Plex just added a new subscription tier to its live TV and media streaming services: Plex Arcade, a cloud gaming service like Amazon Luna and Google Stadia, but focused entirely on retro arcade games.
The streaming company partnered with Parsec, another streaming company know for cloud gaming, to build a library filled with Atari classics like Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, and more. Plex also supports classic game ROMs, so if you have some of your own lying around you can add them to your Plex Arcade library.
“We’ve actually kicked the idea around for years, and given that over the last year we’ve been looking for new ways to entertain and distract ourselves, we decided to finally make it happen,” Plex announced in a statement.
Thanks to Parsec’s low-latency streaming technology, the Plex team could easily offer fully playable game libraries within its service.
Plex says its new arcade is a passion project, and still a work in progress, but should it attract a lot of subscribers, there’s definitely room to expand the service down the road. You can try Plex Arcade free for seven days. After that it’s $3 per month for existing Plex Pass subscribers, or $5 per month for non-subscribers.
Plex Arcade requires a Windows or macOS Plex Media Server (sorry Linux users; no support for you at this time), but it’s easy to set up and create a new games library. Plex Arcade supports Android (mobile and TV), iOS, tvOS, and Chrome, and you can use any Bluetooth or USB game controller compatible with your preferred gaming platform—although Plex recommends using a Sony DualShock 4 or Xbox One controller. For Chrome-based gaming, a keyboard will work, too. You will also need to link your Plex account with your Parsec account, but that’s part of the Plex Arcade set-up. (Parsec accounts are free.)
The new service is available to try out right now, so anyone can take it for a spin. It does require you to enter your payment information, so if you’re only interested in the free trial, don’t forget to cancel before that time period is up.