Sony’s innovative PlayLink turns phones into controllers for PS4 party games

At its E3 presentation yesterday, Sony showed off a new PS4 feature called PlayLink, which lets you pair phones and tablets to the console and use them as second-screen controllers for a range of new games.

I mentioned ‘second-screen’ because PlayLink isn’t meant for turning your phone into a replacement for a DualShock 4 controller. Instead, you’ll be able to see information about your character in a card game, use the camera to take photos of your friends and integrate them into the game environment, and discreetly answer quiz questions without revealing your answers to your friends – all while the action unfurls on your TV screen.

You can see an example of the last scenario I described in That’s You!, a quiz-based party game that helps you get to know your friends better with wacky questions and doodling challenges.

The title I’m most excited about is Hidden Agenda, a co-op detective thriller that forces you to make difficult choices as you attempt to solve a criminal case with up to five more friends (hit the play button at the top of this post to check out its trailer). You get to take on the roles of a detective and a district attorney tasked with stopping a serial killer who lays traps to kill first responders at crime scenes. Dang!

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There’s also SingStar Celebration, which lets you use your phone as a mic to belt out classic and festive tunes with your mates.

It’s great to see Sony attempting to bring a new dimension to gameplay – especially the sort that lets folks have fun while being in the same room together. I’m all about that sort of social experience, so I can’t wait to give this a try.

That’s You! will be the first PlayLink title to become available; it’ll arrive on July 4 and cost you nothing. Other games will release over the next few months this year.