Gaming on consoles is great with exclusives like Spider-Man, Uncharted, RDR2, etc. The problem with console gaming is that you have to commit, get to the console, turn it on, grab the controller, and whole nine yards. Sony recently released its new app PS4 Remote Play which lets you play your PS4 on your iPhone. This is great news because it was exclusive to PSP until now. Now, you can simply pull out your phone and start playing and you don’t even need a TV. Here’s how you can play PS4 games on your iPhone and iPad.
PS4 Remote Play is essentially a streaming app which streams the live footage of your Console to the iPhone. It displays all the controls on the smartphone screen which converts your smartphone into a handheld gaming console just like a PSP. During my testing, it worked amazingly well, mainly because it streams the footage over the local network. To set up the app, there are a couple of steps and I’ll try to keep everything simple. Let’s Begin.
Step 1: Find your PS4 ID
First, you’ll need your PS4 ID to get started, you might already have a PS4 account if you own a PS4. Otherwise, you can create a new one online.
Open Settings on your PS4, scroll down to “Account Management” and select to load the options on the Screen.
Scroll to find ‘Account Information‘, select the option and then go to ‘Sign-In ID’.Â
Write down the email address somewhere as we’re going to need it later to sign in on the smartphone.
Step 2: Enable Remote Play on Your PS4
Next up, you need to turn on the Remote Play feature on your PS4, so that it can accept the connection request from your iPhone and establish a secure connection later on. Open Settings on your PS4, scroll down and select ‘Remote Play Connection Settings’.
Find the option ‘Enable Remote Play‘ tick the box next to it. This option allows your iPhone to find the PS4 on the network and connect for streaming.
Step 3: Find your WiFi network
For Remote Play to work properly, your PS4 and iPhone needs to be on the same WiFi network. This is purposefully made this way because a local network connection can ensure a high-speed connection which cellular network can’t match.
If you have multiple WiFis at home, it’s a good idea to known which WiFi your PS4 is connected to. To check, go to Settings. Scroll down and select “Network.”
Next, select “View Connection Status.” You’ll see your connected network next to “SSID.”
Step 4: Setup PS4 Remote Play on iPhone
Now, grab your iPhone and make sure it’s on the same WiFi network as your PS4. Go to Settings, then WiFi and make sure it’s connected. It’s also a good idea to be on a faster internet connection.
Install “PS4 Remote Play” from the App Store. Once downloaded, open the app and tap “Start.”
Here you can enter your PlayStation email address and password. Tap “Sign In“.
Once you sign in, the app will start a connection to your PS4. Even If you see an error message on the smartphone restarting the app fixes it.
Once you are in, you’ll see the live preview of your PS4 screen, just like you see on the TV. The app guides you through basic controls and how to use all the features, it’s pretty intuitive.
The App on iOS devices works great but here’s the thing, it won’t be same as gaming with the bigger screen. As you play, you’ll notice the lag if the game is intensive. It can also happen if you’re playing the game on ultra high settings. To keep the video stream smooth, try playing the game on a lower setting.
PS4 Remote Play is available for Android as well and it works great there but it is an exclusive app for Sony Flagships as of now. You can follow the same steps and enjoy playing games on your Android device.
Play PS4 games on iPhone and iPad
That’s how you play your favorite PS4 games on your iPhone and iPad. You can potentially play any game on your smartphone as it only streams the live footage to your phone. I would recommend starting easy and once you get acquainted with touch controls then charge in with games like Uncharted 4, Overwatch, Far Cry, Spider-Man etc.
While you are at it, you can also use the nimbus gaming pad from Amazon. It works with iPhone, iPad and Apple TV.
