Recently, PS+ offered a Lunar New Year discount on its service. At $99 for a year, this generous offer trumped Luna and Game Pass by a mile. For $8.08 a month, I would get 400 PS4, PS3, PS2, PSP, and PS1 games.

“But, wait”, you are thinking to yourself, “Don’t you need a PS4 or PS5 to activate the subscription?”

Sorta.

PlayStation released a PC app for Premium users that streams their library. I get access to the streaming catalog as long as I am on the software.

But I am also missing out on free monthly games, trials, and online perks that are tied to the console. Also, I can’t bring these up on my phone like I can with a Game Pass or Luna subscription. I am missing out on key features.

However, I am playing rare PS2 survival horrors that cost hundreds at retro stores. I have the whole Ratchet and Clank, Jak and Daxter, and Sly Cooper series. My son and I played Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. The Uncharted and Last of Us Series is mine to unlock at a moment’s notice. For 8 bucks a month (usually $18), I get a priceless catalog that would cost thousands to collect.

Here is the catch: you absolutely need a PS4/PC compatible controller to play some games. PS4 games use the touch bar, while classic games place the start and select buttons on it. You can still use a PC or Xbox gamepad on your computer for most games, but then the next problem arises. For reasons that no one knows (or cares to fix), the streaming software would constantly disconnect a non-PS4 controller mid-game. The controller would reconnect immediately, but the game would be interrupted.

The PC software for Premium is broken and messy. Using a UI that hasn’t been significantly changed since the mid-2010s, Sony has opted to punish Premium users who haven’t bought one of its consoles. Navigating the catalog is laggy; there is no search bar; the software deleted my Play Later list; and there are no settings or options to toggle. Furthermore, logging into your PS account takes multiple attempts because the software has trouble recognizing your username and password (I had to use a separate Chrome window to log in).

Latency and streaming have improved since 2015, allowing 80% of gameplay to be glitch and freeze-free. I had a very messy playthrough of Medieval Resurrected, where the frame rate stuttered. Two games, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, froze completely, forcing me to reset the game. At least classic games come with a save state feature.

But, I get 400 games on a laptop for 1/3 the price of Game Pass Premium (laughs nervously). True, I could buy a used PS4 for $100, fix these problems, and enable streaming from a phone. But, if I am going to up the price to $200, I might as well get a Game Pass Premium subscription with streaming and PC compatibility.

Any businessman with half a brain would realize that Sony doesn’t want or like users who don’t purchase its console and should axe the software altogether. However, Sony throws us non-console owners a small glimmer of hope. We can taste the premium Sony brands (albeit poorly) for a generous deal.