Even though they’re often pitted against one another by fans and consumers, Microsoft and Sony announced today that they will be partnering with one another in the future in the realm of game streaming and other related services.
As announced via Microsoft’s official website, the two companies moving forward “will explore joint development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services.” Furthermore, Microsoft Azure’s datacenter solutions are said to be used for game and other streaming services for Sony. “By working together, the companies aim to deliver more enhanced entertainment experiences for their worldwide customers,” said the news release. The two will also be partnering and collaborating when it comes to semiconductors and AI as well.
“Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella said of this move. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.”
Xbox head Phil Spencer also chimed in on Twitter after it was unveiled that the two would be working together saying that he hopes the collaboration can allow both “to pursue our mutual gaming ambitions and delight players around the world.”
Excited about the opportunities ahead with @Sony for us to pursue our mutual gaming ambitions and delight players around the world. https://t.co/3vBuQiruiR
— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) May 16, 2019
There’s a whole lot to break down here and it’s still a bit too early to know just how this partnership could affect things in the future, especially when it comes to PlayStation and Xbox respectively. If anything, it’s a big indication that both companies are looking to potentially get into game streaming in a big way in the coming years. Microsoft has already talked openly about its Project xCloud service in the past and while Sony also has streaming options currently available, like with its PlayStation Now service, it’s one that’s not without its faults. Seeing the two coming together to collaborate in this realm says quite a bit about where both seem to be headed.
In the midst of the announcement though, I’m left wondering how those over at Google working on Stadia are feeling about the news. While this definitely doesn’t spell doom for Stadia whatsoever, the fact that now two of the biggest players in the video game industry are now openly getting into game streaming a bit more heavily shows that competition will likely heat up soon.
It’s going to be an interesting next few years when it comes to game streaming and I’m looking forward to seeing how all of this is going to shape up. When you see both Sony and Microsoft working together in this manner, you know that big things are coming.
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Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/sony-microsoft-partnership-game-streaming/
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