The company says one of its top priorities in 2014 has been buying servers and expanding its cloud networks to make sure it can reliably stream high-bandwidth games through PlayStation Now, the service it introduced over the summer. Players using PS Now dont need to own any Sony hardware beyond a game controller or two: The service relays its 200-odd titles directly from a data center to a players TV, which doesnt have to be Sony-made. If you look at other forms of entertainment and the dramatic impact streaming has had on those, that says to us that theres clearly a strong consumer satisfaction with the instant gratification thats provided by streaming experiences, says Andrew House, president of Sony Computer Entertainment. We think that has a role to play in the future of games, as well.
Although it may seem strange to cannibalize the hardware business while gamers are still willing to pay $400 or more for a PS4, Sony needs to push into cloud gaming sooner rather than later, says Serkan Toto, the founder of Tokyo-based consultant Kantan Games. Cloud gaming is the future, and I have no doubt that things like PlayStation 4 and all the hardware and cables that fill up your living room will all go away, he says.
