PlayStation Vue coming to PS3 and PS4 first

Sony has updated information on the PlayStation Vue, the new cloud-based TV service coming this year.

The service has been in beta for PS3 and PS4 over December, as Sony tries to flush out some of the bugs before the big launch, early this year. Sony did not give an exact date at CES 2015, claiming it would come in quarter one for PS3 and PS4 first.

PlayStation Vue will not function like Netflix or Hulu Plus, instead it will offer live TV from a wide range of channels from cable TV,  and also allow users to view programs from those channels on-demand, until three days after it first aired.

Sony has not confirmed its full launch of channels, but it is unlikely that channels already on Sling TV will be available on Sony’s PlayStation Vue, unless Dish Network allowed TV programmers to have non-exclusive internet contracts.

Viacom, Fox, NBC and CBS will be partners on the PlayStation Vue service, meaning potentially hundreds of channels could come to the service, although we expect in the first few months it will be limited to double digits.

If Sony does well however, PlayStation Vue may become the hub for all TV programming networks to move towards, as cable and satellite TV starts to drop in overall viewers, with more people cutting the cable.

Prices are still unknown as well, while Dish Network has announced its own Sling TV will be available for $20 per month. There is no word on whether an ‘al a carte’ system will be in place to pick and choose channels, or if users have to pay for the full service or nothing.

There’s still lots of unknown ground on PlayStation Vue and we expect this will be filled with announcements sometime in the next few months, before the official release.