PS5 Screen Sharing Is The Console’s Most Overlooked Feature

The PlayStation 5’s screen sharing feature is its best new addition to console gaming, allowing friends across the globe to play games as if they’ve set up their consoles and TVs right next to each other. The PS5 picture-in-picture mode essentially lets users play any game (or multiple games) in split-screen.

Better graphics and the DualSense’s advanced haptic feedback may be major draws of the PlayStation 5, but the new console’s launch is defined by its improvements in ease of use. Fast load times, better update speeds, and quick game and application switching date the PlayStation 4 more than its lack of ray tracing or 60 fps modes, and game sharing is another area the PS5 has advanced in ease of use.

On PS4, if two friends want to play two separate games online and see each other’s gameplay, they each have to stream their perspective through an application like Twitch, then pull their friend’s stream up on a separate device. The PS4 does have a built-in screen sharing system called Share Play, but it doesn’t allow both users to play a game at the same time. Additionally – likely because of its ability to give the viewer control over the host’s gameplay – Screen Rant has found PS4 Share Play can’t function on internet connection speeds the PS5’s screen sharing can, and it only allows any kind of sharing for one hour at a time. The PS5 also has a Share Play feature, but it’s entirely separate from screen sharing.

How PS5 Makes Split-Screen Possible With Every Game (Sort Of)

On PlayStation 5, players in the same voice chat party can press the PS button at any time, select the Voice Chat card (or find their chat party in the Game Base), and hit Start Share Screen. This notifies the other person that their friend has started screen sharing, allowing them to open their friend’s screen and place it either side-by-side or picture-in-picture with their own gameplay. The viewer can then do the same thing, allowing the original sharer to view their friend’s gameplay, as well.

Compared to old methods of sharing gameplay, PS5’s Screen Share is simple and easy. With very little effort, players in entirely different parts of the world can see each other’s games, which makes hang sessions where each person wants to play their own thing more social and fulfilling. It can also make single-player games feel like split-screen ones; imaging playing through Resident Evil 2‘s remake on PS5, for example, with a friend, experiencing and commiserating over scares together. In a time when it’s unsafe to see friends in person, PlayStation 5 picture-in-picture game sharing helps make long distances seem smaller.

About The Author

Camden Jones
(430 Articles Published)

Camden Jones is one of Screen Rant’s gaming features editors. He loves video games, but he’s even more interested in the people who make and play them.

Visit Camden’s website to see his full portfolio, including features, podcasts, and videos. You can also follow Camden on Twitter for updates on his latest work and thoughts on Destiny fashion, K-pop, and environmentalism, or you can email him at [email protected].

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