We don't need to tell you that all this coronavirus stuff sucks. Of course it does. Businesses are forced to adapt or close, travel has all but ceased, and most people are confined to their own homes as the world copes with the pandemic. It's all happened rather quickly, and there's no clear answer as to when (or if) things will return to normal. Worst of all, everyone's bored stiff.

Many are turning to video games for entertainment while national lockdowns are in place, and they're of course a great way to pass the time. We know full well that PlayStation 4 offers a huge variety of games catering to all tastes. Even if you're feeling the pinch, Sony has provided two titles free of charge to keep players going. The trouble is, local multiplayer games are pretty much a write-off, as is the shared experience of enjoying a single player outing with others. Except, actually, they're not.

Share Play is a thing that exists. If you've forgotten, or didn't know in the first place, Share Play is a feature that's been on PS4 for many years that allows you to play games with buddies online on a "virtual sofa", as Sony puts it. In other words, a friend can hop online to watch your gameplay live, take over control in single player titles, or join you in local multiplayer -- even if they don't own the game themselves. Through the use of this feature, you can effectively enjoy couch co-op or other local gameplay. You might be physically separated from your gaming pals, but with this nifty tech, there's nothing stopping you playing together.

Share Play sessions are limited to 60 minutes, but you can partake in as many as you like, and it's easy enough to set up. While you're playing a game, just hit the Share button to access the Share menu, and find the option for Share Play. Once it starts up and your invited friend is in, you'll both see the host's screen. From there, you're able to hand over control or have your chum join in for some multiplayer shenanigans. The only real restriction is that you both need PS Plus to get the most out of the service. For a more detailed breakdown on how to use Share Play on PS4, follow the link to our guide.

Some of you may well be using Share Play already, but we dare say most aren't. It's not going to solve the world's problems, but hopefully by drawing some attention to it, the feature can alleviate some boredom and reunite you with your buddies.

Have you been using PS4's Share Play feature during all this? Will you be giving it a try, and which games will you be playing? Tell us in the comments below.