Things have been a bit quiet on the partnership announced between Sony and Microsoft lately. The deal, which was announced in May 2019, was part of an initiative to increase Sony’s presence in the world of cloud gaming. While some saw a partnership between two companies who are generally seen as rivals as a surprise, the team-up was apparently all Sony’s idea.
The revelation comes from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in an interview with Fortune. According to Nadella, the partnership was “all driven by Sony.” It came about after Sony “looked at who are all their partners that they can trust.”
This somewhat echoes statements from Sony itself. PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan previously said the deal was part of an attempt to better situate the company in the face of an increasing number of competitors. Of course, Sony already has its cloud-based PlayStation Now service, though it wouldn’t be a stretch to say its online infrastructure is a bit lacking compared to other companies.
Right now, we don’t have a clear idea of how the partnership will take form. However, we do know that it allows Sony to take advantage of Microsoft’s Azure platform for cloud-based services. On the partnership, Nadella said, “Basically and fundamentally the fact that we have a business model in the areas that they’re partnering with us, where we’re dependent on their success.”
Nadella didn’t elaborate what the deal would entail, saying it could take multiple forms. He noted that while it will naturally have an impact on Sony’s games division, it could also extend to the company’s other subsidiaries, such as film and tech, as well.
Despite the unprecedented partnership, Sony has maintained that it won’t have an influence on PlayStation’s “distinct identity.” With the rise of cloud gaming, and competitors like Google on the way, the gaming industry is changing in a big way, and the Sony-Microsoft partnership is evidence of that.
[Source: Fortune via Gamesindustry.biz]
