How To Game Share Playstation Plus

How to Game Share PlayStation Plus: A Simple Guide

Want to play games with your friends and family without buying multiple copies? That’s where PlayStation Plus game sharing comes in! It’s a fantastic way to enjoy your digital game library with others. It also lets you share the benefits of your PlayStation Plus subscription. Let’s dive into exactly how to make this happen. We’ll explore what you can share, how to set it up, and some important things to keep in mind.

What Can You Share with PlayStation Plus?

Before we get started, it’s good to know what exactly you can share when using PlayStation Plus game sharing. The main things you can share are:

• Digital Games: Any games you’ve purchased digitally from the PlayStation Store.
• PlayStation Plus Benefits: These include online multiplayer access for the games you share, as well as access to the monthly games included in your PlayStation Plus subscription.

However, there are a couple of important things you cannot share:

• Games on Disc: Physical disc-based games can’t be shared through this digital method. You’d need to physically lend someone the disc.
• Certain Add-ons: Some game add-ons or DLC might not be shared depending on how they are licensed by the game publisher.

Understanding Primary and Secondary Accounts

To understand game sharing, it’s essential to get to grips with the idea of a “Primary” and “Secondary” PlayStation account on your console. The console where your account is set to “Primary” has special privileges. Here’s what you need to know:

The Primary Account

The Primary account on a console is the one that owns the games and the PlayStation Plus subscription. This is the account that pays for everything. Think of it like this: your main account is like the house that owns all the toys (games). Any other account that uses the games in that “house” is a secondary account.

• Game Access: Any account on the Primary console can play the digital games owned by the Primary account.
• PlayStation Plus: All users on the Primary console can access PlayStation Plus benefits, including online multiplayer, and monthly games.
• Automatic Downloads: Games will automatically download to the primary console.

The Secondary Account

A Secondary account is an account that is using the games and PS Plus benefits from a primary account set on a different console. If you’re sharing with a friend, they likely have the Secondary account and will get access to your games on their console.

• Game Access: To play games shared from a Primary account, a Secondary account user must be signed into their PlayStation account with an internet connection.
• Limited PS Plus: Secondary account users can play online using your primary account’s PS plus, but they can’t access free monthly games using your PS Plus account, since those monthly games are only associated with a user’s primary account.
• No Automatic Downloads: Games do not automatically download to a secondary console. They have to manually download them.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up Game Sharing

Now, let’s get down to the actual steps of how to share PlayStation Plus and your games. The process is a little different depending on which console you’re using.

Setting Up Game Sharing on PlayStation 5

Here are the specific steps for making a console the primary PS5 for your account:

1. Log in to your account: On the PlayStation 5 console you want to make the primary, sign in with your PlayStation Network account (the account with the games and PlayStation Plus).
2. Go to Settings: From the home screen, go to the Settings menu by selecting the gear icon in the top right.
3. Select Users and Accounts: Scroll down and find “Users and Accounts,” then select it.
4. Choose Other: In the “Users and Accounts” section, find and select “Other” at the bottom.
5. Console Sharing and Offline Play: Click on “Console Sharing and Offline Play.”
6. Enable Console Sharing: If it’s your first time, choose “Enable.” If you had this set on another PS5, first disable it there and then select “Enable”. You will see a confirmation message if you have done it correctly.

After that, other users can log in on the same PlayStation 5 and play the game’s purchased from your account.

Setting Up Game Sharing on PlayStation 4

The process is similar for PlayStation 4, but with slightly different menu names:

1. Log in to your account: On the PlayStation 4 console, log in with your account, the one that owns the games and PlayStation Plus subscription.
2. Go to Settings: From the home screen, navigate to Settings on the left-hand side menu. It looks like a toolbox.
3. Select Account Management: Go down to “Account Management” and press X.
4. Activate as Your Primary PS4: Choose “Activate as Your Primary PS4.” Then choose “Activate.”

Once done, any other account can use your game’s on that console.

Now, you can share game’s with people logged in to the console.

Important Considerations for Game Sharing

While game sharing is a great way to play with friends and family, there are a few things you must keep in mind.

Only One Primary Console at a Time

A big point you need to remember: your account can only be set as primary on one console at a time. If you want to switch the primary console, you must first deactivate the old console before setting up a new one.

Internet Connection Needed for Secondary Accounts

If you’re on a secondary account, you’ll always need an internet connection to play shared games. This means that if the internet is down, they can’t play. You must also remain logged in to your PlayStation network for you to keep accessing games.

Potential Account Issues

Be careful when sharing your account details with people. There’s always a risk they might cause trouble to your account or unintentionally change something. Try sharing with people you can trust.

Who Benefits from Game Sharing?

Game sharing is great for different types of players. Let’s explore who benefits most from this feature:

Families

If you have multiple PlayStation consoles at home, game sharing is extremely beneficial. Everyone in your family can play the same games without having to buy multiple copies.

• Parents can buy games once and their children can play them on their consoles.
• It makes family game nights more affordable.

Close Friends

Have a close friend you game with a lot? Game sharing allows you to share your libraries with each other. This expands both your collections of games and saves money. Here’s a simple tip: you both can set the primary console on the other person’s console. This way, you can play their games, and they play yours, without needing to swap accounts each time.

• You get access to a wider variety of games.
• You can experience new games that you might not otherwise have tried.

Players on a Budget

Game sharing is a great way to save money. Instead of buying each new game, you can split costs with a friend and game share. Here’s how to be careful:

• Discuss sharing with your friend clearly before setting it up.
• Make sure you are both equally paying when buying new games, to keep things fair.

Troubleshooting Common Game Sharing Issues

Sometimes, things might not work perfectly. Here’s how to deal with common problems:

Game is Locked

If a game shows a lock icon, it might mean the console isn’t set as the primary one. Also, if a secondary console is playing offline, or not logged in to PlayStation network, it may lock.

Solution: Check if the PlayStation account that bought the game is set as primary on that console. If not, set up the primary console again. Make sure you are logged in to PlayStation network if you are using secondary console.

Can’t Play Online Multiplayer

If a secondary console account can’t play online, it might mean your PlayStation Plus is not being shared properly.

Solution: Make sure that the account with the PlayStation Plus subscription has the console set to primary. Also, make sure you’re logged in to PlayStation network.

Game Won’t Download

Games do not automatically download to a secondary console, and sometimes they may not download even when you try.

Solution: Make sure there is enough space on your console, and make sure you have a good internet connection. Try turning off the PlayStation console and turning it back on.

Error Messages

If you are getting error messages, it can mean that something went wrong when setting up the primary console. It can also mean that one of the accounts is currently doing something, so that the other user cannot use the game.

Solution: Look carefully at the error message for an explanation on what’s gone wrong. If that is difficult, turn off the PlayStation console and try again.

Tips for a Smooth Game Sharing Experience

To make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible, remember these points:

• Communicate: Talk to the people you’re sharing games with. Be clear about how you plan to share and if you’re splitting costs on new game purchases.
• Keep Passwords Safe: Do not share your account passwords with anyone you don’t trust. This can lead to security issues for your account.
• Check Primary Setting: Regularly check that your console is set to “Primary” if you’re using multiple consoles.
• Stay Updated: Keep your PlayStation console software updated. System updates can sometimes impact how game sharing works.