How to Remote Play PlayStation 4 on Nvidia Shield
UPDATE: Modified instructions with new download link to work with PlayStation 4 3.00 firmware update.
Ok, I admit, I am starting to eat my words about my disappointment with Nvidia Shield. Sure, it’s basically just a 5 inch Android device with an Xbox 360 controller permanently mounted to it in a clam-shell design, but this little handheld officially won me over when I discovered I could easily play my PlayStation 4 library on it. GTA V, Destiny, and LittleBigPlanet 3 on a really comfortable to hold handheld? YES PLEASE!
In late 2014, a new phone was released called the Xperia Z3. I ended up picking one up for one ‘exclusive’ feature: to stream my PS4 games to my phone. Sure, it worked well, and I was able to attach my Dual Shock 4 controller to it using a special attachment I purchased on Amazon, but it still felt sort of awkward to use. I liked using the Vita to do remote play at first, but that thing makes my hand cramp when I even look at it now. The only devices I could use to do remote play were my Vita and my phone, or so I thought.
It turns out that the “Remote Play” app that was locked to only work on Sony’s Xperia line of phones has been modified to work with other Android devices, including the Nvidia Shield! Even better, you don’t have to root your device! So do you own a Shield handheld and a PlayStation 4 and want to figure out how to get remote play to work? Well here are the steps:
1. Make sure your Nvidia Shield is updated to at least Android 4.4.2 (or later).
2. Go to the Google Play store and install the Playstation App
3. Download and install the remote play fix from this thread and select the latest version of the app that was modified by xdadeveloper user “twisted89” (I used this test version with my Shield Portable and it seemed to work fine with PS4 firmware 3.0).
4. Start the Remote Play application and skip the “controller pairing” option and just select “next” to detect your PS4
5. Sign in to your PSN account when prompted
6. Go to the remote play settings on the PS4, turn off “direct connect” and select “add device” to add the verification number.
7. This modified apk will automatically detect the Shield’s built-in controller, so be sure to disable all touch mappings by holding the start button.
8. You can increase the resolution to 720p if you are on a 5ghz wireless router. Just click the icon with the 3 dots in the upper right corner to change the settings. You can only change this setting before connecting to your PS4. It was a bit choppy for me though, so I wouldn’t personally recommend using it.
A few extra notes:
If you accidentally push the “back” or “home” button on your controller while playing to edit settings or anything else then you will have to reconnect all over again, but it generally reconnects pretty fast.
The Shield’s controller works great with this! You can “double tap” and swipe the middle of the touch screen to use the PS4’s trackpad. You can also push “the PS button” by touching the touch screen as well. L3 and R3 work directly on the controller.
That’s all there is to it! I went from feeling sort of “meh” about my Nvidia Shield to absolutely loving it now. I can mix-and-match my favorite PC games, PS4 games, and Android apps all from the comfort of one handheld. The best part? I was lucky enough to pick up my Nvidia Shield for $140 new at GameStop! Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to play some portable GTA V on the can.
