Sony Announces 'Live TV on PS5', a Free App Launching Today in the US

I would download it but when they announced the digital future, I ditched my PS5 console to avoid having anything physical. I did the same with my TV.

Remember when it used to be about gaming....

@Tasuki me!
I was an early adopter, subscribed for many years and it was amazing! Sad when they shut it down and I transitioned to YouTube Tv

Wait did Sony licence the Xbox One feature set?

@get2sammyb September starts and my wallet be like:

Okay…none of these are bad features, but at the same time, what’s the point? Why would I use my PS5 to watch the television, when I can use the television to watch the television (at probably higher quality).

Is PlayStation going the Xbox One route? With digital only first, now the TV stuff.

I’ve always wanted to channel surf with the DualSense Edge. Hope there’s haptic feedback and trigger effects!

Hopefully it has a better (or more up-to-date) free movie/tv selection than Sony Pictures Core, I always scroll through the 'Included with PS+' list to see how many of the movies I've even heard of and it's never gotten more than ten.

So will this just be another Tubi or Pluto?

Although i do have a xiaomi tv box , switching to it is usually a pain so this might be a decent alternative

So will the UK get this app? "potentially more regions down the line" will that mean Europe, though. I'm all for new media options as Sony movie app that Plus owners got with their subscription was pretty weak to be fair, but this sounds a way better option. Hope we get it in the land of good ol blighty, time will tell I guess!

No, we want dvds.

I was sold when I read Forensic Files, I love watching that in bed every night when we visit the US.

Now please bring the app to the UK

I wonder if they'll use this to bypass YouTube and Twitch for States of Play and Showcases.

It's free so hard to complain about anything here. Obviously, this is a just another tool to keep engagement up and users glued to their PS5.

@wildcat_kickz

No, its a way to sell ads.

@deezcronuts One doesn't rule out the other.

@Tasuki I had it for a few months way back when. This new service reminds me of the free channels that come baked into smart TVs that no one really watches though

This is what they were talking about in that same investor report where they let go of twelve-thousand marketing staff this Summer, they also said they'll be putting an emphasis on YoutubeKids, adverts, and using their gaming I.P.s as much as they can for the big and small screen adaptations. It's on the PS5 because they talked about blending platforms too. That's another reason they are cutting back on marketing, they want an all under one roof system to their content. It's free so good for whoever benefits from the service, I'm all for more people discovering Ice Road Truckers. I like some Axe Men and Big Timber too. I only recently found out that England has TV licenses (which sounds insane) so really take it when you can get it I suppose.

@ShadowRJ not to mention using added power that you dont need - plenty of smart tvs out there nowadays which only use one plug 🤣

I don't have cable TV, so actually, I'm interested to see what this is. I don't ever mess with any of the free channels on my LG TV, but hey, it's a new free feature for some people who may check it out. That's cool.

I'll buy the DVD's thanks

You have to give it to Sony, their executives can be geniuses at times. They know with the boycott, then the super high price of the next system, that they need to find a way to keep their engagement numbers up. This is just them trying to find a way to add to their "look at the average time spent by each user" to their investors even though their numbers are down now with the price hikes and the upcoming cost of the 6. But let a customer have the tv on in the background while they are cleaning or something and they can use that and say "See engagement hasn't dropped at all".

PS5 speedrunning its transition into Xbox One... 🤡

A rare sony W these days. This is cool

I'm waiting for YouTube Music app to be added to the PS5.

Amidst all the controversy surrounding PlayStation, giving us a live TV channel that will likely have ads included is certainly a choice. What are they even doing anymore?

'PlayStation One'

That's fine, but there's already 6 apps that do the same thing on PS5. Personally, I use a Plex app that also receives local channels.

@TheDudeKenobi What they’ve been doing the past roughly 7 years

This comments section is why I am always against free content of any kind.

"Let's end physical media everyone will hate us, let's give them live TV which nobody asked for, we should increase our PS Plus prices but still give them games nobody wants"

Is a cymbal monkey in charge of Playstation right now?

Let's get ppl hooked up to FREE TV ...then we can charge a fee that keeps going up and up

Wait until you start watching ads during gameplay

BBC in the UK are gonna' love this. Own a Playstation console? Now you have to pay the TV licence fee.

I'd rather pick up the VHS releases thanks

Hey! We want to track your every move and intrude on every aspect of your life! Use THIS to watch your TV programs!

• I'm not in the US.
• "Free with ads" is not free - you pay with your dignity. One of the reasons I stopped watching live TV other than football. It would make more sense to make it part of PS+ subscription.
• Operating a streaming service with a controller is an overkill and it's a waste of controller's battery. The PS remote is trash - I regret buying it. And it would randomly turn on the console while on ow battery.

So the answer is no, I won't use this service.

@Quintumply You guys employ anyone in the US to review this? I’m sure Sammy could be there tomorrow, seems like he’s in a different city every day anyway.😂

I’m curious if they let it work with any of the previous remotes they’ve had, I own the Vue discussed earlier. Is the menu viable? Can we save favorites? Is it sorted by genre? I’ll assume no DVR storage.

Curious how those sports channels work. I’ll give it a go just to try it out, but after reading all the articles on here about what an energy hog the phat PS5 is I try no never turn it on. I even turn it off rather than rest thanks to you guys. I’ll report back after lunch.

@Tasuki was just thinking the same thing. I didnt take the bait the first time and I won't take it again this time.

I do my steaming with a Apple TV, no thanks.

Don Mattrick seems to be the secret CEO of SIE. That explains a lot of recent decisions.

@Alps_Stranger I absolutely love your user name and photo. Classic!

Live sports is a very good reason for me to check this out.

I can’t figure out a way to delete the app. I guess it’s another one of those permanent ones we can’t remove. sigh now I need to download a bunch of other media apps I’ll never use just to bury this live tv slop app offscreen.

People can meme this but one of the greatest things about the PS5 is the ability to play 4K UHD Discs, truly, I started buying them for this reason and the difference between them and 4k Streaming is like night and day, so its just another reason to be mad about the PS6 having no disc ability.

@Tasuki I loved PS Vue!

At this rate, Sony will announce XB1's snap feature for PS5 at the SoP.

I really don’t know why consoles do these things. I imagine only 5-10% of users will bother with it.

@Neuromancer Blu-Ray collection?? Who even are you!? You've changed man.

So if this came to the UK would it potentially require a TV license if you use this service.

When it says live TV is it actually live as broadcast or is it more a catch up on demand type service or a mix?

Live as broadcast would need a TV license but catch up on demand wouldn't with a mix just being complicated.

The TV License situation is a right rip off as far as I am concerned and I opted out of paying it years ago. I don't watch live TV anymore on any service nor use BBC iPlayer so I don't need one

However it's something to consider for folks if this does come to our region.

So PlayStation just made Tubi, again

No point in using this as it will be gone in about 2 years or less knowing Sony. Did anyone use their ps plus subscription to watch films? Is that still even going?

Bring back G4!!

@ShadowRJ maybe the console is connected to a monitor... For those few people who have that setup.

@ShadowRJ I mean loads of people don’t have cable anymore so

Not for me, but more options for everyone is always a welcome step!

To me this is great news. I cut the cord from cable and streaming services a while ago, and only watch ota tv. this will give me one extra option (if free). Definitely checking it out tonight.

@get2sammyb they've had media apps since ps3

@gamer153 check out stremio with torrentio.... You won't regret it

Devil's advocate - Is this Sony's way of distracting from the physical/digital disc, blackout, GTA6, and who knows what is happening... Just so odd that this is all happening, and yet it seems that the distraction is truly working
Edit... I cannot forget about the numerous stories of PS5 Pro sales jumping in the wake of the extended trailer for GTA6 on Netflix... just saying... Sony/PlayStation is doing a number on the spin and it truly seems to be working too

@Logonogo I have no idea how cable works in the US. In the UK, you need to pay a TV license to get access to any network television. Might be one of those things that’s more financially useful in some countries more than others.

So my thoughts after spending about 45 minutes with it.

I don’t think it’s actually an app app. It feels more “built in”. When you press the PS button to close an app it isn’t listed. You just click on the lamest icon ever created since Windows 3.1 to see what’s there. Actually you may not even have to click on it, just move to it and it starts showing you stuff maybe?

It rebooted my tv, not the PS5, my tv, after about 3 minutes of use. I think it was loading the software.

I was going to see if my PS Vue remote worked but the batteries are dead I think. Was going to change them but decided the PS5 controller worked well enough. Probably better.

I like L1 and R1 for scrolling through the sections. Which you can also do by just scolling down. R1 is faster though if you know what you don’t want to watch.

Anime has first 16 episodes of Naruto. Had never seen episode 1 before so I learned some things. Also season 1 of Sailer Moon, which did not look like what I expected it to look like.

There is also an On Demand section with some older movies from the 2010s. Can’t imagine how many ads those things must have, but at least with on demand you can watch when you want from the beginning.

It’s 2026, I really don’t understand linear tv in 2026, just make it all on demand. I realize that takes more tech but who’s watching linear tv these days besides news, sports and weather?

I use Haystack News every day. Some on demand clips to catch up then live news channels, mostly Bloomberg but also local and Al Jazeera. That app came with all my TVs.

Honestly I might use a Sony Live TV app on my tv, it worked fairly well, but I’m not turning on my PS5 except for gaming and the extremely rare 4K UHD disc.

@QuantumCipher_69 Almost certainly not. Discussions to get all these licenses and TV deals must’ve taken place AT LEAST before disc’s death sentence was announced.

@GirlVersusGame Education time with ShadowRJ. Yes, we do have to pay TV licenses per household. There is ONE major benefit to this, as because of this payment structure, the BBC aren’t allowed to run ads. You’ll get a trailer or two in between all the programs, but if it’s on the BBC, you can watch it from start to finish without any ads.

@Member_the_game that’s already on Tubi, which has an app on PS5 in the UK.

@Neuromancer what do you mean Pluto channels are trash? You can’t ever watch enough episodes of Mtv catfish and people having 5 years long relationships with guys they have never seen or called.

I love FAST channels because both cable and streaming services have become obscenely expensive.

I just wish Sony would include BBC and Sky News! They’re great sources to have in America for an international perspective and both are free elsewhere.

@Nei It’s almost as if it’s free and you can safely ignore it you don’t like it.

@ShadowRJ I had the same reaction. But: if this works via the PlayStation Portal, then it might be worthwhile for me.

@Rahmus

Oh wow, thank you, I've just downloaded the app directly onto my TV and it works.

It used to be on Netflix but was removed about 5 years ago

Thanks again 😀

WatchStation.

Lmao they really are doing everything they can to turn into 2013’s Xbox…

@Oram77 you mean when the PlayStation 2 became the most popular console ever thanks in large part to it being a great, budget friendly DVD player?

Yeah, I remember.

@Member_the_game no worries, enjoy!

Not likely to use it, but nice touch

@Oram77 Technically you can still use it as a controller, I did.

The Angle button I only got to work while testing Metallica DVDs with it, they were for concerts/live shows.

Finally a use for dust collected media remote I bought at PS5 launch

Wow, Sony going full xboxone launch here

Let me guess, the next console will be named Playstation One and focus on TV, TV, TV.

I would have been interested if not for advertisements being forced into the whole thing. I find any and all ads to be vulgar and make a point to avoid any product or services that I can't block from streaming services.

Welcome to a decade ago..... Xbox One all over again....

Don Matrick would love this

@alienwithin yes, how dare they mention it once instead of thousand times. That would get the attention of people who don't read.

It is crazy to me that people are comparing this announcement to what Xbox did...

@ShadowRJ because there are 95 million PS5's around the world and you're one single person - don't use it or want it, move along.

God, people on this platform cry about anything.

@Jacko11 I wasn't crying about it. I even said that they were all good features. I was simply questioning why anybody would use them. Reading some of the comments, I can see some incredibly niche uses for it, but it still strikes me as a rather odd feature to put so much money into.

No F**KING thank you. Another way to shove ads in my face. Please stop, I'm sure there are 48 better choices for ad based "free TV" all them with far better competence than Sony Entertainment, did y'all see Morbius? Remember Kraven? Want more Venom 2 + 3 on repeat? Stop helping, Sony and just make games and game consoles.

@Czar_Khastik Maybe ditch your phycial body too?

Hours of completely optional free entertainment in this economy. Still there are people that feel the need to complain. Actually incredible.

Zzzzzzzzzz. Nothing but another Pluto TV, Sling TV, Tubi, Roku Channel, TCL Channel, Xumo Play, Google TV Freeplay, Vizio WatchFree+, LG Channels, etc. etc. etc.

Ok a couple of last things.

I got my PDP Cloud remote to work, but not as a “Media Remote” in that section, had to connect it under “Bluetooth; Other Devices”. Not sure it’s any better than the DualShock controller but it does have a volume button and tv power on off which is nice.

Naruto live channel is up to season 2 episode 29 and man that show has got dark. 😂 it’s like they took the characters out of early DB but put them into mid season DBZ.

Ok that’s probably it for Live tv for me, I’ve got better things to do.

@The_Elder
https://www.pushsquare.com/supporter

Dignity included.

@Tasuki i actually tried it out and was going to subscribe when i moved intstead of getting cable then it ended up shutting down.

i checked it out and it looked like what they already offer on their sony tv's except on ps5, a nice bonus feature if you want a free streaming service.