One of the features that went a bit on tiptoe for PS4 , on the occasion of its presentation in full 2014, was the so-called Share Play . To make a simile, a function similar to Remote Play Together on Steam, but with limitations.
And today, April 14, 2021, PS5 rescues that function through the new version of its firmware. An update that also includes compatibility with external storage units , among other new features . But in this guide we are going to focus now on Share Play so you know how to use it.
IN EXTRA LIFE
Remote Play Together: The 17 Best Local Multiplayer Games Up To Four People On Steam That You Can Play Online
What it is for and how it works Share Play
Think of a local multiplayer video game . Those meetings with colleagues are priceless, right? But it is a pity when you discover that one of your favorite games does not have the option to play online with your colleagues or Internet strangers. That’s where remote play comes in.
It arises from the need to alleviate this inconvenience, as in the Hamachi era, which simulated a LAN in the days of Internet cafes with Quake III: Arena , Command & Conquer: Red Alert and countless classics for PC. Share Play, like Remote Play Together , removes that barrier to being able to play online.
Although it has another option, that of sharing the screen so that the other person can simply see how we play, or even that it replaces the controls remotely, its most attractive utility undoubtedly lies in the possibility of playing games online they only have local multiplayer . Now, not everything is so beautiful on Sony consoles if we compare it with Valve’s service: in Share Play the limit is for two people and for one hour of play. Yes, we can only play a 60 minute session before the end of the broadcast.
This entails, logically, having a good signal for our router, otherwise the invited person will suffer the fearsome lag when depending on the quality of the host’s signal: better to be connected by cable than to depend on Wi-Fi .
IN EXTRA LIFE
The best PS3, PSP and Vita games you can download from PlayStation Store
How to activate the Share Play function on PS5
To use Share Play from PS5 , you have to invite the other person to a group. This is done from the “Game Base” of the lower menu, pressing the PlayStation icon from the DualSense. We invite someone connected to the group and that’s it.
From the voice chat menu of that group, we will see several icons, the first one being the one that interests us, the one on the television screen with an arrow below. By clicking there, we will activate the screen sharing function, which is what will ultimately take us to the aforementioned Share Play. We give “Start” and we wait for the guest. We will see all these notices from the notifications , in addition.
As soon as the Share Play broadcast starts, the 60 minute countdown will begin until it ends. It is something that will be shown to us from that group.
When we are notified that the other person is already inside, we can put the game we want, which will automatically appear with us as a guest. This comes in handy for games like TowerFall Ascension , Jamestown + or the most recent Huntdown , to name just a few without online multiplayer.
What if a one-hour game seems insufficient? We start another broadcast again, share a screen with the other person and invite them to play with Share Play again. What are these cuts a nuisance? Yes, but at least there is the option, which we certainly weren’t expecting at this point on PS5 no matter how much room for improvement when it debuted on PS4 so many years ago. Better that than nothing.
And on PS4? This is the process to use Share Play
On PS4 the process is practically identical , as it is also done from a group to which we have invited another person. Now, we also have the option of older adults to do it directly from the SHARE button of the DualShock 4.
If we display its menu (instead of pressing to capture the screen or record video), we will see an option to use the aforementioned Share Play, suddenly showing the three possible options: Share screen, The guest plays in your place and Play with him invited. Emphasize, yes, that for the last two options it is an essential requirement to be subscribed to PlayStation Plus , as in PS5.
Sony recommends at least an Internet connection with a speed of at least 2 Mbps, although if we want it to be more fluid at 30 fps and 1080p , it will be necessary to reach 15 Mbps. After all, we are broadcasting our own screen with the another person, hence the drop in quality and that depends so much on the stability of our connection. Very far from the quality of Steam , yes.
