Sony and Microsoft have announced a joint partnership with one another. The duo will collaborate together both on a technological and entertainment front, with Microsoft benefiting from semiconductor enhancements while Sony will benefit from Microsoft’s Azure cloud services, and both will collaborate on evolutionary AI technology.
According to Windows Central the partnership will expand across multiple divisions including both the enterprise and entertainment divisions.
Microsoft will take advantage of Sony’s image sensors that will be integrated into Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology. This is for the enterprise aspect of the collaboration.
Sony, however, will look to take advantage of the Azure cloud services for things like game streaming and entertainment purposes, likely to improve the PlayStation Now service.
Sony president Kenichiro Yoshida explained in the press release statement…
“Sony is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. We collaborate closely with a multitude of content creators that capture the imagination of people around the world, and through our cutting-edge technology, we provide the tools to bring their dreams and vision to reality. PlayStation itself came about through the integration of creativity and technology. Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere. For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas. I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.”
I don’t really see what the benefit would be for gamers if the focus is more on the anti-consumer practice of cloud-based gaming. Game streaming is expensive and removes consumers from the ownership equation.
From a corporate standpoint it looks good for investors and shareholders who want to further strip consumers of their rights and force them into the recurring spend of renting rather than owning, and in that regard I imagine a lot of business executives are salivating over that prospect, but that really has nothing to do with making life better for end-users, save for having to spend more and get less.
But the partnership is obviously in the early stages and we won’t really be able to tell how this will affect the gaming landscape until years from now.
(Thanks for the news tip Brinstar Hunter)
(Main image courtesy of GameChannel.hu)
