movie Video Game, God of War III, Uncharted 3, The Last of Us: Left Behind, Ultra Street Fighter IV and Resident Evil 6.
In total, PS Now offers 268 games for streaming. That number will jump to 277 on Tuesday with the addition of nine titles from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, according to a Sony spokesman.
PS Now subscribers currently on a one-month or three-month plan can buy the new $100 12-month option to extend their subscription for the full year. Once your current subscription expires, it will automatically renew for another year at the $100 price. To use PS Now, you need a compatible DualShock wireless controller and an Internet connection of 5 megabits per second or higher.
There are a couple of caveats, as usual.
The price drop is touted as a limited-time offer, but Sony didn't reveal how much time you have to take advantage of it. The offer is available only on the PlayStation Store in the US and Canada. On the plus side, you can check out PS Now before you commit to a full year via a free 7-day trial.