You now have a major streaming alternative to The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, and Tubi if you can’t get enough free TV—provided you have the right console. Sony has launched Live TV on PS5 in the U.S., promising ad-supported movies and shows so long as you’re signed in to your PlayStation account.
The new offering delivers over 100 live channels and a “growing selection” of on-demand videos from a variety of partners beyond Sony. You can watch Lionsgate’s MovieSphere, Sony One Horror Hits, and other movie-oriented channels as well as TV series like The Walking Dead and Community. Sports content comes from majors like Fox Sports, NBC Sports Now, and UFC.
You’ll also get news and weather, anime (including Crunchyroll channels), and a mix of gaming and “creator” content that you would normally see on YouTube, Spotify, and podcast apps.
Sony notes that there will be “regularly refreshed programming” that includes new channels and more material. As with other services, then, don’t be surprised if shows rotate in and out. Service is expected to come to Canada, and the company is considering “additional regions” as well.
Why is Sony launching Live TV on PS5?
More money in tough times
The PS5 already has a robust selection of streaming video apps, including major services like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Netflix, and YouTube. Sony Pictures Core also lets you buy and rent some titles.
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Who is this thing really for?
However, Sony’s conventional model of relying heavily on new console and game sales isn’t working as well as it used to. Multiple price increases related to tariffs and component costs have made the PS5 much more expensive, and it’s also nearing the end of a life cycle that began in 2020. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, CEO Hiroki Totoki said the focus is currently on “recurring revenue from the current user base.”
Free live TV is a straightforward way to achieve that revenue: Sony makes money whenever you click “play,” without having to promote subscriptions or purchases. And while the content isn’t exclusive to the company, it helps promote Sony Pictures material that can further help with the bottom line.