Sony PlayStation 5 Will Have Optional Remote, Apps for Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Apple TV and More
UPDATED: PlayStation 5, Sony’s next-generation console, will have a solid batch of entertainment apps when it ships next month — and a dedicated remote control.
Set to ship starting Nov. 12, the PS5’s initial lineup will include apps for Apple TV, Disney Plus, Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Twitch, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, WarnerMedia’s Crunchyroll anime service and Canal Plus’ MyCanal. Services absent from the PlayStation 5 for now include HBO Max (which is still trying to forge deals with Amazon Fire TV and Roku).
At launch, PS5 console owners will have to option to purchase new Media Remote (sold separately for $30) to navigate and control the entertainment experience on PS5. The remote features dedicated launch buttons for Disney Plus, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube. Users can power on the PS5 console and quickly navigate media with built-in play/pause, fast forward and fast reverse controls. The remote also lets users adjust volume and power settings on compatible TVs.
Note that to access the entertainment apps on PS5, users must have an active account for PlayStation Network.
The PlayStation 5 — Sony Interactive Entertainment’s first new console platform since the PS4 debuted seven years ago — is slated to come out just two days after Microsoft’s own next-generation Xbox consoles are set to ship (Nov. 10). In the big holiday showdown between the two big console makers, Sony and Microsoft are taking different tacks.
Microsoft, for its part, has announced that streaming-media apps to be available on the Xbox Series X and Series S will include those for Netflix, Disney Plus, Amazon Video and Fandango’s Vudu.
Previously, PlayStation owners had to download entertainment apps through PS Store — but with the PS5, those will be located in the console’s Media menu.
“Creating dedicated Game and Media spaces for the PS5 user experience will make it fast and easy to switch between gaming and entertainment content whenever you want,” Phil Rosenberg, Sony Interactive Entertainment SVP and head of global partner development and relations, wrote in a blog post announcing the new features.
The PS5 console also features a new Control Center to make controlling music easier, so you can quickly switch between channels, skip, and pause your music.
The PlayStation 5 is available in two versions: PS5 Digital Edition has a list price of $399.99, while the PS5 with an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive costs $499.99. Games coming to the PS5 include “Final Fantasy XVI,” “Fortnite,” Harry Potter game “Hogwarts Legacy” and a new “God of War” title.
