Sony's Live TV on PS5 arrives in the United States
Sony has launched Live TV on PS5, a free, ad-supported live television service available to U.S. users through the Media section of the PlayStation 5 console. The offering, provided by Sony Pictures Television, gives PS5 owners access to more than 100 live channels covering sports, movies, TV shows, anime, news and creator-led programming, with no additional paid streaming subscription required. Access begins after users sign in to the Live TV on PS5 icon with a PlayStation Network account.
Sports programming anchors the launch lineup
Sony's promotional materials highlight a significant sports presence on the new platform, with channels operated by leagues and networks including Fox Sports, NASCAR, NBC Sports Now, UFC, and Ion. The featured sports content spans mixed martial arts, football, hockey, motorsports, golf, boxing and soccer. Ion was spotlighted in the Live TV on PS5 trailer for carrying weekly WNBA and NWSL games, while other sports-focused channels are expected to lean more heavily on shoulder and ancillary programming than on live game coverage. Programming from The Ringer is also being featured on the platform.
Movies, anime and entertainment partners round out the channels
Beyond sports, Sony's launch lineup spans free movie channels across genres such as action, horror and science fiction, alongside anime and broader entertainment programming. The Economic Times lists contributing partners including Amazon MGM Studios, Crunchyroll, FOX, NBCUniversal, the NFL Channel and UFC. Sony's framing positions the console as a potential central entertainment hub alongside its gaming role, similar to how streaming devices such as Roku have become primary household access points for streaming apps.
Strategy and industry context
The launch reflects Sony's effort to extend time spent on the PS5 beyond gaming by integrating free live television directly into the console. For the participating sports leagues and networks, the platform offers a path to reach viewers who might not otherwise encounter their content through traditional media consumption. Awful Announcing described the move as positioning Sony to compete more directly with general-purpose streaming hubs, noting that the gaming console is often the first input consumers select when turning on their television.
Other developments
Separately, Event Hubs reported that Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, which launched a few weeks earlier with notable PC issues that were largely patched out, posted strong input lag test results on both PS5 and PC, with one platform emerging as the clear winner in those measurements.
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