General / Off-Topic More than one PS4 in the same home

Does anyone have more than one PS4 running in your home at the same time? Perhaps your kids have their own, or your wife?

For anyone answering "yes", do you need a separate PSN account for each PS4 in order to play online, or is there some way to link multiple devices to a single PSN account? I would think there would be a family plan, as Apple and Amazon provide this type of functionality.

Also, are game purchases linked to the PS4 or the user? In other words, do you need to purchase two copies of every game that you want available on both PS4s? I'm obviously talking about digital downloads, not disc-based games.

And finally, if you're playing an online game where your progress is stored on a server, is it easy to move between PS4s? As in, can you play a few hours upstairs, log off, then log in on your PS4 downstairs and resume where you left off?
 
While i don't know about playing on two PS4s with the same account at the same time (or in particular trying to play the same game on the same account on different PS4s at the same time - you MIGHT have to use sub accounts for the latter, though i BELIEVE using sub accounts all derived from the same master account, let's you play on multiple PS4s at the time), i've no trouble being signed into and playing games on my PS4, PS3 and or Vita at the same time.

As for transferring (or just cloud saving) saves between Playstation systems, that been a standard feature of PS Plus since it came out.

In particular, i had a short term job at Zenimax during the PC launch of The Elder Scrolls Online and i played various games on their PS3 and and PS4, while playing the same games at home and transferred my progress through uploading and downloading saves on PS Plus (though i was never logged into two PS3s or two PS4s at the same time, even then).

So overall, unless anyone else here has actually played on and been logged into two PS4s on the same account and in the same game at the same time, there's only one way to find out for sure if it works, to test it yourself, but IN THEORY, you should be fine... :) .
 
I don't believe a player can log on to two separate ps4 account simotaniously. They can if one of the devices is has them as a guest. I have an account and must tell the ps4 it's the principle device I plan to use. Though I can go to your house and logon, I am no longer the principle, you are. Thus I have no authority to buy anything usless you've set the perameters that allows it.

Via Amazon, I sent my son has an xbox, a ps4, and a copy of ED. Ya, I know, I'm a good dad. I've given him my ps4 account passwords and such, but if I am online, he cannot access it at the same time. He can only play ED as a guest, not the princlple uness he logs off as a guest and logs on as the principle which he can't do, if I am logged on. Because, only one device can be the princlple, regardless of where it is. When I shut it down, it basically logs me off, then he can loggon to my account whereever he is. Thus I can play here, or I can play there, but not at the same time. IF and when I'm not logged on, my son using his ps4 and my account as access to everything that I have access to on my device. But then, the ps4 there is set up exactly like mine. He can play a different game but not one that requires to be online such as ED. IF I'm online, his playing is thus the same as a guest playing on your device except it's at someone else's abode.
 
Does anyone have more than one PS4 running in your home at the same time? Perhaps your kids have their own, or your wife?
2 PS4s in the house, mine and one of my sons.

For anyone answering "yes", do you need a separate PSN account for each PS4 in order to play online, or is there some way to link multiple devices to a single PSN account? I would think there would be a family plan, as Apple and Amazon provide this type of functionality.
Separate PSN ID for each online player, there's no family 'sharing' as per Apple - the accounts are distinct (although you can set up parent/child subaccounts to better manage what they can play, and purchases). Xbox Live used to have a family account which saved me a fair few quid for the couple of years it ran (I've 3 kids and myself made 4 accounts).

Also, are game purchases linked to the PS4 or the user? In other words, do you need to purchase two copies of every game that you want available on both PS4s? I'm obviously talking about digital downloads, not disc-based games.
Lined to the PS4 account... but here's the thing - when you register your PS4 as the primary for your account it means that any purchases are available to other users of that PS4 without you needing to be logged in at the time; a flip-side to this is that you can log on to another PS4 to download/play the game and that in turn is only available for your account when it's logged on.

TL;DR - Register their PS4 as your primary PS4 - log into your own as you. They should be able to play games you've previously downloaded on that PS4 as themselves without you having to log on to it, while you log on to the other (not the primary) and play under your own account. I'd never (ever) share account details (but that's the IT Manager in me speaking). :)

And finally, if you're playing an online game where your progress is stored on a server, is it easy to move between PS4s? As in, can you play a few hours upstairs, log off, then log in on your PS4 downstairs and resume where you left off?
I'd expect so, yes (game dependant obviously).

Sorry if I meandered a bit in the middle there - it's simpler than I'm explaining it.
 
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Separate PSN ID for each online player

Thank you for your reply. I understand the separate PSN IDs - I already have two accounts, Old Duck and Jenny. I pay for one PSN Plus service, which gives me online gaming (thank you for that, Microsoft...). Both Old Duck and Jenny can play online on my one PS4, though obviously not at the same time. It's this PSN Plus service that I'm wondering about (I wasn't clear about that in OP). If I get a separate PS4, do I need to pay another $50 in order for both consoles to be playing online at the same time?

FWIW - I used to have two PS3s Slims back in the day (I got them when they were really cheap), and both my wife and I could play online games together. However, that was back when Sony didn't charge us money to play online.
 
Sorry Duck - I meant PS Plus for each account (goes hand-in-hand in my addled mind)... but I didn't catch that you can play under either account online under the 1 PSN Plus subscription - are the accounts set up as sub-accounts?

I'd probably still lean on the 'buy one for every player' approach - but would suggest scouring the Sony Playstation forums to see if similar queries have been asked. Sorry I can't be more helpful than that.
 
A sub account on one device where as it must be set a primary can not play on a different device that is set or not set as primary by the same individual who set up the sub account on the original device unless the primary has logged on to the other device which has been set as their new primary device AND has logged off the other device.

So, having two devices in the same home for instance one cannot set both devices as primary to the same ps+ account. Unless one of the two is logged off of any availbale online actions. Which is mandated by ED if they want to utilize the multiplayer that horizon offers. Basically one can't be in two places at the same time. Even if both devices are registered as primary. One device will take presidence over the other if both are being utilize at the same time. My son in MN can only play ED if I in Mexico am logged off. Though he can play Hitman all he wants at the same time I am because there isn't any mandatory conection to the game requiring one to be connected or no game play is available.
 
Does anyone have more than one PS4 running in your home at the same time? Perhaps your kids have their own, or your wife?

For anyone answering "yes", do you need a separate PSN account for each PS4 in order to play online, or is there some way to link multiple devices to a single PSN account? I would think there would be a family plan, as Apple and Amazon provide this type of functionality.

Also, are game purchases linked to the PS4 or the user? In other words, do you need to purchase two copies of every game that you want available on both PS4s? I'm obviously talking about digital downloads, not disc-based games.

And finally, if you're playing an online game where your progress is stored on a server, is it easy to move between PS4s? As in, can you play a few hours upstairs, log off, then log in on your PS4 downstairs and resume where you left off?

I sent my son in MN via Amazon a ps4 and a copy of ED. He can play ED in solo only unless I in Mexico though the loacation isn't important, am logged off then he can play in open. I've given him my passwords, and such he has total access to any and all things my account has to offer. He can play any of the off line games I've bought via ps4 in regards to digital, but obviously not my disk, which are here in Mexico not there in MN. But if he wants to play online affiliated games, that are associated with my account, I must be off line. Even if I set him up as a subaccount, the connection is dependent on the primary being logged on to a particular device which means it can only be in one place at a time. He is a night owl, I am not. Since he got the ps4 we've worked out a schedule where as he can play online from 2000 hours till 0700 and I can play from 0700 till 2000. The device doesn't actually care where it is or thinks it is, only the setting of primary or not is a factor.

The tradional family plans were set up so one whole family could utilize on device thus saving the customer from having to buy additonal multiple devices to be used basically at the same location. However, the ps4 is a computer and only knows where it is if one adjust the settings to indicate where it is, and with the intervention of the internet, the second device can be anywhere in the world, but only one can actualy be logged on at a time. IF one is not playing online games, then it matters not where, or when on plays the device.

In the days of old, one could play on line any where, but then the device company was loosing money because one could set up an account and open several subaccounts and charge one to play with out the device company getting a piece of the action. I realize that most wouldn't do that, but apprently it was a problem, that sony and other's have remedied and is no longer possible.

One can have multilple devices and set up subaccount to play offline games the principle as downloaded or given permission to download, but cannot play on line game becasue they are generally dependent on the primary device. Thus logging off on and on the other is the only way to swtich the primary.
 

stormyuk

Volunteer Moderator
Duck make your first PS4 where you want Jenny to play your Old Duck primary and activated PS4. That will give all users on that PS4 access to your Old Duck PSN content.

Then on your new PS4 login as Old Duck for his PSN content. Unfortunately no other accounts on that PS4 will get access to PSN content purchased by Old Duck.

Elite saves are all server side. Not sure about all the keybindings.

PS4 has no family share packages. Basically the activated console will give everyone who uses that console access to Old Ducks stuff.
 
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Duck make your first PS4 where you want Jenny to play your Old Duck primary and activated PS4. That will give all users on that PS4 access to your Old Duck PSN content.

Then on your new PS4 login as Old Duck for his PSN content. Unfortunately no other accounts on that PS4 will get access to PSN content purchased by Old Duck.

Elite saves are all server side. Not sure about all the keybindings.

PS4 has no family share packages. Basically the activated console will give everyone who uses that console access to Old Ducks stuff.

I may be wrong, and though I don't understand everything about sony and frontier and servers and such. Based on my expericence of having a device here and another somewhere else, only one of us can play online games at a time. Hence my son and I have had to work out a schedule. Though I am the only one and have no subaccounts on my device, my son using my id's set up a subaccount on his ps4, thus he has full access to everything I have. The only difference is, he's 1800 miles away. Shoud he be here, I's set up a subaccount on my device here. Thus when he's online, I cannot be and visa veras.

Again, I may be incorrect and use some wrong terminology but if I understand it correctly. Again based on my son's and my experience. Though some online games will allow one to play with multiple players at the same time on the same device. One cannot play the same game at the same time on multiple devices unless they are off line type games such as NMS. Thus if he's playing ED, I cannot, but I can play NMS or Hitman with no problem while he's playing ED. Both his and my devices have me as the princlple and both are registered as the primary device. Sony's server will only allow one device to be considered the primary at a time, they don't care where it is in realtionship to the other, only that one can be online at a time. One could have a ps4 in a hundred locations and play ED from each and everyone, but not at the same time.

In order to play ED in full, there are basically two separate server's involved, the first is via an internet connection to Sony's server's and the second is to Frontier's server's. Should either have an issue, boom no play. I mean, if sony is in the process of updating the ps4, one cannot play ED, if Frontier is in the process of updating ED, boom no play. Should one want to go to the store for instance, the device will use sony's server to access frontier's website. Hence the game and the connection to frontier's server is basically paused during the process. Hence the reason for a delay when buying stuff before it's actually available in the game. The data has to go through sony and there store in which one has a wallet, work it all out, and then send the approved data in the form of a paint job for instance to frontier sever's which then updates your availibility to install the paint on your ship for instance. I would hope at sometime in the near future (though I really don't think it will ever be) my son can support his own psn and psn+ accounts. But until then, we are using the explot or ability to transfer the mandatory setting of primary from one device to another. It wouldn't matter if he's in the next room or the 1800 miles away as he is presently. ONLY one primary device can be logged on to an online game at a time. Because his device is set up as a primary and he is set up as a subaccount, he can play when I am not or visa versa.

Log on to Ed, then go try to log on to ED at the same time on your neighbors ps4. You'd have to reset the princple and the primarys to match yours. But you'll still not beable to log on because your already logged on. Have the wife shut yours off, wait a minute or two and try again, boom, your online. Next room, next door, accross the nation doesn't matter. Sony's system only allows one primary device at a time.

But like I said, I'm no expert, I just know what works and doesn't work. My son has a sever handicap if one can still use that word, and thus depends on a fixed government income to survive. My sending him a ps4 and allowing him to utiize my account, saves him from having to invest money in a hobby he can't afford. We've been sharing the same account for 4 months prior to the release of ED. ED is our first and only ever mandatory online game. Once we figured out wat ever one may call it such as loop hole, exploit or feature. We can both now enjoy the game, only not at the same exact time.
 
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