Sony has revealed that an open beta version of PlayStation Now will be available next week for both the PlayStation TV and the PS Vita handheld.
Buried in the pre-launch FAQ page for the PS TV, Sony said the open beta will launch on 14 October and allow you to stream more than 150 PlayStation 3 games. Unfortunately, only gamers in North America will initially have access to PlayStation Now on PS TV and PS Vita.
The very same day the open beta goes live, Sony will release the PS TV for purchase. The device, which first released in Japan and other countries, will enable you to watch movies and TV shows from the PlayStation Store, among other things. It is expected to cost $99.99 when it lands in the US, though a version that includes a wireless controller, 8GB memory card, and The Lego Movie videogame will cost $139.99.
PS TV users who test the PlayStation Now open beta will not only have access to the service's entire catalogue but also nearly 700 compatible games. Sony previously teased hit titles like Metal Gear Solid and the franchise Killzone: Mercenary as well as free titles like OlliOlli.
PlayStation Now is a cloud-based service much like Netflix or Spotify, but for gaming. It hosts a wide collection of PS3 archive titles as well as titles for PSOne, PS2, PSP and PS Vita. You can access them at your leisure, eventually playing them instantly on any device that has access to the service and a half-decent internet connection. At the moment that's restricted to the PS4, PS3, and PS TV.
Check out Sony's new FAQ page for more information on PS TV and PlayStation Now.