The PlayStation 4’s latest update, codenamed “Masamune,” adds a major feature, Share Play, to the console today. PlayStation Plus members can now share their games over PSN with friends that don’t own a copy (and aren’t necessarily PS Plus subscribers themselves unless both are playing), hosting one-hour play sessions at a time. As a Sony rep confirmed to Video Gamer, Share Play sessions are capped at 720p and will “have a limited frame rate” for friends partaking in the action, while those hosting the game will still see 1080p games on their screens at the full resolution.
SCEE product planning manager Kazuhiro Yanase said that while Share Play “doesn’t require any super-fast broadband,” the company won’t disclose recommended upload and download speeds for those looking to share games sessions with friends over PSN. “The internet environment is really different user by user. For example, some users will be using a LAN cable, some users will be using Wi-Fi, sometimes you use the microwave in your house,” Yanase told Video Gamer. “It’s very difficult for us to guarantee you can use Share Play if you have [a certain] speed.”
Today’s update also adds the ability to play music from a USB device with support for MP3 and AAC file types. The Masamune update introduces YouTube as an option for gameplay clip uploading as well as home screen themes. We’ve reached out to Sony to confirm the Share Play restrictions and will update as we learn more.
