PS4's PlayStation Now Gets Much Better, Adds Downloadable Games

The PlayStation Now service has gotten a big upgrade today, with the announcement that subscribers can now download games in addition to the existing streaming option. The company boasts that "almost all" of the PS4 games on the service can be downloaded, along with the lineup of PS2 games. This doesn't include the line-up of PS3 games.

Your downloaded games will support any DLC or add-ons, and you don't need a PlayStation Plus membership to play online multiplayer for games through PS Now. You will need a PS Plus subscription to transfer any cloud saves from the streaming version to the downloaded version, however. Also, your PS4 will need to check in with the internet every few days to verify your PS Now subscription. Sony says the download option will be rolling out over the next few days, so if you don't see it yet, it should show up soon. Check out the library to see what's on tap.

PlayStation Now is currently available at a summer promotional price through September 25. That offer is for $10 per month for new subscribers, or a full year for $100. Plus members can get a three-month pass for $30, down from the regular price of $45.

The ability to download games puts the PlayStation Now service more in-line with Microsoft's Game Pass, which offers a library of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games for a monthly subscription fee. And for those who wish to stream, that option is still available unlike on Microsoft's competing service. Game Pass still has a few advantages of its own, though. The $10 per month price is the standard, not a promotional rate, and Microsoft has committed to putting all new first-party games on it at launch. The two services are competing for your dollars, so a lot will come down to which library appeals to you more.