You can now stream PS Plus games to Steam Deck without owning a PS5 – and without buying a PS Portal
A third-party application called Asobi: Remote Play has entered public testing, allowing PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to stream games directly to Steam Deck and other Linux devices via cloud infrastructure, removing the requirement to own physical PlayStation hardware. This expands cloud gaming accessibility for Steam Deck owners, who previously could only stream games they personally owned through local network connections.
During the testing phase, all premium capabilities including 60fps output, HDR support, controller haptics, and 4K upscaling are available without cost. Upon commercial launch, the free version will cap performance at 1080p/30fps, with premium tier pricing yet to be determined. Sony already offers equivalent cloud streaming through its dedicated PS Portal device priced at £220, making this third-party solution a potentially more affordable option for subscribers seeking to play PlayStation games on handheld systems.
In short
- Third-party app Asobi: Remote Play enables PS Plus Premium cloud gaming on Steam Deck without owning a PS5 console
- Full premium features (60fps, HDR, haptics, 4K) free during playtest; post-launch free tier limited to 1080p/30fps
- Offers a lower-cost alternative to Sony's official PS Portal hardware (£220)
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This development benefits consumers through increased accessibility and competition. PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers have legitimately purchased a service and should be able to enjoy it on their own hardware devices. Third-party solutions that expand flexibility encourage healthy market competition and challenge unnecessary hardware gatekeeping, providing consumers with more choices and better value propositions.
The case against
Sony has legitimate interests in controlling distribution of their premium services to protect their business model and investments. The company invested substantially in cloud infrastructure and PS Portal hardware designed to deliver a specific experience at a particular price point. Allowing unrestricted third-party access undermines the value of Sony's own offerings and could constrain their ability to recoup costs and fund future innovation, which ultimately harms long-term consumer interests.
Explained simply
PlayStation Plus is Sony’s subscription service for PlayStation games and online features. Its Premium tier includes a library of games that subscribers can stream over the internet, rather than download and run on a console.
The Steam Deck is a handheld gaming computer made by Valve, and Linux is the operating system it uses. Sony’s cloud gaming service has generally been tied to PlayStation devices, while Remote Play lets people stream games from a PlayStation they own; the two routes have different hardware requirements.
Sony also sells the PlayStation Portal, a handheld device for playing games streamed from a PS5. These options matter to subscribers who want to play PlayStation games on a handheld, because they differ in which devices are needed and whether the games run locally or arrive over the internet.
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