SAN MATEO, CA, August 31, 2026 — Modern gaming consoles are no longer just machines for playing video games. They are battlegrounds for living room screen time.
In a clear bid to stop users from turning off their consoles the second a gaming session wraps up, Sony is launching Live TV on PS5 across the United States today.
The completely free, ad-supported streaming experience is baked straight into the hardware’s primary interface.
Powered by Sony Pictures Television, the service injects over 100 linear live channels along with a growing on-demand library directly into the console’s Media section.
There are no extra apps to download or subscription fees to pay—you just log in with your existing PlayStation account and start browsing.
What Can You Actually Watch?
Rather than stocking the app with obscure, low-budget filler, Sony signed licensing deals with major media heavyweights.
Content partners include Amazon MGM Studios, Crunchyroll, FOX, NBCUniversal, Lionsgate, A+E Networks, and major sports networks.
It functions almost identical to free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) platforms like Pluto TV or Tubi, but sits directly on your main dashboard.
According to an official blog post by Grace Chen, Vice President of Network Advertising, Loyalty & Licensed Merchandise, the initial lineup covers several core categories:
- Anime: Dedicated Crunchyroll channels featuring heavyweights like Naruto, Sailor Moon, Hunter x Hunter, and exclusive streams for Black Clover.
- TV Shows: Comfort-watch marathons including Community, The Shield, Hell’s Kitchen, The Walking Dead, and Unsolved Mysteries.
- Sports & News: Live coverage and highlights from the NFL Channel, UFC, NASCAR, FOX Sports, NBC Sports Now, NBC News Now, and Fox Weather.
- Movies & Creators: Dedicated movie hubs like Lionsgate’s MovieSphere, alongside creator-focused channels featuring Hot Ones and Spotify’s The Ringer.
How to Access It
Getting into the channel guide is dead simple and takes about two seconds. PS5 owners in the U.S. can jump in right now by following a few simple steps:
- Boot up your PS5 and navigate over to the Media tab on the main home screen.
- Select the new Live TV on PS5 icon.
- Click “Sign In With My PlayStation Account” to authorize the feature and pull up the guide.
Sony confirmed that while the initial launch is exclusive to the U.S. market, plans are already underway to expand the service into Canada soon, with additional global regions being evaluated.
By turning every PS5 into an ad-supported television hub, Sony is making sure that even when you put down the DualSense controller, you stay firmly locked inside their software ecosystem.
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