A third-party Steam app called Asobi: Remote Play is bringing PlayStation cloud streaming to the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and other Linux systems, letting owners play PS4 and PS5 games without a PlayStation console. Steam Deck owners report image clarity is a step up from competing solutions and minimal latency. The app is not affiliated with PlayStation or Sony.
The app supports connecting to your PS4 or PS5 console for remote play with 1080p and 60fps quality, while also enabling direct internet streaming for select PS4 and PS5 games without using a remote play option. That second feature is largely used by the PlayStation Portal to stream games away from home, and it now works on Steam Deck and Steam Machine devices, with settings and compatibility syncing across devices.
To get started, you need a PlayStation Network account and an active PS Plus Premium membership, which is the highest subscription tier and the only one offering the Cloud Streaming feature required for the app to work. With that in place, you can request access to Asobi: Remote Play via Steam and stream titles from the PS Plus catalog as well as any PS5 digital games you own that are streaming-supported.
Not everything you own can be streamed, since eligibility depends on Sony's cloud catalogue, and even purchased games require the active PS Plus Premium subscription. The app comes in two versions, a free option that streams your game library and PlayStation Plus games at no extra charge, and a paid version requiring a one-time app purchase.
Right now, Asobi: Remote Play is in playtest, with invites going out via email to everyone who signed up, though it isn't yet live on the Steam Store for download. There's no word on when the app will be fully released. The team behind Asobi writes that there are a lot of testers, so invites may take time and could land in spam folders.
The app also includes customizable themes that closely mimic the PS5 home screen on the Steam Deck. Because Asobi isn't affiliated with PlayStation or Sony, the service could be taken down at a moment's notice, making it a more appealing workaround as PlayStation system prices rise.
