Steam Deck Gets PS5 Remote Play Through New Steam App

Steam Deck users who also own a PlayStation 5 have had limited options for playing their console games portably. A new third-party application, Asobi Remote Play, is now available as a Steam Playtest for Steam Deck and other Linux devices, bringing PS4 and PS5 remote play and cloud streaming directly into the SteamOS experience.

There's an application taking over the Steam Deck community right now called Asobi, and it's specifically for those who have a PlayStation 5, enjoy PlayStation 5 games, but don't want to buy a PlayStation Portal to play them on the go.

Asobi Remote Play Comes to Steam Deck

For those who have both a Steam Deck and a PS5, there's been something missing. The Steam Deck offers the handheld experience of SteamOS and Linux, with the whole world of PC gaming at its fingertips, but some games simply can't be played on it.

That's about to change because the Steam Deck is getting one of the PlayStation Portal's most useful features. A third-party app called Asobi Remote Play is now available as a Steam Playtest for Steam Deck and other Linux devices. What makes this important is that it's now available on the Steam Store.

Other game streaming applications have required going through a bunch of hoops to install, including installing third-party software, switching to desktop mode, and figuring things out. It basically needed an instruction manual for setup. Asobi hopes to bridge that gap and allow the application to be downloaded from the Steam Store on the Steam Deck, letting users jump straight into game streaming on a PlayStation 5.

PS4 and PS5 Remote Play Support

There is one caveat, and it requires PlayStation Plus. According to information shared by Pirate Nation and Chris Miso on X, the Steam Deck is getting one of PlayStation Portal's most useful features through a new third-party application called Asobi Remote Play.

The application supports PS4 and PS5 remote play, as well as Sony's cloud streaming, letting supported PS5 games stream to a Steam Deck without even owning a PS5. For those who don't have a PS5 and want to play PS5 games that cannot normally be played on Steam Deck, Asobi provides another way to access them.

The application currently has a Playtest going on, and access can be requested. A PlayStation Network account and PlayStation Plus Premium subscription are required. Games can be streamed from the supported PS+ catalog as well as eligible digital PS5 games already owned. The Playtest also supports up to 1080p and 60fps with HDR, along with options designed to reduce latency.

Turning Steam Deck Into a PlayStation Portal

The application can connect to a local PS5 over the same home network. It can show connected consoles, including a PlayStation 5 Pro and PS5 Digital Edition, and allows the Steam Deck to connect directly to the console.

It's kind of weird that a PlayStation Plus subscription is required for this, but it still beats having to buy a PlayStation Portal to access a PlayStation 5. The fact that Asobi has been made as a SteamOS application helps bridge the gap for people who have a PlayStation 5 library and want the convenience of having a Steam Deck as a portable way to play those games without being tied to a TV.

The convenience of using the PlayStation Portal on the Steam Deck without setting up third-party applications would be a dream for many users. Now, that is happening through an application available on the Steam Store.

Support for Cloud Streaming and Local Remote Play

The application supports cloud streaming of PS5 games and remote play to an owned PS5. It also includes multiple screen modes, including windowed, full screen, stretch, zoom, and ambient light spill mode.

There are manual bitrate controls, and the application can upscale the stream to 4K on supported displays. It can also output up to 120fps on supported monitors. Controller haptics, gyro input, on-device haptic feedback, and virtual controls are supported. There's also an experimental FEC mode designed to help with unstable Wi-Fi connections.

A PlayStation Network account is required, and the software is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony. There is currently no release date, but the Steam Playtest is already available. Any SteamOS handheld can potentially become its own little PlayStation Portal with this application. The main question is how it will perform in actual use.

The application could also be useful beyond the Steam Deck.

It could potentially be used on upcoming Steam hardware, including Steam Frame and Steam Machine, as well as a regular gaming PC. If a PS5 is in the living room while a gaming PC is in the bedroom or office, the application provides another way to play PS5 games wherever they are needed. The fact that it will be available through the Steam store makes the setup much easier than relying on desktop mode and manually adding third-party applications to a Steam library.

For people who enjoy portable gaming and already have a PlayStation 5 library, Asobi Remote Play could provide the missing connection between the Steam Deck and PlayStation games. The Playtest is already available to request, and a wider release could make the experience easier to access without requiring another portable device.