51w ago - Following up on our
previous article, today MCVUK (linked above) reports that according to their sources Sony is indeed close to acquiring a high-profile cloud gaming firm.
To quote: "In a move that will rock the next generation of console gaming, Sony is close to agreeing an acquisition of a high profile cloud gaming firm, MCV understands.
It was reported earlier this week that Sony was to reveal a partnership with a cloud gaming firm - specifically either OnLive or Gaikai - at E3 next week.
Subsequent chatter had seemingly calmed the rumours, suggesting that the proposed agreement was to do with Sony streaming TV services, and not consoles.
However, MCV understands that the deal is far more extensive than anyone could have predicted and will see Sony fully acquire one of the two firms. The deal, our source says, "is close to being signed".
The acquisition has implications for all parts of Sony's business, both in the consumer tech and console divisions.
Although work on PS4 is already well underway, Sony is very likely keen on bringing its PlayStation gaming content to non-console owners - a move finally made possible by this deal.
And there could be benefits for console users, too, with gaming content likely to be available when on the move and without the need for a direct connection to the console.
If nothing else, the deal should hit home the fact that the digital gaming revolution is not a distant dream - it's happening. Now. And the implications for games retail are both obvious and colossal."
Thanks mate , very useful....
Perhaps if they start selling them at rental prices ($5), then I would consider them. But there is no way I would pay full price for a game that I don't own.
This may work for some types of games, but realistically this isn't going to work for games like 3rd person shooters. I worry about 3-4 ms latency between my computer & monitor, forget network latency.
Plus the need to keep buying new consoles every few years to enjoy higher performing games would be moot, as you could literally use the same system for a lifetime. And perhaps cloud gaming would allow cross-platform play of games and online services regardless of what brand you own. So for example, a PS3 user wants to play Mass Effect 1 on their PS3, no problem. Halo games, GeOW etc etc.
Although cloud gaming has a TON of drawbacks, things like lag, being 100% reliant on the net to play games, net speed limitations, server issues, potential data loss etc etc etc. As of now, I don't believe our infrastructure can handle it, maybe in 15 or 20 years when the slowest net connection somebody has is 50 Mbps up/down on fiber optic.
We can't deny this kind of thing is going to be the future, and it's already amazing how much the internet is being used now as it's exponential growth is staggering. I can't even imagine what things are going to be like in 20 years... I can just picture everything will be net-based and streamed.
P.S: I've never tried cloud gaming but i can see the problems that would arise with my internet connection, or almost any other connection in my country...