How to play PS4 games on a PC without PS4? Using PS Now

Some of the PlayStation games are being ported to PC so that you can enjoy the latest and greatest game on your new gaming PC. There are still some PlayStation exclusives that are only available on the consoles, so you might be wondering: is there any way to play PS4 games on a PC without PS4; we believe that you are in luck today.

To Play PS4 games on a PC without a PS4, you require the following things:

An active PS Now subscription or a seven-day free trial of the same.
Windows PC.
A Dualshock 4 wireless controller (with USB cable).
A PlayStation Network account with registered payment details.
An active broadband connection. 5mbps or higher is recommended.

Using Playstation Now service, you can stream PS4, PS3, and PS2 games instantly on a PC. PlayStation Now enables you to choose your favorite game from thousands of titles offered under the service. Using the subscription service, you will be able to play those PS4 games directly on your PC, but there are some caveats associated with this subscription service. Let us look into the service details, how much it costs, recommended PC specs, and is the service worth the subscription.

First, let’s check out in detail all the things that you require to play games on your PC using Playstation Now without a PS4:

An active PS Now subscription (Update: Replaced with All-New PS Plus)

PlayStation Now is a subscription service that lets you access over 700 games for a monthly fee. It enables you to stream PS4, PS3, and PS2 games on your PC. You can learn about the subscription service costs and other details at What is PlayStation Now subscription and should I get it? (Update: Replaced with All-New PlayStation Plus Premium service)

A Windows PC to stream the games using PS Now.

Following are the minimum and recommended specs for a Windows PC:

Minimum required spec:

Core i3 2.0 GHz
2 GB of RAM
Sound card; USB port
300 MB of available storage
OS: Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1 or 10

Recommended specs for optimal performance:

3.5 GHz Intel Core i3 processor or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 processor or faster
2 GB or more of RAM
Sound card; USB port
300 MB or more of available storage
OS: Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1 or 10

A Dualshock 4 wireless controller (with USB cable) or another compatible controller to play games using PS Now.

Currently, only DualShock 4 is compatible with the PlayStation Now service on your PC. In the coming days, Sony might extend the compatibility to the DualSense controller; we will keep you updated if Sony provides any news regarding this update. You can also improve the competitive advantage using Dualshock 4 back button attachment; you can learn more about it at What is PS4 DualShock 4 back button attachment?

To access the PlayStation Now service, you require an active PlayStation Network account. You can go to playstation.com and sign up for a new account.

An active broadband network connection to let the games stream to your PC.

PlayStation Now is a streaming service, and you would require an active broadband connection to stream the game directly to your PC. Sony doesn’t allow us to download the games on Windows PC using PS Now, but they do allow us to download the games using PS Now on the PS5 and PS4. Therefore on PC, we recommend that you choose a broadband network connection with high internet speeds having low latency to enjoy your games uninterrupted. The minimum recommended speed by Sony is 5Mbps or higher.

How to connect DualShock 4 controller to your PC in order to play PS4 games on a PC without PS4:

Wired Way: Using a USB cable:

Connect your controller via USB port on the PC using a USB-to-micro-USB cable, and your DS4 controller will be connected to the PC.

Wireless Way: Using Bluetooth and DS4Windows application:

Windows do not natively support DualShock 4 controller wirelessly, so we have to use the DS4Windows application to counter this. By emulating an Xbox 360 controller, DS4Windows allows you to use DualShock 4 on your PC. You can also map the DS4 buttons inside the software. You can download the software package from Github by following this download link.

After downloading the zip file, extract the package contents to a folder. You will find two files DS4Windows and DS4Updater(you can use this later to update the application); launch the DS4Windows application to begin the setup process for the PS4 Dualshock Controller on your PC.

Click on ”Install the DS4 Driver” to install the DS4 drivers on your PC, once you have successfully installed the application you can proceed to the next step. Please note that you’ll also need to click on ”Install 360 Driver” if you use Windows 7 or lower.

Next Open Bluetooth settings in your Windows PC and click on ”Add a Device” and choose ”Bluetooth” to start searching for a device.

After that, pick up your controller and enter pairing mode by holding down the PlayStation and the Share buttons for three seconds until the light bar starts double blinking.

Now Dualshock 4 controller should be visible on your PC. Chose your DualShock 4 controller to complete the pairing process.

Congratulations! Now you have successfully paired the controller with your PC, and under the DS4Windows application, your controller should be shown with a status containing the ”Bluetooth” icon.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you play PS5 exclusive games using PS Now?

Currently, only the PS4, PS3, and PS2 titles are being offered through the Playstation Now service. You can check the complete list of games at PS Now Games List. Sony constantly updates the games library, so be sure to be on the lookout for your favorite games.

Can you use the Remote Play app to play PlayStation games on your PC?

Playstation remote play app connects to your PS5 or PS4 console and lets you play games on your PC which are running on your console using an internet connection, allowing you to play PlayStation games on your PC.

Verdict: The PlayStation Now subscription can open your door to some of the best PlayStation exclusives; if you are not sure, you can check out the service 7-day free trial and test the service before buying. Let us know in the comments below which all console games you will be playing on your PC.