September 4, 2026, 11:47 am | Read time: 3 minutes
At the end of August, Sony launched the “Live TV on PS5” service. The offering runs directly through the PlayStation 5 and provides more than 100 free channels as well as on-demand content. The launch initially took place in the U.S. According to Sony, Canada is the next market to follow. Additionally, the company is considering expanding to other regions.
Service relies on the FAST model
“Live TV on PS5” is based on the FAST principle. The acronym stands for Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV. Users get free access to content that is funded by advertising.
Sony Pictures Television curates the programming together with partners such as Amazon MGM Studios, NBCUniversal, Fox, and Crunchyroll. The offering includes movie channels like MovieSphere from Lionsgate and Sony One Horror Hits. It also features series such as “The Walking Dead,” “Community,” and “Hell’s Kitchen.”
Anime fans will also find popular titles like “Naruto,” “Sailor Moon,” and “Death Note.” The program is complemented by sports content from Fox Sports, UFC, and NASCAR. News channels such as NBC News Now and Fox Weather are also part of the offering.
Free services are becoming increasingly important
Ad-supported streaming services are gaining importance. TECHBOOK recently reported on the shutdown of the illegal platform Cineby, which had benefited from the issue of so-called streaming fatigue.
Rising costs and the distribution of movies and series across many different services are prompting many users to seek free alternatives. Both legal and illegal offerings play a role in this.
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How users access the service
In the U.S., the service appears in the media section of the PlayStation 5. After selecting the “Live TV on PS5” icon, users simply need to log in with their PlayStation account.
According to Sony, no additional downloads or subscriptions are required. The company also plans to continuously expand the offering with more content and channels. Later in the year, the service will also be available on Bravia TVs.
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Sony pursues clear business goals
According to a report by the “Wall Street Journal,” the new offering is intended to generate additional revenue from the existing user base. Sony is relying on an ad-supported model. CEO Hiroki Totoki stated that advertising could enable revenue through user activity. By the end of June 2026, Sony had sold more than 95 million PlayStation 5 consoles worldwide.
Peter Wood, Executive Vice President at Sony Pictures Entertainment, sees the PS5 user base as a target group that consumes video content but is often not represented in other connected TV environments.