For budget players, there are few better ways to find games than in game search services PlayStation Now and Xbox Game Pass. Each service costs $ 60 per year or $ 10 per month and provides access to a large gaming library. Three blockbusters and indie comedians both come from these services in some quantities, but old games go faster when newcomers arrive.
Earlier this week, for example, Sony announced a host of new PlayStation games now including Photo by Tomb Raider and Control. Both games are available for streaming or download until August 31st. But before those leave the ministry, Weather: Zero Dawn and Excluded: Lost Legacy will depart April 7.
On Xbox, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Shenmue I & II leave the Xbox Game Pass within the next two weeks. They will follow Photo by Tomb Raider, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, again Disadvantages of Living 4 the door.
The best way to play an Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Now game is to download and download it again before the expiry date. But that is not always possible. And, anyway, suppose you read it Weather: Zero Dawn the day before it left the app. Is it worth downloading then? How do these download functions work, really?
No surprise. We've covered the relevant details, and here, clear any questions you may have about the game downloads on the Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Now.
What happens when the game leaves the Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Now?
If a game leaves the Xbox Game Pass library, you will no longer be able to play it, even if downloaded from your console. You still have your game saved, too, and you can continue with it by purchasing a copy of the game by downloading or installing the disc. Xbox Game Pass members can purchase digital copies of what Microsoft calls a "Great" A 10 percent discount on new titles and 20 percent on anything that has been out for more than three months.
Similarly, when a game leaves the PlayStation Now library, you'll need a disc or a downloaded copy to continue playing. PlayStation Now members do not receive special discounts, even though PSPS members may be dependent on the game.
Downloading games on Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Now is different from the free downloads you can get with Xbox Live or PS Plus. For those premium memberships, you have a set time to download the games, but once you do, it's yours to save as long as you keep the Xbox Live or PS Plus memberships. With both game-seeking services, when the games are over, they are gone.
Can you play downloaded Xbox Game Pass games while offline?
We're talking about services that require an internet connection to work, so it makes sense to ask yourself if you need to communicate or Internet regularly or not. Are these titles protected by some kind of hidden code or DRM that does not appear to prevent offline playback? In that case, if Time Warner has time in your area, are you closed without playing any downloaded games? Who needs the internet to hunt bounties on Author 3? It doesn't make sense!
The short of it is, yes, you can play Game Pass offline. But you'll first need to designate the Xbox you're playing as your "Home Xbox", which requires a deep dive into the arcane subcaneus network of the console.
Here's how to do it: Press the Xbox button. Scroll to the Edit tab. Open settings. Under the General Page, go to the Personal Details section. After that, scroll down to My Xbox Home. Select "Make this my Home Xbox." (You can do this up to five times per year per account.)
Doing this will allow you to play any downloaded Xbox Game Pass games offline, as long as you're not trying to record one of those games that requires endless internet connection. Xbox Live forces you to sign in every 30 days and confirm your Game Pass account status to continue playing any downloaded games.
Can you play downloaded PlayStation games Now offline?
Gaming downloads are more sophisticated on PlayStation Now. While Game Pass forces you to directly download games, that's not mandatory on PlayStation Now. In fact, it's kind of the main draw of the service: You can stream any game in the PlayStation Now library, but you can only download a portion of them.
If possible, you should download the games. PlayStation Now streams games at 720p, which doesn't really make for a great visual – like The journey, Weather: Zero Dawn, anything with a Naughty Dog download screen – any justice. Downloading games puts them in Crystal clear 1080p and prevents image hiccups that are close to digital construction art.
Broadcasting, Sony compliments download speed 5 to 12 mbps. We tested the stream of games on PlayStation Now with a download speed of 13 mbps and still see occasional clear reliability.
And yes, you can play downloaded games offline, as long as they don't require endless internet connection. However, PlayStation Now forces you to sign in every seven days and verify your account status to continue playing any downloaded games.
What is the agreement with PlayStation Now save data?
Depending on whether you were streaming or downloading. The stored stored data is tied to your PlayStation Now account, which means it will follow you wherever you stream. Download data backup stays locally on your PS4. You may not use downloaded game archive download data or downloaded game streaming data. That means you can turn five hours into a good game (say, Last to Us), love, you know it's worth downloading this fantastic 1080p, downloading it, and getting it back to the beginning.
That said, PS Plus members can avoid this by using the PS Plus online storage options.
First, start streaming the game you want to download. When the game is downloaded, press the PlayStation button and scroll down to Application Saved Application Management. From there, open the "data stored in PS Now" submenu and hit "copy in online storage," which should have the PS Plus icon next to it. Select any final data you want to upload, then touch the copy button.
After that, download the game. When the game is downloaded, hover over its PS4 menu. Hit the Options button and select Upload / Download Saved data. Under "Online Storage" (right column), you should see your backup file from the streaming game. Select "select then download" and download. When you start the downloaded game, you'll be able to continue where you left off.
This whole process also works with back-to-back, should you want to use to save data from downloaded games. It may sound silly – why would you want to downplay the graphics? -But it is a good choice to remember those moments when you really, really need to clear storage. It is also useful if you want to play a single backup file on multiple routes.
Bottom Line
Don't drag your feet before exploring a game you might enjoy on Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Now. Space Weather: Zero Dawn on April 6, and you may not finish downloading all 50 GB of it before the start of April 7. You certainly won't beat it in time. (It's a 60-hour game.)
Here's our recommendation: When the game is about to leave one of these services, check out the day and take a week. Has that day ever happened? If not, download it from afar! That will give you enough time to play the game, or at least see what it is. Once the revised date has passed, however, it is not worth the time – or hard drive space – needed to download it.
Most wanted in sports:
Correction, 3:09 p.m .: The story originally incorrectly described the date when the latest PlayStation Games would now leave service; due date is August 31. Kotaku he regrets the mistake.
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