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PS4 Can Stream Music During Games With Music Unlimited
PlayStation 4 users can stream music while playing games using Sony's Music Unlimited service. With the service running in the background, the Music Unlimited controls can be accessed during gameplay with the push of a button.
Music Unlimited plays on top of in-game audio, which should be selectively adjusted or turned off for easier listening. According to Anu Kirk, Sony's director of music services, this is intended to give users greater control over the audio as a whole. Developers can disable the Music Unlimited feature for titles with music-based gameplay, like dancing games.
The Music Unlimited app comes pre-installed on PS4 systems. Music Unlimited is a paid service, charging a monthly subscription of $4.99 to $9.99, based on the number and type of devices a user has. As the name implies, the service lets subscribers listen to an unlimited amount of music.
As we mentioned in our PS4 FAQ, the system does not have a visualizer, and does not support CD or MP3 playback. Sony has announced, however, that it plans to add MP3 support in the future. Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony's Worldwide Studios stresses that Sony has not withheld such support in order to boost Music Unlimited's subscriber base.
Note: The original story mistakenly mentioned that Sony had announced that the PlayStation 4 would support CD playback in the future. The text has been amended to reflect the situation accurately. We apologize for the error.
[Source: Polygon, Giant Bomb, CVG, Eurogamer]
Our Take
It seems strange to me that Sony wouldn't give the PlayStation 4 MP3 support from day one. I really want a PS4, but I have no intention of paying a monthly fee to listen to music I already own as MP3s. I'm glad to hear that it will be able to play MP3s someday – I just hope that "someday" is soon.
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