With over 120 million PS4s and 40 million PS5s sold across the world, the PlayStation brand is on a roll. As the Japanese company’s driving force, these machines are much more than just game consoles. The Blu-ray player as well as the Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, Disney+ and Spotify apps make the PS4 and PS5 true media centers. This is a major advantage for the Sony Corporation, which is now firmly established in households, with the firm intention of claiming its share of the market by offering its own movie app: Sony Pictures Core.
What is Sony Pictures Core?
Launched in 2021, the Bravia Core app was added to the brand’s Bravia XR television and Xperia smartphones. This service focused on content quality. With 4K, HDR, IMAX, DTS and a picture quality on a par with Blu-ray, Bravia Core targeted the most discerning customers. An approach that couldn’t reach a wider audience.
The Japanese manufacturer has announced that the name of the service has been changed to Sony Pictures Core. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the app on PS4 and PS5. This is good news, as PlayStation had stopped selling movies and series on the PS Store in 2021, citing new habits such as Netflix streaming.
Which movies are available on Sony Pictures Core?
In PlayStation’s press release, the brand evokes a catalog of 2000 movies. In France, for copyright and media chronology reasons, the figure is much lower. Nevertheless, the Sony Pictures Core platform offers over 1000 feature films. These include classics such as Men in Black, Taxi Driver and The Adventures of Baron Münchausen.
Naturally, more recent productions are available, notably Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. With the Sony Pictures Core platform, the Japanese company draws on a rich catalog and offers a highly eclectic service. Sony also promises regular additions to its platform, which will be updated on a monthly basis.
The Studio Access section is also very interesting, offering making-of documentaries, interviews and reports on Sony Pictures films. The content is highly relevant and sure to please movie buffs. A welcome initiative that adds real value to the service.
Picture quality ranges from Full HD for older titles, to 4K HDR with Dolby Atmos audio for more recent releases. It is also possible to enjoy the latest video and audio formats supported by PlayStation 5, including Dolby Atmos, which was added via a recent update. Films can be purchased or rented. Subscriptions are included in PS Plus Premium.
A Sony Pictures Core offer for PS Plus Premium subscribers
The arrival of the Sony Pictures Core app on PS4 and PS5 is no coincidence, as it also complements the PS Plus Premium service. Subscribers to this service will be able to enjoy around a hundred films at no extra cost. A way of softening the blow of the price increase, effective since August 2023.
The extra content for PS Plus Premium subscribers comes from Sony Pictures’ back catalog. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Da Vinci Code, Christine, Godzilla, Hancock, Hellboy, Jumanji… The movies aren’t recent, but they’re still very entertaining.
Sony Pictures Core: cinema meets video games
The arrival of the Sony Pictures Core app on the PS4 and PS5 also testifies to Sony’s determination to establish a genuine synergy between its cinema and gaming branches. The brand clearly has ambitions in this respect, notably with licenses such as Uncharted and more recently Gran Turismo, which have been brought to the big screen. We can also mention the success of The Last of Us series, which has thrust the PlayStation franchise into the spotlight with renewed popularity and new game sales on PS4 and PS5.
This synergy seems to be confirmed with the imminent arrival of Gran Turismo on Sony Pictures Core. Neill Blomkamp’s feature film will be available in advance on the service, and early buyers will be given credits to spend in-game to acquire new vehicles. An interesting approach that will forge a strong connection between these two branches of the Sony Corporation.
With Sony Pictures Core available on PlayStation, the Japanese manufacturer is asserting its vision of streaming and its business model. Its integration into PS Plus Premium adds even more value to this subscription, offering additional benefits to the already impressive catalog of games. The app features a wide range of classic and recent films. Despite being in its infancy, the service is not lacking in selling points, particularly Studio Access, which will appeal to movie fans. All in all, it’s a good initiative, although we’ll have to wait and see how Sony Pictures Core develops.
