Can I Share PS Plus with 2 Friends? The Ultimate Guide
The question of sharing PlayStation Plus (PS Plus) with friends is a common one, often shrouded in a bit of confusion. The short answer is: you cannot directly share your PS Plus subscription benefits with two friends on separate consoles simultaneously. While PlayStation offers mechanisms for sharing certain benefits, these are primarily designed for use within the same household or with a close gaming partner on a shared console. The system is primarily aimed at sharing benefits within the same family or household. This article will break down the intricacies of PS Plus sharing, clarifying how and with whom you can share your subscription’s perks.
Understanding PS Plus Sharing Dynamics
PlayStation’s approach to PS Plus sharing is built around the concept of primary consoles and account-based benefits. This means the way you share is largely dictated by which console is set as your “primary” and the accounts linked to it.
- Primary Console: Each PlayStation account can designate one PS4 and one PS5 as its “primary” console. This is a crucial setting that determines how your PS Plus benefits are distributed.
- Account Sharing: The core idea is that any other user on your “primary” console will benefit from your PS Plus account. This includes online multiplayer access, access to downloaded games from the PS Plus catalog, and other associated perks.
However, the structure is set up to prevent widespread sharing with multiple individuals across multiple consoles. The limitations are intended to ensure each PS Plus account supports just one household rather than acting as a cheap method to support multiple homes. Let’s look more closely at what is and isn’t possible.
What You Can Do:
- Share with Users on Your Primary Console: On your primary PS4 or PS5, any other user account will be able to play online using your PS Plus membership. They can also access the downloadable games that you’ve obtained with your membership. This is the most common form of sharing.
- Share with One Person on a Shared Console: You can share your digital games and your PS Plus benefits with one other person on your primary PS4 or PS5 console. This is ideal for families or people living in the same household.
What You Cannot Do:
- Share with Two Separate Consoles Simultaneously: You cannot simultaneously extend your PS Plus benefits to two users on different consoles, other than the primary and one sub account. If you try, one user will be signed out.
- Share with Multiple Friends on Separate Consoles: There’s no function to grant your PS Plus membership benefits to multiple friends who each own their own console, each set up with their own accounts.
- Share Play With More Than One Friend: While you can use Share Play to invite a friend to watch your gameplay and even hand over the controller, this feature is limited to one visitor at a time.
How to Share on Your Primary Console
To share your PS Plus benefits on your primary console:
- Activate Your Console as Primary: On your PS4 or PS5, go to Settings > Account Management > Activate as Your Primary PlayStation and activate the relevant console.
- Ensure Users Are on the Console: Any other account user on this console will now be able to take advantage of your PS Plus membership.
FAQs: Delving Deeper into PS Plus Sharing
Here are 15 frequently asked questions designed to further clarify PS Plus sharing:
1. Can two people play online with one PS Plus account?
Yes, but only if they are playing on the same primary PS4 or PS5 console. If your account with PS Plus is set as the primary on a particular console, any other user on that console can play online using your subscription.
2. How do I share my PS Plus games with friends?
You can share games obtained through PS Plus on your primary console. Users of other accounts on that console will have access to play them. You cannot share these games across multiple consoles.
3. Do two people need PS Plus to Share Play?
No, only the host needs a PS Plus membership to use Share Play. However, both participants need a PlayStation Plus membership to play multiplayer games using Share Play. This feature enables your friend to watch your game and even take over the controller as if they were playing beside you, and even to play multiplayer games together.
4. Can you Share Play with 3 people?
No, Share Play is limited to two participants: the host and one visitor. It does not support three-person play.
5. How can I share PS Plus across all my accounts?
You can share PS Plus benefits only within your primary console. Each user on that console will share your PS Plus privileges. If you have multiple consoles, you cannot extend your primary account’s PS Plus benefits to other consoles.
6. Does each user need PlayStation Plus?
Not necessarily. If you have multiple users on the same console, you need only one PS Plus account if that account is set as the primary account for the system. However, if they play on a different console, each user on that other console will need a separate PS Plus subscription to enjoy online multiplayer access and other PS Plus perks.
7. How many accounts can share PS Plus?
On a single console, all users can share PS Plus benefits if the account with the active PS Plus subscription is set as the primary account for that console. However, a single PS Plus account cannot be shared across multiple different consoles.
8. Did PlayStation stop PS Plus sharing?
No, PlayStation did not stop PS Plus sharing. They continue to support sharing within a single console using the “primary console” method, just not across multiple consoles.
9. Can 2 people play PlayStation at the same time?
Yes, absolutely! This is possible on the same primary console through sub-accounts, and with Share Play, though note that both users playing online must have a PlayStation Plus account, if they’re playing on separate consoles.
10. Can two PS4 consoles share the same account?
Yes, you can log in and use the same account on another PS4, but this would not be a method to extend your PlayStation Plus benefits. The same is true for PS5 consoles. Only one console can be set as the primary console.
11. How do I keep my PS Plus games forever?
You can keep access to games you obtain through PS Plus as long as your membership is active. If you cancel your membership, you will lose access to these games, though they will remain on your system. Reinstating your PS Plus membership will bring them back.
12. Do you lose PS Plus extra games if you downgrade?
Yes, if you downgrade from a PS Plus tier that includes extra games (like Extra or Premium), to the basic “Essential” tier, you will lose access to the games from those tiers.
13. Do you lose your PS Plus games after your subscription ends?
Yes, you lose access to PS Plus games when your subscription ends. However, you will regain access if you resubscribe.
14. How many PS4s can I have my account on?
You can log in with your account on multiple PS4 systems, but you can only activate one console as your primary PS4 for sharing your PlayStation Plus benefits with other users.
15. Can you have a primary account on 2 PS4s?
No, you can only have one primary PS4 console for your account.
Conclusion
While the desire to share PS Plus benefits with multiple friends across different consoles is understandable, PlayStation’s system is intentionally designed to limit such sharing. The core sharing is focused on console-based sharing within a single household. The primary console setting and sub-accounts are the mechanisms available to leverage PS Plus’s sharing features, not cross-console multiplayer with all of your friends. Understanding these limitations and how the “primary console” function works will enable you to maximize your PS Plus benefits within the intended framework.