Sony’s head of interactive entertainment, Jim Ryan, says the company is developing a cloud strategy that will be “unique and only on PlayStation”.
Big cloud ambitions
Sony bought the online gaming company Gaikai in 2012. That was before they launched PlayStation Now where they give subscribers unlimited access to a library of around 700 PS4, PS3 and PS2 games.
But the company has bigger cloud ambitions, and in 2019 it announced a “strategic partnership” with Microsoft that is expected to result in the PlayStation manufacturer using Microsoft Azure data centers for online gaming and content streaming.
Not ready to reveal the online strategy
PlayStation CEO Ryan says that Sony is not yet ready to reveal its online strategy for PS5, but emphasizes that they are developing a unique offer.
We continue the conversations [med Microsoft] and the exchange of ideas, and very interesting things come up, so when the time comes we announce our web strategy, but the cloud experience we develop will be unique and exclusive to PlayStation.
Jim Ryan, Sony
Ryan has been asked if the cloud can disrupt the traditional hardware cycle of one new PlayStation console every six to seven years.
It is difficult to answer that question. History shows that sales reach a peak in the third or fourth year. At the end of the cycle, the cloud may play a role. I’m more optimistic about the future now than I was a year ago.
Ryan has also given some thought to what increased focus on online gaming could mean for the consoles, but believes it is too early to say whether the PS5 could be the latest console from Sony.
“The PS5 is fresh, so at this point, just enjoy it before we think about the future of PlayStation.”
One million more subscribers 2019-2020
In September 2018, Sony introduced the ability for PS Now users to download PS4 games and play them offline. According to the company, this contributed to higher user engagement.
In October 2019, Sony lowered the prices of PlayStation Now to become more competitive with streaming services. It also began adding blockbuster games every month, but with limited availability.
According to Sony, PlayStation Now had over 2.2 million subscribers in April 2020, up from one million in October 2019.
Source: Videogames Chronicle
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