Sony Pictures Television has launched "Live TV on PS5", a free ad-supported streaming service offering more than 100 live channels directly through the PlayStation 5 console, aimed at helping advertisers reach the gaming audience they have historically struggled to target. The move reflects a wider industry shift away from subscription streaming towards free, ad-funded channels designed to reach specific niche audiences rather than broad subscriber bases, positioning PlayStation's tens of millions of users—many of whom have cut ties with traditional television—as a valuable untapped market for advertisers.

The service, unveiled on Monday, launches first in the US, with Canada to follow and a rollout to Sony's Bravia televisions planned later this year; Sony has sold more than 95 million PS5 units worldwide as of 30 June. Channel partners include ABC News, Fox, NBCUniversal, ESPN, NFL Channel, NASCAR, UFC and Amazon MGM Studios, alongside exclusive anime channels from Crunchyroll and shows such as "The Walking Dead" and "Hot Ones". Sony will work with ad-tech firms Publica and PubMatic to serve targeted, "relevant" advertising, with executives saying the offering aims to remove friction in reaching viewers across Sony's various platforms.