The PlayStation 4 offers its users the feature of Remote Play, i.e. the ability to play their favorite PlayStation games on a new-gen console or a mobile or remote device. This feature works in a way similar to cloud gaming, the best example for which may be NVidia’s game called SHIELD which allows players to play PC games on a hand held device. All that is required is for the game to be loaded in the PlayStation hard drive and Remote Play’s screen mirroring technique would send the video of the game or user interface over to the hand held device, allowing the players to control the menu system and other features of the console without actually sitting in front of a TV.
Earlier, the PS Vita was the only available option to access the Remote Play mechanism. But recently, this app arrived in the Google Play Store from which it can be downloaded to your Xperia phone which instantly turns your phone into a gaming console for the PlayStation.
Sadly, however, Sony has chosen to make the Remote Play app compatible with only Xperia Z3 for now which is the latest model in the Xperia series. Emirates 24/7, a Dubai Media news group, have reported that Sony has promised its Xperia Z2 users that the Remote Play would be made compatible for their devices too in the coming months. However, it remains a fact that Xperia Z1 users are in for a big disappointment. In spite of the Z1 model being a fairly new one, since it hasn’t been on the market for more than a year, Sony has not made the Remote App along with its Compact and Ultra counterparts, compatible with the Z1.
Sony has also issued a statement that the Remote Play app is also not compatible with any other android device apart from the Xperia Z3 for now and Z2 later. Neither does it intend to make it compatible with the devices of any other company except the Xperia series manufactured by Sony itself. This comes as a big shock for the iOS users who might have been looking forward to enjoying the PlayStation gaming experience on their non-Xperia mobile devices. The only way around this seems to be to buy an Xperia Z3 which can cause a dent in the pocket. Alternatively, one can also check out the PlayStation Vita which is a popular remote gaming device as well as the PlayStation TV which are due to enter the market soon.
Meanwhile, the Xperia Z3 users can start taking advantage of their device’s compatibility with the Remote Play app to enhance their gaming experience. As per the official description of the app on the Play Store page, all that is required to run it successfully is a strong internet connection, the latest PS4 update, a DualShock 4 controller and a Sony Entertainment Account. A fast internet connection is an absolute must since the game may not run smoothly otherwise. Also, not all PlayStation games can be played via the Remote App.