Sony should perfect remote play with the PS5 (by making it a hardware feature)

[SolidChamp]

It's clear that the handheld market is lost on Sony. Despite their admirable attempt at incorporating remote play as a standard feature for PS4 software, it still has a LONG way to go before achieving the "console gaming on the go" perfection of something like the Nintendo Switch.

I think the hybrid design of the Nintendo Switch is going to usher in a new era of gaming on the go; one where mobile gaming doesn't have to be limited to smaller experiences. It will be one where we see more and more examples like Breath of the Wild being played, well, out in the wild (

Spoiler

I'm fucking sorry, okay?

)

I don't think Sony needs to create a full-on hybrid console, even though they have a case history of "monkey see, monkey do" with Nintendo (PS move, to name just one example). I think the PS5 needs to be exactly what the PS4 is; a powerful, dedicated home console with the software support to back it up. Sony need not fuck with their formula. But, BUT, and this is where I might lose some people, I think Sony should double-down on remote play and make it work flawlessly, somehow.

And that's where I get the insane idea that they should redirect what little R&D they had left for the handheld market and devices like the PSP/Vita and look into incorporating a small tablet-like device into the PS5 hardware, or as a separate peripheral. Literally something that can be unplugged from the console and played on the go in a seamless way.

It wouldn't need to be a literal console, in the sense that the Switch is, but something that can cache game data/saved data into its memory (I'm bad with technical shit, so work with me here) for the session/game you're playing. Or, it could simply be something that is engineered to interface with your home console via wifi that can compensate for all of the factors that current makes remote play an utter crapshoot.

What say you, GAF? Would you like Sony to work on a new generation of remote play support with the PS5? Would you like a first-party piece of hardware that creates a seamless experience? Is it even possible for them to perfect remote play with the existing infrastructure, given that a wide variety of devices with varying capabilities support it, and yet none of them seem to do it on the same level as a Nintendo Switch?

I will be getting a Nintendo Switch this summer, but I was just trying to play Watch Dogs 2 via remote play on my Vita at a coffee shop and it just doesn't cut it.

I think this could be the future, and Nintendo certainly seems to have a solid head start.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Funnily enough, getting wireless VR right in turn opens up better remote play.

 

[Vinc]

PS4 already has hardware dedicated to it natively, and eceryone already has a device capable of remotely playing PS4.

 

[SolidChamp]

PS4 already has hardware dedicated to it natively, and eceryone already has a device capable of remotely playing PS4.

Sort of misses the point of what I was saying, no? It's a terribly inconsistent experience.

I'm talking about a SEAMLESS integration of remote play.

 

[xxracerxx]

Wouldn't mind them working on remote play via laptop/phone/etc, but a tablet that goes with the PS5? No thanks.

 

[LegitMcfalls]

For ps5 remote play to work better, sony needs a better handheld then the vita. And thats not going to happen. Even the scale back of psnow makes any kind of remote play for the future look bleak.

Edit: Sony has the best home entertainment unit in the world. Double down on that experience rather then try to compete with nintendo and smart phones who control the handheld market.

 

[erawsd]

I doubt it can happen without dedicated hardware, I think Sony should let Nintendo have its portable niche and focus on moving the industry forward by other means.

 

[McSpidey]

They already do it in hardware. The only thing that lets down remote-play is the quality of most folks internet.

What stops all remote-play type technologies from ever reaching parity with Nintendo Switch's approach is latency, which is bound by the physics of distance. Maybe universe 2.0 will fix that.

 

[Vinc]

Sort of misses the point of what I was saying, no? It's a terribly inconsistent experience.

I'm talking about a SEAMLESS integration of remote play.

It already IS that. That is as good as it gets via wifi. Otherwise it has to play games locally, so the console has to be a hybrid like the Switch. It doesn't get any more "native" than PS4 in terms of remote play.

 

[Skyfireblaze]

For ps5 remote play to work better, sony needs a better handheld then the vita. And thats not going to happen. Even the scale back of psnow makes any kind of remote play for the future look bleak

Sony could simply double-down on Remote Play with the PS5 and then just make it available for every Android and iOS device, aswell as Windows, macOS and Linux, they are already halfway there.

 

[Branduil]

I mean, the way to get "perfect" remote play is to make a Switch. People who are after that kind of experience will probably buy the hardware dedicated to that concept. Sony's market is the high-end console market and there's really no reason for them to abandon that, which means that any attempt at a handheld companion would inherently be compromised. I'm sure they could improve it from the Vita, but it likely wouldn't sell well at all.

 

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Honestly I don't think your idea is feasible. It's Nintendo Switch or bust at this point.

 

[jroc74]

Sort of misses the point of what I was saying, no? It's a terribly inconsistent experience.

I'm talking about a SEAMLESS integration of remote play.

But I don't think it's because of the Vita. Better wireless hardware maybe?

IMO the only way Sony could do what you ask is to do a Wii U gamepad size controller.

Other than that, yea they already have a device that does this...

 

[truth411]

It already IS that. That is as good as it gets via wifi. Otherwise it has to play games locally, so the console has to be a hybrid like the Switch. It doesn't get any more "native" than PS4 in terms of remote play.

Exactly, alot depends on your internet connection/Speed. Especially upload speeds.

 

[Spaced Harrier]

You're high, and it is hardware based.

And Jesus compare it to Wii U not the fucking switch.

 

[SolidChamp]

Some good points being raised here.

You're high, and it is hardware based.

And Jesus compare it to Wii U not the fucking switch.

Along with some snark.

 

[120v]

i'm pretty certain the next gen of sony software will include some form of remote play. whether its a streaming device, or what's essentially a mini ps4 (which, i know isn't technically feasible, but not too far off in a broad sense), maybe even a rebranded vita of sorts that's pretty much a PS Now device

either way, i'm pretty sure of it

 

[FlutterPuffs]

It already IS that. That is as good as it gets via wifi. Otherwise it has to play games locally, so the console has to be a hybrid like the Switch. It doesn't get any more "native" than PS4 in terms of remote play.

Yeah. Not sure what the OP is about when it's already a hardware feature.

 

[SolidChamp]

Yeah. Not sure what the OP is about when it's already a hardware feature.

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

 

[Vinc]

For ps5 remote play to work better, sony needs a better handheld then the vita. And thats not going to happen. Even the scale back of psnow makes any kind of remote play for the future look bleak.

Edit: Sony has the best home entertainment unit in the world. Double down on that experience rather then try to compete with nintendo and smart phones who control the handheld market.

Agreed. Make the best at-home experience and those who value that over portability will be in their pocket. Nobody makes a better plug and play box for that than they do right now.

 

[wbEMX]

It wouldn't need to be a literal console, in the sense that the Switch is, but something that can cache game data/saved data into its memory (I'm bad with technical shit, so work with me here) for the session/game you're playing. Or, it could simply be something that is engineered to interface with your home console via wifi that can compensate for all of the factors that current makes remote play an utter crapshoot.

Soooooo, you want a Wii U?

 

[LegitMcfalls]

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

Like the wii u?

Spoiler

the ps4U

 

[SolidChamp]

Soooooo, you want a Wii U?

Could you carry a Wii U gamepad outside and keep playing?

 

[xxracerxx]

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

But you don't seem to understand what remote play IS or even how it works.

Do you want a Switch or do you want remote play?

 

[disappeared]

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

That would add way too much to the MSRP.

 

[LegitMcfalls]

Agreed. Make the best at-home experience and those who value that over portability will be in their pocket. Nobody makes a better plug and play box for that than they do right now.

One feature Id like sony to do is have the abilitly to make every tv in the house available to be connected to one ps4. Maybe a small hardware device like a steam link. Not quite remote play but a very simular experience.

 

[SolidChamp]

But you don't seem to understand what remote play IS or even how it works.

Do you want a Switch or do you want remote play?

I thought I made it clear I'd want them to do one or the other, in my post.

Like, either perfect remote play, or create a Switch-like piece of hardware for the console?

I just want my PlayStation games to play seamlessly on the go. Either way works fine for me.

One feature Id like sony to do is have the abilitly to make every tv in the house available to be connected to one ps4. Maybe a small hardware device like a steam link. Not quite remote play but a very simular experience.

Also not a bad idea.

 

[klee123]

For ps5 remote play to work better, sony needs a better handheld then the vita. And thats not going to happen. Even the scale back of psnow makes any kind of remote play for the future look bleak.

Edit: Sony has the best home entertainment unit in the world. Double down on that experience rather then try to compete with nintendo and smart phones who control the handheld market.

Nintendo would be more than happy if Sony thought that.

Reality is that Sony needs to think of the Asian market as well where handhelds is far more popular.

 

[xxracerxx]

I thought I made it clear I'd want them to do one or the other, in my post.

Like, either perfect remote play, or create a Switch-like piece of hardware for the console?

I just want my PlayStation games to play seamlessly on the go. Either way works fine for me.

One would add a huge cost to the initial price and the other relies solely on internet speed.

 

[wbEMX]

Could you carry a Wii U gamepad outside and keep playing?

That concept (not being a literal console that can be used to stream your game to the device) WAS the Wii U Game Pad. First, you'd need perfect Wi-Fi everywhere AND as far as I know, Remote Play only works while you are in your home Wi-fi. Feel free to correct me on that. The only way would be the Switch concept, only as a Sony handheld. Remote Play/streaming while not being at home is out of the question in most countries anyways.

 

[SolidChamp]

One would add a huge cost to the initial price and the other relies solely on internet speed.

I have friends in South Korea who can't get remote play working well enough to justify using it.

That's the country with the world's best internet infrastructure and the fastest speeds known to man.

 

[sinonobu]

Nintendo would be more than happy if Sony thought that.

Reality is that Sony needs to think of the Asian market as well where handhelds is far more popular.

PS4 is actually more popular in Asian countries than Vita.

Recently there's even trend where Vita version of the game doens't get localized while the PS4 version does.

So there's really no reason for them to release another handheld.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

...so basically you want them to include a Vita in every PS5.

That would be too expensive to be honest. Not everyone wants to pay 600 USD for a remote play inside the box.

 

[dracula_x]

Nintendo would be more than happy if Sony thought that.

Reality is that Sony needs to think of the Asian market as well where handhelds is far more popular.

smartphones, not handhelds.

 

[NeOak]

And that's where I get the insane idea that they should redirect what little R&D they had left for the handheld market and devices like the PSP/Vita and look into incorporating a small tablet-like device into the PS5 hardware, or as a separate peripheral. Literally something that can be unplugged from the console and played on the go in a seamless way.

It wouldn't need to be a literal console, in the sense that the Switch is, but something that can cache game data/saved data into its memory (I'm bad with technical shit, so work with me here) for the session/game you're playing. Or, it could simply be something that is engineered to interface with your home console via wifi that can compensate for all of the factors that current makes remote play an utter crapshoot.

You are really bad at technical shit if you even think this is possible. Basically, what you want is a PS5-Lite that can play the games downscaled in a portable setting. With a SOC that is really hot, a big ass battery to run it all and totally small screen.

Cache game data that is in the GBs of memory, it basically would need 64+ GB of RAM in it to store a 50GB BD plus whatevet is the main RAM of the hypothetical PS5.

So you cache save data, creating a duplicate. How do you synch it? What happens if you lose it?

What say you, GAF? Would you like Sony to work on a new generation of remote play support with the PS5? Would you like a first-party piece of hardware that creates a seamless experience? Is it even possible for them to perfect remote play with the existing infrastructure, given that a wide variety of devices with varying capabilities support it, and yet none of them seem to do it on the same level as a Nintendo Switch?

No.

I will be getting a Nintendo Switch this summer, but I was just trying to play Watch Dogs 2 via remote play on my Vita at a coffee shop and it just doesn't cut it.

Because it isn't the same thing. At all.

 

[LegitMcfalls]

Nintendo would be more than happy if Sony thought that.

Reality is that Sony needs to think of the Asian market as well where handhelds is far more popular.

If i was sony id combine the vita with the xperia phone. Im sure the cpu inside the vita can fit easily into a mobile phone and make vita games exclusive to the xperia line.

 

[aadiboy]

What you're talking about is literally the Wii U. It doesn't need to be said why it would be a stupid idea to follow that route, right?

 

[SolidChamp]

...so basically you want them to include a Vita in every PS5.

That would be too expensive to be honest. Not everyone wants to pay 600 USD for a remote play inside the box.

Fair enough. I'm just trying to envision a scenario where remote play is damn-near perfect.

 

[NeOak]

Fair enough. I'm just trying to envision a scenario where remote play is damn-near perfect.

Never happening outside of same room wi-fi.

 

[xenorevlis]

What really needs to happen is simply more devices that handle remote play (all major phones, tablets, smart TVs), QA for these devices, and making sure the PS5 doesn't have shit wi-fi radio like the original PS4 model.

One feature Id like sony to do is have the abilitly to make every tv in the house available to be connected to one ps4. Maybe a small hardware device like a steam link. Not quite remote play but a very simular experience.

They sort of already did this, but went about it the wrong way by using the Vita internals and thus memory card requirement.

I have one, though! $20 on Amazon a while back, but mostly to play Steins;Gate and other Vita games

 

[jroc74]

That concept (not being a literal console that can be used to stream your game to the device) WAS the Wii U Game Pad. First, you'd need perfect Wi-Fi everywhere AND as far as I know, Remote Play only works while you are in your home Wi-fi. Feel free to correct me on that. The only way would be the Switch concept, only as a Sony handheld. Remote Play/streaming while not being at home is out of the question in most countries anyways.

Exactly. What the OP wants is a Wii U gamepad with remote play out the house.

 

[SolidChamp]

You are really bad at technical shit if you even think...

Boy you're not wrong there.

 

[family_guy]

Sort of misses the point of what I was saying, no? It's a terribly inconsistent experience.

I'm talking about a SEAMLESS integration of remote play.

Best you can get is something like the Wii U which would be limited to the home.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

Fair enough. I'm just trying to envision a scenario where remote play is damn-near perfect.

Latency is always a problem. Maybe in a decade or more.

 

[xxracerxx]

I have friends in South Korea who can't get remote play working well enough to justify using it.

That's the country with the world's best internet infrastructure and the fastest speeds known to man.

I know people who live in the internet itself and use remote play just fine.

Haha

 

[Skiesofwonder]

Is there any reason why Sony couldn't get remote play working on Smartphones/Tablets? Because that seems like the obvious evolution of PS4/Vita remote play for next-gen instead of Sony investing into a whole new handheld.

The PS5 just needs to come with a DS5 capable of connecting to your mobile device via Bluetooth and BAM you got yourself some tabletop remote play.

 

[Gearless]

To be honest, I like it when Sony focuses on one thing at a time. I truly believe that the handheld platform wasn't for them.

 

[Gaardus]

Fair enough. I'm just trying to envision a scenario where remote play is damn-near perfect.

There's no getting around the fact that you're streaming live video and button inputs over wifi or LTE. There's literally nothing Sony can do about that latency.

 

[Vinc]

I mean, a physical piece of hardware that comes with the console.

That piece of hardware would only add to the price of the console while also being worse than what you likely already have (PC, laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc). Doing that would essentially turn it into Wii U 2.0 with a wi-fi chip in the gamepad.

I don't think it would be a smart decision at all. Less processing power than any modern smartphone would also ensure that remote play isn't as good as it currently is on PS4. The latency issue comes from the fact that the internet generally has too much latency for gaming via a video stream. It's the same reason PS Now isn't ideal. We may get there one day, but we aren't there right now and no hardware solution can do anything about it. The Switch is an entirely different situation because you're playing games locally on it.

I think Nintendo is in a unique position where hardware like the Switch makes perfect sense for them. They can (arguably- as I'm not convinced yet myself) sustain a platform with their own first-party software, and their software is generally fairly pick-up and play in nature, which fits a handheld quite well. Big console games like Sony's or major third party publishers' don't really fit handhelds or hybrids, so I don't think going that route would be smart for Sony either, unless the industry at large undergoes a major transformation that would probably be decades away at this point.

I think Sony is much more likely to keep focusing on the fight for the living room and expanding their focus on the mobile space with supplementary experiences that keep people in the ecosystem without necessarily enabling customers to play optimally on the go. I'm sure they'll be more than ready to offer the experience once the internet catches up to their ideas, though. They're clearly ahead of the curve when it comes to remote play and game streaming.

 

[family_guy]

Is there any reason why Sony couldn't get remote play working on Smartphones/Tablets? Because that seems like the obvious evolution of PS4/Vita remote play for next-gen instead of Sony investing into a whole new handheld.

The PS5 just needs to come with a DS5 capable of connecting to your mobile device via Bluetooth and BAM you got yourself some tabletop remote play.

They already did that. You just need a Sony phone or tablet.