Hell has frozen over: Sony and Microsoft working together on cloud streaming.

https://news.microsoft.com/2019/05/16/sony-and-microsoft-to-explore-strategic-partnership/

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.

It begins!

Survive together against google. Big win for Microsoft as a company. Playstation will be a huge account for them. Behold power of the cloud.

This is the beginning of the end of lemmings and MS as a console maker. MS going the way of Sega and the filthy, dirty lemmings will finally be no more.

Glorious times indeed.

TLHBO

I actually expected this from Amazon or Google, but Microsoft actually makes sense due to the requirements needed for hardware rendering.

If XboxNext and PS5 are architecturally similar, then the cost of scale for both companies running cloud based server gpus goes down. It also give MS the opportunity to scale up or drop xCloud without having to worry about the related costs of building out the hardware infrastructure and having no clients. For MS to fail in this regard both PS Now and XCloud would need to fail.

I think this is a good sign that MS will be exiting the Console biz. MS has always been about software, and Sony Hardware.

Let Sony design and make the game consoles, TV's, and phones.

Let MS produce the software to run on it.

Bu but I was told that Sony's cloud was even better then MS's. What happened??

Microsoft is finally throwing in the towel. They know Xbox will never be able to compete with PlayStation so they are begging Sony to join them.

Sony is so nice to help out Microsoft in their time of need. Hopefully lemmings remember this day that Sony helped to make their Xbox a bit better.

@phbz: I don't think their servers are better but the fact is PS now is the most successful game streaming service as of now and by a wide margin.

Umm I don't think a single person ever claimed that. Azure network is 1000% better than anything Sony can put together, but Azure wasn't designed for running high-end games and MS has yet to actually launch a cloud gaming service yet. It sounds like the collaboration is to minimize the risk of investment in infrastructure in case of failure for both parties.

Also this.

Damn, now I have to change my sig again. ?

If both companies gain something then what's the problem?

Eventually you will have just playstation with Xbox streaming for all games.

Who said that quote him.

Lol... Sony knows that their infrastructure is sh*t and will need to team up with a company that knows what they're doing. Smart.

Definitely unexpected but good on them. Reminds me of something I read not too long ago, something that the CEO said (I'm paraphrasing) "Come work for Microsoft not because you want to be cool, but because you want others to look cool".

On the other hand.

Now lems can't say PSN sucks since it will work from MS.

Does this mean Microsoft is buying Sony? Or is Sony buying Microsoft?

It’s absolutely hilarious to see the narrative of cows change from the thought of crossplay to now this. ???

@XVision84: Neither.

It just means Microsoft is begging Sony for help and Sony said yes in exchange for some cloud servers.

Sony is the nice guy in this story. Lems should be grateful.

Prepare or an era of monetization that will make the last two gens look like nothing.

lmao lemmings were owned by their overlords.

No problem at all, I support this, but it's amusing to see lemmings getting owned because they said Sony would be destroyed by streaming next gen.

It simply proves they know nothing about what really is going on with the industry.

I don't think MS is fully throwing in the towel but I would say they are at least minimizing their investment and preparing to exit if things do not pan out well.

What is more likely happening is that MS is recognizing the costs of building out a cloud based gaming service and its possible they would want partners like Nintendo and Sony to help subsidize it. It's actually very similar to what Sony already does with AWS and RackSpace where the same servers are actually used for other things besides just PSNow. That way the cost of recouping infrastructure is cheaper. In Sony and MS case the new consoles are likely similar enough architecturally to make sense for both parties.

The opposing business model would be Sony partnering with Amazon or Google and sharing servers with them while Microsoft eats the full cost of putting all the servers in themselves. In the proposed scenario Sony could continue working all a wide variety of partners while Microsoft's Azure side and high-end gaming servers it needs for XCloud are subsidized by Sony. It's unlikely any one provider would have the resources to fully provide the needed infrastructure to support millions of customers out of the gate so its a win-win for everyone involved.

So who looks cool now? Stadia? Apple iConsole?

Makes sense I guess but... eww.

This doesn't mean Sony won't continue to work with Amazon too. If anything it likely means Sony will spread their service across multiple providers for redundancy and maximum coverage ala Netflix.

This sounds like a trap. Microsoft is gonna spy on Sony and steal all of their great... um... uhh...

Maybe Microsoft should have partnered with Nintendo here instead

@ajstyles: Microsoft has a lot of money though. They could pull it off and this seems like a solid first step.

Cool.

Now combine PS and Xbox to create PlayStation X.

@ellos: Its a bigger win for Sony. They'd be absolutely left behind if they didnt make this deal.

LOL at cows that think this will make MS leave the console business! This a big contract signing between MS and Sony, as Sony may had trouble building their cloud infrastructure, and so they have moved on to MS to use their Azure service vs using Amazon or Google's cloud service.

No one has enough money to support 100 million or even 50 million simultaneous users running high-end next gen gaming PCs in the cloud without charging $400-$500 upfront. You guys are grossly underestimating what even one of these blade servers costs. They're typically priced several $10,000Ks a piece.

Go back to your hive, MS is still making the Next Xbox, it means that sucked at making their own cloud service and opt to go for Azure over Amazon and Google Cloud.

Such clever trolling, how do you do it?

MS did say that they want Xbox play anywhere on every platform. They were dead set, and they got a deal with Sony to cooperate.

Or is simply cheaper for sony to use MS one than try to build their own.

Also this deal is a 2 way deal.

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.

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.

Cool.

Hopefully they will explore ways to improve download speeds on PSN & XBL as we move into the predominantly digital future.

We shall see what come of this.

System Wars, uh, finds a way.

MS knows they are not going to sell hardware at the global level Sony will, personally I see this as a equal win where MS can go full blast on their GAAS model on every bit of hardware imaginable, and Sony gets some help in making PS now better.

Don't give a shit about the streaming part, but I hope this can better unify things like cross platform play and saves.

Lol true.

Mentions AI too.

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.

@FireEmblem_Man: and who said they aren't? I know it hurts but those are the facts, Microsoft is joining forces with Sony because it benefits them, ps5 and next Xbox aren't going to compete no more. Boo hoo system wars is dead, time to get along with the times.

Well what great thing they could steal from Nintendo? 10 year old hardware secrets?

Or the next gimmick.

Dude they are winning by miles now i would say left behind at all.

But is a smart move for them,for once they don't have to worry about integration much when both consoles run on the same platforms ,it would make it much easier for cross games as well.

Basically sony with this move kill the notion that they would not be open to cross play.

No it means they save billions and just use MS one,they could have use google or amazon.

Is no different than when sony had a line of PC and they all used windows,is just busyness.

And in fact MS will use Sony's image sensors with their cloud,you should have read the whole article this is a 2 way deal and both companies get something back not just sony.

@mave198: how many lemons are actually left nowadays? The real scourge of System Wars is the Sheep faction.

This joint venture is actually best for the industry. Now instead of competing to suffocate each other, the titans join forces to rule the empire together.

gg sheep and hermits. You will not be missed.

And the SW forum really is pointless now.

Also, this proves PSN DID IN FACT SUCK. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Nice to see Sony swallow their pride and ask Ms for their help,

Ms make the more powerful consoles, better cloud technology, better online and game pass is the king of game rental on console

Gamers are the winners,fanboys however will be in full damage control

True, this place is pointless now.

What do we fight? PC launchers?

Nah, it never sucked. It just got better now.