Steam Deck PS5 Streaming has just become a lot more interesting thanks to Asobi, a third-party Remote Play app that is now being tested on Valve’s handheld and Linux devices.
The Asobi Steam playtest went live on August 7, giving Steam Deck owners another way to connect to their PS4 or PS5 and play games away from the television.
But regular Remote Play is only part of the story.
Asobi also supports PlayStation cloud streaming for eligible PS Plus Premium members. That means supported PlayStation games can be streamed from Sony’s cloud instead of running from your own PS5.
For Steam Deck owners, that makes Asobi much more than another Remote Play alternative.
You May Not Even Need Your PS5 for Some Games
Normal Remote Play still requires your own PS4 or PS5. The console runs the game and sends it to the Steam Deck over your network or internet connection.
Cloud streaming works differently.
Players with an active PS Plus Premium subscription can access supported PS3, PS4 and PS5 cloud games through Asobi without having their own console running the game.
That is the part that makes the app stand out.
Sony already sells the PlayStation Portal as its dedicated handheld option, and the Portal itself has grown beyond basic Remote Play with cloud streaming support. But plenty of people already own a Steam Deck.
Asobi potentially gives those players a way to use the hardware they already have instead of buying another handheld just for PlayStation streaming.
The developer says Asobi includes controller support, bitrate controls and other streaming options. During the current Steam playtest, its premium features are unlocked, although PlayStation cloud gaming still requires the correct PSN account and an active PS Plus Premium subscription.
Early Steam Deck testers have also reported generally smooth results, although this is still test software and some users have encountered crashes, connection drops and interface issues.
This Is Not an Official Sony App
There is one important thing to keep in mind.
Asobi is a third-party application. It is not developed or published by Sony.
The Steam version is also still in testing rather than being treated as a finished release. Its Steam store page currently lists the full app as coming soon.
That means Steam Deck owners probably should not expect the same level of official support they would get from Sony’s own Remote Play software or a PlayStation Portal.
Still, the idea is hard to ignore.
The Steam Deck has always been flexible enough to do much more than play Steam games, and getting easier access to a PlayStation library only adds to that appeal.
For someone who already owns both a PS5 and Steam Deck, Asobi could turn one handheld into a surprisingly capable PlayStation companion.
And for PS Plus Premium members interested mainly in cloud games, it could reduce the need for a PS5 in the middle altogether.
See the Asobi Steam page and PlayStation’s cloud streaming support page for more details.
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