Getting a ps4 pro and giving my ps4 to my son...questions on sharing games etc.

snow patrol

snow patrol

snow patrol

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Hi all,

so i've decided to treat myself to a ps4 pro. I will therefore be giving my old ps4 to my son, who doesn't actually live with me.

From what I gather, it is possible that we can both have downloaded games on our consoles and play them at the same time, even online. I'm just slightly confused as to how to go about this.

I'd like the ps4 PRO to be the 'main' console so to speak, ie the one that i actually buy the games on..and then for the old ps4 to be able to download those games. Which console would i have to designate as the primary console in order to do this?

Obviously, i don't want to lose my saves etc either so am i fine to port everything across from the old ps4 to the pro? Also - i have lots of games on an external drive - can i just plug and play this drive to the new pro or will i have to reinstall them all?

many thanks
 
I think the one for your son would be the primary console and he would just log in to your profile on the PS4 to see any new games to download, once they are they will show up on his profile.

The external drive, not sure... it works that way with the XB1 so I am assuming it will on the PS4.

With saves, if you have PS+ just set them to upload to the cloud in the save settings.
 
Ah I see, so I could continue as normal downloading games as and when on my pro and then every time we wanted that game on his PS4 it would simply be a case of logging into my profile on his PS4 and downloading them.

Would we need a separate psn subscription for him to be able to play online?
 
Nope. If his console has your account on and is activated as the primary console every account on that console will be able to play online.
 
As far I know your main account needs to be on his console and his main account needs to be on your console. But both accounts need to be on both consoles. It's a bit backwards.
 
Soulja said:
Also one thing, you have to be online on the deactivated console to play your digital games.
Click to expand...

So I'd have to keep my pro on all the time, essentially, so that my son could play when he wanted to? Hmmn, bit of a bummer but not a deal breaker i suppose. Could my pro be in 'rest mode'?
 
i think i got the wrong end of the stick. You mean my pro would have to be online for me to play the games on my pro. Not my pro being online for my son to be able to play. Probably :D
 
Aslo...and sorry to be so dumb with this...how do i go about letting him play online as well, without just buying him a psn subscription? Do i need to set a sub account for him when i'm logged into my pro, and then have him log in with those details on his ps4 afterwards?
 
Just create a psn account like normal. You don't have to do anything special. Just make sure his console has your account on and that it's activated at the primary console.

snow patrol said:
i think i got the wrong end of the stick. You mean my pro would have to be online for me to play the games on my pro. Not my pro being online for my son to be able to play. Probably :D
Click to expand...

Yes, your console would need to be online to be able to play your digital games.
 
Soulja said:
Just create a psn account like normal. You don't have to do anything special. Just make sure his console has your account on and that it's activated at the primary console.



Yes, your console would need to be online to be able to play your digital games.
Click to expand...

lovely, cheers for clearly that up matey :)
 
ok..

got my pro today :) Have transferred everything across. Can manage to play on both simultaneously BUT i can't play on both online simultaneously.

I've made the old ps4 the primary one, and games are working on that. However, if i sign into my PSN account on it (to play online) it signs me OUT of my pro and visa versa.

So - is it actually possible to have TWO online accounts and be able to play online on both consoles WITHOUT having to buy a second PSN subscription? I've been googling this but can't seem to find a definitive answer.
 
Just create a new account for the console that's activated as primary and that account will be able to play online at the same time. You can't use the same account online, on separate consoles at the same time.
 
great - i'd just been doing the bog standard 'create new user' rather than creating a new psn id. I'd forgotten that creatiing a new psn id is actually free..it's just ps plus that costs.

So now do i need to login on my pro with the newly created
 
Log into the regular ps4 with your account and make that one the primary activated console. Log out and now any other psn account will be able to play online mp on that console, even without plus.

Leave the pro deactivated and use your normal account on that console but you will have to be online to play your digital library.
 
biron_w said:
As far I know your main account needs to be on his console and his main account needs to be on your console. But both accounts need to be on both consoles. It's a bit backwards.
Click to expand...

not true.

I do this with a mate to share games and PSN plus so I know exactly how it all works.


OLD PS4 - Put your account on this and set it as your accounts primary console.

That way any account on the old PS4 can use your PSN plus and access all the games on your account.


PS4 Pro - Put your account on this but do not set it as it's primary console.

Only your account can play online or play the games associated with that account.


You can only activate / de-activate consoles once or twice a year, so make sure you get it right. Do it wrong twice and you won't be able to fix it for a year.
 
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