Sony and Microsoft to explore strategic partnership for game streaming - Truly we are in the strangest timeline.

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Taking this directly from Microsoft's News Page...

Sony and Microsoft to explore strategic partnership

May 16, 2019 | Microsoft News Center


Companies to collaborate on new cloud-based solutions for gaming experiences and AI solutions
Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO, Sony Corporation (left), and Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft
TOKYO and REDMOND, Wash. — May 16, 2019 — Sony Corporation (Sony) and Microsoft Corp. (Microsoft) announced on Thursday that the two companies will partner on new innovations to enhance customer experiences in their direct-to-consumer entertainment platforms and AI solutions.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed by the parties, the two companies will explore joint development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services. In addition, the two companies will explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services. By working together, the companies aim to deliver more enhanced entertainment experiences for their worldwide customers. These efforts will also include building better development platforms for the content creator community.
As part of the memorandum of understanding, Sony and Microsoft will also explore collaboration in the areas of semiconductors and AI. For semiconductors, this includes potential joint development of new intelligent image sensor solutions. By integrating Sony’s cutting-edge image sensors with Microsoft’s Azure AI technology in a hybrid manner across cloud and edge, as well as solutions that leverage Sony’s semiconductors and Microsoft cloud technology, the companies aim to provide enhanced capabilities for enterprise customers. In terms of AI, the parties will explore incorporation of Microsoft’s advanced AI platform and tools in Sony consumer products, to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences.
“Sony is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. We collaborate closely with a multitude of content creators that capture the imagination of people around the world, and through our cutting-edge technology, we provide the tools to bring their dreams and vision to reality,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, president and CEO of Sony. “PlayStation® itself came about through the integration of creativity and technology. Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere. For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas. I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content. Additionally, I hope that in the areas of semiconductors and AI, leveraging each company’s cutting-edge technology in a mutually complementary way will lead to the creation of new value for society.”
“Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.”
Going forward, the two companies will share additional information when available.
About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of technology. From game and network services to music, pictures, electronics, semiconductors and financial services — Sony’s purpose is to fill the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology. For more information, visit: http://www.sony.net/.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
For more information, press only:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com
Sony Corporation, Corporate Communications & CSR Department, Sony.Pressroom@sony.co.jp

 

[Cod of War]

Hopefully this kills the console war.

 

[mr.moon1488]

Both consoles have honestly fallen so far behind the PC, that this is about the only way they can pull themselves out of the hole. I'm not even a PC master race fag, I'm just stating what I've seen as someone who owns both.

 

[Smug Chuckler]

Switch is the only console left.

 

[NOT Sword Fighter Super]

Nintendo and Sony tried to join forces too...that's how we ended up with these:

Spoiler: Video Game Masterpieces

I doubt this will lead anywhere.

 

[Coolio55]

Microsoft has nothing to lose. They've always sold like shit in japan.

 

[Coconut Gun]

"Companies to collaborate on new cloud-based solutions for gaming experiences and AI solutions"

Is this the most corporate buzzword filled sentence ever written?

 

[AsbestosFlaygon]

"Companies to collaborate on new cloud-based solutions for gaming experiences and AI solutions"

Is this the most corporate buzzword filled sentence ever written?

To me this move's seems to be just a inverse of the Blu-ray situation with Microsoft, Sony will probably use some of that fancy cloud shit that Microsoft's developing to help with stuff like PlayStation Now or other similar services. But at the end of the day both parties will still have separate consoles and compete with each other, as eye catching of a title as it is this isn't them joining forces, just sharing stuff between each other.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Eh, this is probably a bunch of PR nonsense that will have little effect on the console war.

 

[ThinkThankThunk]

Sounds to me like it's going to be less of an active partnership and more a series of trades. My guess is that Microsoft is willing to share parts of their AI developments with Sony in exchange for some level of access to the designs or tech behind the PSNow service, which they got from their Gaikai buyout back in 2013 and have no doubt been building onto since. As for Sony's get, they've not really made any big push into the AI field, and I'd bet they'd be more than willing to trade up to get a head-start in it. It's all very PR speak though, and I can't see any of this making a big impact on either's video games.

 

[Takodachi]

The Switch happened. I dont even own one but god I'd trade my PS4 for one now.

 

[Red Hood]

Soon Nintendo will be crushed and Mario will be one of us.

 

[Clop]

Soon Nintendo will be crushed and Mario will be one of us.

But he already is

 

[Trans Fat 41g]

Yet again, exclusivity is looking more and more antiquated.

 

[Rei is shit]

Nintendo and Sony tried to join forces too...that's how we ended up with these:

Spoiler: Video Game Masterpieces

I doubt this will lead anywhere.

That was done by Phillips though.

Sony got very close to releasing an SNES with a built in CD drive to the point where hardware exists. When Nintendo realized that the contract they had signed allowed Sony to license games for the SNES they decided that the deal needed to die. They did this by entering into a partnership with Phillips, and part of that contract specified that Nintendo would share its CD drive details with them. Since Nintendo had all the drive details from Sony this would mean that one of Sonys biggest competitors would be given tons of very sensitive data on how Sony CD drives worked. This forced Sony into a position where they had to pull out of the deal after Nintendo announced the phillips partnership at CES. It was a very dishounrable thing Nintendo did, basically shaming Sony. They then proceeded with their own council out of spite.

Phillips was given a license to make a couple zelda and mario games. I think Nintendo knew that the cd-i would die in obscurity and the couple of weird Nintendo property games they'd make wouldn't be well known enough to damage their brands. Probably a better option than letting Sony get all that 3rd party licensing revenue.

 

[MrTroll]

This isn't remotely surprising or weird to anyone who knows that cloud computing is now Microsoft's most important division and that Xbox is practically nothing to them.

 

[NOT Sword Fighter Super]

That was done by Phillips though.

Sony got very close to releasing an SNES with a built in CD drive to the point where hardware exists. When Nintendo realized that the contract they had signed allowed Sony to license games for the SNES they decided that the deal needed to die. They did this by entering into a partnership with Phillips, and part of that contract specified that Nintendo would share its CD drive details with them. Since Nintendo had all the drive details from Sony this would mean that one of Sonys biggest competitors would be given tons of very sensitive data on how Sony CD drives worked. This forced Sony into a position where they had to pull out of the deal after Nintendo announced the phillips partnership at CES. It was a very dishounrable thing Nintendo did, basically shaming Sony. They then proceeded with their own council out of spite.

Phillips was given a license to make a couple zelda and mario games. I think Nintendo knew that the cd-i would die in obscurity and the couple of weird Nintendo property games they'd make wouldn't be well known enough to damage their brands. Probably a better option than letting Sony get all that 3rd party licensing revenue.

It was still the result of an attempt at a joint venture between Nintendo and Sony.

 

[MightyBiteySnake]

The Xbox stopped being a worthwhile money Sink a long time ago, and I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft moved towards focusing game sales to their online store in the near future. The one is such a massive piece of shit and the only things XBox still has exclusive is dime a dozen racers, whatever schlock rare is making now, and Halo.

the One is so bad, I remember playing Fighterz on it with some friends a while back at school, and vs matches took actual minutes to load.

This is however extremely surprising from Sony, as they are loath to work with those filthy American pigs at Microsoft on basically everything.

 

[AverageAnimeWatcher]

The Xbox stopped being a worthwhile money Sink a long time ago, and I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft moved towards focusing game sales to their online store in the near future. The one is such a massive piece of shit and the only things XBox still has exclusive is dime a dozen racers, whatever schlock rare is making now, and Halo.

the One is so bad, I remember playing Fighterz on it with some friends a while back at school, and vs matches took actual minutes to load.

This is however extremely surprising from Sony, as they are loath to work with those filthy American pigs at Microsoft on basically everything.

Wasn't the latest halo a massive failure, tho?

I mean, at the very least it isn't the big deal it used to be, is it?

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

That was done by Phillips though.

Sony got very close to releasing an SNES with a built in CD drive to the point where hardware exists. When Nintendo realized that the contract they had signed allowed Sony to license games for the SNES they decided that the deal needed to die. They did this by entering into a partnership with Phillips, and part of that contract specified that Nintendo would share its CD drive details with them. Since Nintendo had all the drive details from Sony this would mean that one of Sonys biggest competitors would be given tons of very sensitive data on how Sony CD drives worked. This forced Sony into a position where they had to pull out of the deal after Nintendo announced the phillips partnership at CES. It was a very dishounrable thing Nintendo did, basically shaming Sony. They then proceeded with their own council out of spite.

Phillips was given a license to make a couple zelda and mario games. I think Nintendo knew that the cd-i would die in obscurity and the couple of weird Nintendo property games they'd make wouldn't be well known enough to damage their brands. Probably a better option than letting Sony get all that 3rd party licensing revenue.

Despite that Sony still published games on the SNES under the Sony Imagesoft banner. Play Skyblazer, it's a good game.