Cloud gaming isn’t new anymore. We’re well past the “early adopter” phase, and the idea of streaming games instead of downloading massive installs should be one of the most convenient evolutions in modern gaming. On paper, PlayStation Plus Premium should be a no-brainer: jump into games instantly, save hard drive space, and bounce between titles without waiting hours for downloads.
In reality, using PlayStation’s game streaming services in 2025 still feels like a gamble, and not a fun one.
I’ve used cloud gaming elsewhere. This isn’t a “me” problem
Before anyone jumps to the usual conclusions, let’s get this out of the way early: cloud gaming works elsewhere.
I’ve used Xbox Game Pass streaming on PC, mobile, and tablet without issue. Input feels responsive. Sessions are stable. Games don’t randomly close themselves mid-play. I’ve also spent time with Amazon Luna on Fire TV devices and, despite one unfortunate incident involving a flying remote and a shattered screen, the service itself worked… fine.
Even GeForce NOW, which I haven’t fully committed to yet, has a reputation built almost entirely on how well it performs, not how forgiving it needs users to be.
So when PlayStation streaming struggles, it’s not because cloud gaming is impossible. It’s because Sony’s implementation is still fundamentally flawed.
This happens across the catalogue, not just “big” games
One of the most frustrating parts of PlayStation streaming is that the problems aren’t limited to demanding modern games.
Yes, I’ve tried larger, more intensive titles like Fallout 4 and Still Wakes the Deep, where you might reasonably expect streaming to be pushed a little harder. But I’ve also dipped into much smaller, far less demanding games from the Classics Catalogue, things like Order Up and Dino Crisis.
And the result is exactly the same.
- The same stiffness in movement.
- The same slight delay in input.
- The same random disconnects.
- The same “poor connection quality” message appears when the stream collapses.
If even relatively lightweight PS1-era games can’t be streamed reliably, it becomes very hard to argue that this is a performance or hardware limitation. This feels systemic.
Streaming on PS Plus feels stiff, delayed, and unreliable
Even on a “good” day, PlayStation streaming never quite feels right. Movement lacks fluidity. Steering in racing games feels slightly off. Aiming in shooters doesn’t snap the way it should. It’s subtle, but constant, the kind of stiffness that reminds you every few seconds that you’re not really in control.
And that’s when things are working.
Then there are the crashes. The sudden disconnects. The moment where a game freezes, stutters, and then boots you back to the dashboard with a message blaming your internet connection.
Which would be fine… if it were true.
“Poor connection quality” — Except it isn’t
After being kicked out of a streamed game, PlayStation helpfully suggests you disconnect other devices from your network. So naturally, you run a connection test.
And what does it say?
- Streaming Quality: Excellent
- Maximum Resolution: 2160p
- Signal Strength: Strong
- Latency: 7ms (1ms local)
- Jitter: 2ms
- Download Speed: 40+ Mbps
- Upload Speed: 5 Mbps
This is on a 500Mbps FTTP connection, tested both wired and over Wi-Fi. No downloads running. No congestion. No suspicious spikes.
Yet the game just crashed. Progress lost. Session closed.
At that point, Sony isn’t diagnosing a problem; it’s deflecting responsibility.
Losing progress is the real killer
Lag is annoying. Visual artefacts are irritating. But the moment a service causes you to lose progress, that’s when frustration turns into outright anger.
You can’t “wait it out” because the stream doesn’t recover. You can’t reconnect because the session has already been terminated. You just get told to try again later, as if the last hour of gameplay never happened.
That’s not a minor inconvenience; that’s a deal-breaker.
Storage is exactly why streaming should matter
The irony here is that streaming should be PlayStation’s secret weapon.
Modern games are enormous. It’s not unusual for a single title to demand 100–150GB of space. Even with an expanded SSD, you’re constantly juggling installs, deleting games you might return to later just to make room for something new.
Streaming should solve this. Instead, it feels like the least reliable way to experience the service you’re paying the most for.
So why is PlayStation Plus Premium so expensive?
This is where it really stings.
PlayStation Plus Premium is positioned as a premium tier, a collection of benefits that justify a higher price point. But if one of its headline features is inconsistent, unstable, and prone to blaming users for issues it can’t explain, then what exactly are we paying for?
It’s hard to defend the value proposition when a core feature simply isn’t fit for purpose.
The worst part? I keep giving it another chance
Every few months, I try again. Maybe something’s improved. Maybe Sony’s quietly fixed things. Maybe this time it’ll be different.
And every time, it ends the same way.
More frustration.
More disappointment.
Another rage quit that could’ve been avoided.
At some point, that’s on me. But it shouldn’t have to be.
Cloud gaming deserves better than this
Cloud gaming isn’t the future anymore, it’s the present. Other platforms have proven that it can be smooth, responsive, and reliable when done properly.
PlayStation streaming still feels like a half-measure. A feature that exists because it has to, not because Sony is fully committed to making it great.
Until that changes, PlayStation Plus streaming will remain something I want to love… but can’t trust.
And that’s the most frustrating part of all.
Got your own thoughts on streaming games on your PlayStation or cloud gaming in general? Let us know in the comments. Just want to check out more rants from us and other opinion pieces? Then click right here.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy anything through them, it can help us to earn a commission to keep the site running. You don’t have to use them, though, but thanks in advance if you do.
