Sony’s coming closer to delivering on one of their PS4 promises and, soon, you’ll be able to virtually hand off the games in your PS4 library to your friends.
The upcoming 2.0 system update for the PS4 will introduce the SharePlay feature, which will let users share the same game experience over the web:
The best way to think about Share Play is like a “virtual couch”. PlayStation 4 will create an online local co-op experience by allowing you to invite a friend to join your game—even when they don’t own a copy of it. With this first-of-its-kind feature, you’ll be able to play games with a friend just as if you were together in the same room. Let’s say that with games… you’ll be able to invite your friend online to play against the Miami Heat for the championship as the San Antonio Spurs in NBA2K, tackle the challenging Towerfall Ascension Quest Mode together, or aide, heal, and protect you as Igniculus in Child of Light’s local co-op mode.
With Share Play, you can even jump into a game to assist a friend. For example, if there is part of a game that you can’t quite finish, you can invite a friend to take over your controls. Like handing over the controller to a friend on your couch, your screen will be shared as your friend gets through the part of the game that has been giving you trouble—can’t get past that part in The Last of Us: Remastered when you’re hanging upside down? Get a little help.
Share Play will be coming to PS4 as part of the upcoming system software update v2.00, scheduled for release this fall. The update will also add highly requested broadcast and video share features, including both uploading you game play footage and dedicated app support for YouTube, which we mentioned on stage at E3. Finally, What’s New will get enhanced real-time activity through friend-of-friend suggestions, allowing instant access to friends’ and recently played games’ broadcasts, and a real name search function will also be added. More features to come when v2.00 is made available this fall, and we will have more to announce in the coming months.
You can read a previous mention of the SharePlay feature (before it was called that) right here:
So we’ve asked ourselves, “how can we improve the spectating experience?” First, what we’re using is that Share button on the PlayStation 4 controller. With that one button, you can broadcast, from your game, live, 100% real-time to your friends. (…) Your friends can actually look over your shoulder virtually and interact with you while you’re playing; and if you allow them, your friends can also post comments to your screen; you can solicit support from them, or you can just trash-talk with them. (…) You can ask your friend on the internet who’s finished that game, to take over your controller and assist. We’re building this capability into the PS4 and the PlayStation Network.
Comments
46 responses to “New PS4 Update Will Let Your Friends Play Your Games Without Owning Them”
Great. Now I just need a friend with a PS4…. :'(
(PSN: Julex) 😉
I just need a friend :~(
PSN: Steed1080
Hit me up, always keen for meeting new people, I’m friendly, not into rage quitting or abusing. just like a good fun time
(sounds like a dating profile I know)
But do you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain?
Yes, but only at a bar called O’Malleys where we can plan our escape !
I reckon a bunch of like-minded people from Kotaku AU will be pepping up some regular online contact when Destiny launches (PS and Xbox). Go and join the gang on Bungie.net.
http://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Detail/100780
Sweet count me in. Cheers for the heads up.
Do you like pina coladas? And getting caught in the rain?
Yes, but im not into yoga, and I have half a brain !
PSN: Zambayoshi
I’m quite friendly 🙂
digitalchet.
I am a Meat Popsicle
Ooh Ooh! I Have a PS4!
PSN: thabananaman
OMG, a friend auction!
My PSN is boring, it’s Matt_3D
I like stuff.
What’s the reserve price, I need to speak to my accountant and bank first to see if im in with a chance
I come cheap. I’ve had my PS3 for 3 or 4 years and my PS4 since Feb and I think I have about 5 friends on there…most of them random haha.
I can offer a playing card with some peanut butter on it !
i’ll send you a request tonight, so you can add another random to the list.
I had a PS3 and PS4 since launch also, and only got maybe 10 friends on PSN (3 real life mates and other random peeps). so I wouldn’t feel bad about it, I think there will be a few of us in the same position. Maybe we can use this article to help us all link up to enjoy the goodness that is gaming together.
If I can get on before my wife starts watching Wonderland tonight, I’ll add you to my list.
Ahhh the dreaded Wonderland!!
Although between that and the Bachelor they manage to keep my partner happy and occupied, Wednesday is becoming my favourite night of the week. Games nights for me !
Feel free to add me ^_^ Youngsterguy41
Great, now we just need friends with NBN :p
So streaming games doesn’t work properly but this will?
Or will you have to download the game but only have access to it when you get invited by someone who owns it?
It just won’t work at all. I don’t think MS/Sony realise how Internet works.
It’d be interesting to see how it’s implemented. There’s a big difference, well differences, between Internet broadcasting (1 to many) and a remote (1 to 1) connection.
JmuHsn & Jimu_Hsien
Virtual couch sounds like a great idea to me, unless they do something like time-limit the co-op sessions effectively turning the experience into a multiplayer demo.
I just don’t see how this will work.
I’ve tried watching some of the “Live From PlayStation” streams on PS4 and they’re barely watchable, let alone playable.
Maybe it’ll be better in parts of the world with decent internet.
If this works properly (and on the limited internet we have in Aus) then I’ll be a happy gamer.
PSN: TUIZNEW
In theory: sounds amazing
In practice: probably won’t work.
That being said, if they can get this working as intended props to sony. Just a shame there isn’t any games out for it yet… :}
This whole thing makes me think of:
Zoidberg: One ship is left only.
Leela: Come on, Fry! Get it!
Fry: It’s moving too fast! Oh, I could never get the last one. My brother always got it for me.
Just bought my PS4 but have zero friends…
add me..
PSN: MegiKill
Will do man (im assuming you’re a man, if not disregard and apologies). Either way I’ll send you a request tonight.
Especially if you’re not a man *tips fedora*
i have two friends with ps4s, neither having any games other than bf4, looking forwards to expanding their horizons… all i just hope this can be utilized with the AC:Unity in game co-op instead of just a random drop in
psn: KramerWolf89
PSN: gabriel_loki
I am quite keen to try this share stuff out. Also I never record video due to the size of the HDD and I do play heaps of games but now that we can get them off onto external HDDs then I will start playing around with that too.
I expect to get sooo many requests from people asking me to complete some Trials tracks for them 🙂
That can be the new benchmark.
Inferno
No bike
No faults
Peer to peer streaming the video on 1080p using Australian internet (or anyone’s internet for that matter).
I’ll buy you a case of beer if you can pull it off.
Hey Shady can you like finish a few tracks for me………….i.ve already done up to the first checkpoint on the first level……I just need you to finish the rest for me (lol)
It’s wonderful how Sony seems to think that the entire planet has access to some kind of super-high speed flawless internet so that it can implement plans that in reality will be only slightly shit for 99%+ of the planet.
I also love how fairly the games community tends to react to these kinds of plans.
MS: “We want your console to ping a server once every few hours”.
The internet “BUT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE IN THE ARMY!? WHAT ABOUT WHEN I NEED TO PLAY MY CONSOLE AT MY GRANDMA’S FARM IN ALASKA?! YOU GREEDY BASTARDS!”
Sony: “You guys have internet that can stream games lag free in real time right?”.
The internet: “Oh for sure!”
Sony: “You guys don’t mind if we charge you by the hour to stream games that are already linked to your PS account right?”
The internet: “Nah, that’s fine.”
Sony: “Are you sure? Because we could use all the time we’re wasting developing these things working on a practical solution to the lack of backwards compatibility…. You know, one that will actually work for you but won’t allow us to charge you through the ass for a time limited service?”
The internet: “No seriously, we love 1080p streaming of interactive games. It’s a great idea.”
Ok that’s a bit ridiculous (I know a lot of people think it’s as stupid as I do) but it’s not entirely inaccurate.
So you’re pissed that Sony hasn’t given the world free awesome internet? Is that what you’re saying?
I hadn’t thought of that. The Aussie NBN was going to cost what, $20-25 billion? I’d bet that for a couple of trillion bucks Sony could roll out the infrastructure needed to make their plans work for the majority of the planet.
How many people can comfortably stream in 780p with ZERO buffering? Let alone 1080p?
That would be approximately fuck all.
That’s without considering that even if the image was steaming at a ridiculous rate (a HD image streaming at the equivalent of a ping of 50 would be CRAZY and you’re at least doubling that by the time your reaction to the image is also streamed back to the server) most single player games are still going to be awful to play with lag. Take Fatshady’s example above- how many Trials tracks would be possible with screen AND controller input lag?
That’s without considering what these things will do to people’s download caps.
Honestly this sharing plan doesn’t annoy me outside of the idea that it’s not going to get used very often. It’s stupid, it won’t work well if at all, but who cares outside of the development time Sony are wasting on it it’s just novel gimmick?
Using streaming for Backwards Compatibility annoys me though, because Sony could easily create on-board emulation and give people free (or cheap) access to the titles that are already linked to their accounts. The streaming solution for BC is being done entirely so that they can create a walled-garden where they can charge the shit out of their customers for things they already own. It’s some low-ass shit to do to their customers, it’s EA levels of asshole behaviour and Sony fans should be throwing the kind of hissy fit that made MS drop their always-on plans.
PSN: Zetrox2k
\o/
Oh oh oh.. PSN: FelixDeSouze
I don’t know who you are, but get off my lawn!
Anyone feel free to add me TheKula
Love video games but none if my mates do
Hey all, this has turned into a pretty awesome thread. Seems there’s a few of us who are a bit light on real life friends to game with (I got friends but they either don’t game or have families now to keep them busy), I’ll be adding all of you tonight. don’t worry I wont be offended if you don’t accept, I do kinda smell a bit.
Now i’mma let you finish, but this is the best thread of all time….OF ALLLLL TIIIIIIIME !!
I thought they were fighting piracy.
I’m keen for more gaming friends 🙂
psn : lakitu77
Wii u : grayfee
Cheers kotaku au
“The first of its kind”… Pretty sure this was a feature of the original DS.