With the shocking announcement last week that Sony will be working with Microsoft to engineer and incorporate new cloud streaming technology into future gaming initiatives, it is no surprise that Sony thinks streaming will be big soon. The question is, then, how soon? Does Sony expect this to be a big deal with the PlayStation 6? A new remote play initiative? According to Jim Ryan, we’re already there.
During an Investor Relations meeting yesterday, where Sony showed off a bit of what they expect from next-generation hardware, PlayStation’s newest boss Jim Ryan spoke a little bit about Sony’s next big initiatives with streaming services. The PlayStation chief said “we believe the streaming era is upon us and is about to begin a period of rapid growth.”
This does not simply mean streaming games from a server, but an emphasis on things like Remote Play as a major feature of the PlayStation ecosystem (and is returning for the next generation console). According to Ryan, Sony’s experience with PlayStation Now gives them a leg up in this upcoming world of streaming things to consoles, allowing them to be ready when it does really blow up.
“While others are in startup mode or in catchup mode, SIE has been steadily investing, organically and through acquisition, for over 20 years, and now has a network of over 13 powerhouse studios in all regions serving gamers across the globe,” Ryan said.
One important delineation the PlayStation boss makes is that a digital future does not come at the expense of a physical one. When asked about a disc drive in the next PlayStation, Ryan said “We never forced the digital model on any one,” reiterating that gamers value choice most of all.
While Sony is not attending E3 in 2019, it is likely that they will talk more about their next-generation console by this time next year.
[Source: Ars Technica]
Source: Game Informer
