PlayStation news: PS4 to allow Remote Play for Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact, PS VR to get two bundles starting at US$299

A visitor plays a game on a PlayStation VR at the Paris Games Week, a trade fair for video games in Paris, France, October 28, 2015. Paris Games week will run from October 28 to November 1, 2015. Reuters/Benoit Tessier

Integrated play for Sony devices has been around, though it has not been as touted when it comes to the PS4. For the most part, Remote Play has been pushed between the PS4 and PS Vita, the latter being touted as the ultimate companion for the PS4.

This time, Sony has just announced that Remote Play is now available to two of the newest smartphones in Sony’s lineup. Announced over the PlayStation Blog, the Sony Xperia Z5 and the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact have both been confirmed to feature the PS4 Remote Play.

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What this means is that the two smartphones are capable of playing PS4 games using the Remote Play feature. Sony has detailed a simple guide on how to start up the Remote Play feature on the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact.

Users simply need to connect both the PS4 and Xperia Z5 or Z5 Compact devices to the same Wi-Fi, and ten download the PS4 Remote Play app on the phone. On the PS4, players should go to the Remote Play Connection Settings, go to “Add Devices” to obtain the code that will connect the two devices.

The DualShock 4 Controller can also be paired with the Xperia Z5 or Z5 Compact. This transforms the smartphone into an instant portable screen, which will allow the player to continue a game on the smartphone anywhere within reach of the local wi-fi. Currently, the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact are available at Amazon, Best Buy and B&H.

Speaking of devices from Sony, the PlayStation VR has also gotten some updates. A rumour has started to circulate pointing to two bundles in which Sony’s VR headset will be released. According to Gamepur, there is now talk that the PS VR may be released below the US$400 (approx. AU$567) price tag.

It appears that this will be possible in one of the speculated bundles that will be offered for the PlayStation VR. A US$299 (approx. AU$424) bundle will supposedly bring the standalone HMD only. A second bundle will push the price tag to US$428 (approx. AU$607), but will include the standalone HMD, the PlayStation Camera and the PlayStation Move controllers.

The information comes from someone who claimed to have spoken to a Sony rep. Additionallly, apart from the two official bundles, there is even a mention of a starter kit that does not include the PS VR at all—only the PS Camera, the PS Move and one game for below US$130 (approx. AU$184). For now, Sony has not yet officially announced any pricing or release dates for the PlayStation VR, so best to take the update with a grain of salt.