Sony PlayStation Now launches open beta version

PlayStation 4 owners in Canada and the U.S. can now rent games online via Sony's new streaming service, PlayStation Now.

The open or public beta of the service went live today in the PlayStation Store, meaning that anyone with a PlayStation 4 can try the service. Previously, only select users in the "private" beta could try it.

So far, Sony says there are 100 games to rent, all originally made for PlayStation 3, Sony's previous generation console.

The games can be rented for four hours, seven days, 30 days or 90 days, with U.S. dollar prices starting at $2.99, $5.99, $7.99 and $14.99 respectively, though the cheapest rentals for some games such as F1 2013 can start as high as $6.99. PlayStation says new titles coming soon to the service include Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Ultra Street Fighter 4.

In a video explaining how the service works, Jack Buser, senior director of PlayStation Now, said that since this is the beta or test version of the service, the company wants feedback.

"We're going to be listening closely to what the gamers tell us and it will evolve over time," he said.

So far, private beta testers have asked for the service to be available by subscription, he added, which is "definitely something that's in the works."

The company said it plans to later expand the service to other Sony gaming platforms, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV.