Sony

Sony and Samsung are teaming up to offer gamers a festive treat: PlayStation games without a PlayStation on Samsung smart TVs.

Samsung's Internet-connected TVs in the US and Canada will be able to access the PlayStation Now service in the first half of next year.

PlayStation Now enables you to stream games from the Web straight to the TV without needing a PlayStation console. You do need a Sony Dualshock controller, but once that's plugged in all you have to do is fire up an app on the TV and you can choose from over 200 PS3 games to start playing immediately.

Games are streamed from the cloud so there's no need for downloads. You can play games online against friends, and save your progress in the cloud ready to pick up next time where you left off. Streaming does mean lag could be an issue, however, so you'll have to make sure your Internet connection is fast enough to do the game justice.

No exact date has yet been offered for the new service. And neither company has responded yet to a request for more information on whether the service will be available outside of the US and Canada.

We'll keep you posted. And in the meantime, attendees of gadget bonanza the Consumer Electronics Show 2015 will get a sneak preview in January when Samsung smart TVs showcase PlayStation Now at the massive trade show -- and CNET will be among those attendees, bringing you all the first impressions, hands-on videos and exclusive first looks you need to see.

To get you in the mood, hit play on the video below to check out the special edition PlayStation 4 revealed this month when Sony celebrated the 20th anniversary of the classic PlayStation console, originally released in Japan on 3 December 1994.