Enthusiasm in PlayStation Now has plummeted since Sony’s beta pricing scheme was revealed, but while there’s tweaking to be done, it’s clear that the online streaming service represents a big portion of the platform holder’s future. Indeed, it’s unlikely to happen any time soon, but we can see a day where the Japanese giant’s entire library will exist inside an application on your Bravia TV – and, in fact, that’s what the company’s working towards.
Speaking with Game Informer, Sony Network Entertainment chief Eric Lempel admitted as much, hinting that the firm one day aims to make its entire back catalogue compatible with the cloud-based platform. “We’re looking at everything,” he said, “so there’s the real possibility that you’ll see PSone, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 4 titles available. Right now it’s just PlayStation 3, but these are all options for the future.”
Of course, licensing issues mean that you’re never likely to see every game ever made available online, but we’d consider the initiative a success if the company could get close to that. First, it needs to solve the format's financial issues, though – and fortunately, that’s something that it's working hard on, too. “We’re exploring a subscription option for PlayStation Now, and that would be basically a set price for a certain set of content,” Lempel added. “No details on that just yet.”
Sony’s breaking new ground with this service, so it’s got a long road ahead until it figures everything out. Perhaps the most impressive thing about all of this, though – and the biggest sign that the organisation’s onto a winner – is that very few of the complaints levelled at the initiative so far pertain to the technology itself. There’s work to be done on the business side, but David Perry and his gang of Gaikai staff deserve all of the technical innovation awards in the world.
[source gameinformer.com, via gamespot.com]
Comments 19
PS Now prices are ridiculous, games need a great internet connection, so i doubt that reality will begin before the next generation, hardly 6-10 years from now.
@ferrers405 I agree, but it is the future.
@get2sammyb If compressed video quality is the future of Sony games I'll stick with Nintendo/PC from now on.
@get2sammyb
The same they said about PSP Go and Kinect, so I am not feeling it.
@Jazzer94 same here, if PS Now will totally replace the future PS5 I'll stick with Nintendo/PC for sure.
What's more likely to happen is games as a service on PC like Steam, PS Now was never going to hit big early on cos it's pretty much new tech but it can grow like PS Plus did. Btw did anyone see that Sony retrademarked Vib Ribbon? Hope it's rerelased along with Parappa and Primal.
@sinalefa - I dont think Sony likes it when you mention the "Go" word.
I read the title as PS TV, but Im beginning to think Sony is going to show that less love than the Vita. I think its out in the US in a month. Though I was in Target yesterday and the Vita kiosk seemed to be gone so who knows whats going on, Target may be one big Disney Infinity and Skylanders display in a couple of days.
@get2sammyb
Lets hope not, I think this would be an awful future.
@ferrers405
I doubt that will be the case. I mean, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime is supposedly "the future" of movies/TV, but that hasn't overtaken DVD or Blu-ray. Same with music. The only thing thats declining is cable. An all-digital console is whats most likely to happen, physical could still have a niche since someone still needs to sell the hardware, and they'll want something to profit off of, especially dedicated retailers like Gamestop.
To expensive .
I think sony have hit the nail on the head with this one and to be hounist i think they have just brought it out now to get people used to the idea and also help sony work out the kinks, its about 7 years out ur next "console" might be a beefed up sony bravia and a £40 a yr subscription to now tv.
@Zombie_Barioth
I can see game stop etc shops not existing soon, the whole market will go digital! gamestop will buy up millions of digital games files and sell them cheaper than sony, thats how they will keep makin money. (just my opinion mate)
Can't see them ever getting every PS1/2/3/PSN game on PS NOW tho Just look at all the PS1 & PS2 games that have never got onto PS3's PSN(there are LOADS of missing big SONY games to) Shame.
Is their long-term plan to provide PS Now in addition to remaining in the console hardware business with PS5, PS6 etc etc or is PS Now supposed to be a long-term substitute to the console hardware?
I'm not sold yet. I would definitely like to play some PS3 games on my PSVita via PSNow, but I never would take it as a substitute for games that are locally rendered on hardware.
I think bringing PS3 to PSNow and bringing PSNow to as many devices makes sense as long as it's a supplement for native games for PS4 and PSVita.
From what I've seen the prices for 1-month rentals on the PSNow beta seemed fair to me.
What I don't understand is that they didn't include many first-party games yet (from a list that I've seen)? The big opportunity there would be to push some of those PS3 first-party games that some people might have missed initially if they didn't have a PS3.
Anyway, I think local compute is here to stay for games. PSNow could become big on mobile devices imo. But I think it's still a pretty risky move, I mean the Gaikai acquisition was a risky move imo. But I don't know, it could pay off. It could also flop. I don't know.
Also adding PS4 games to PSNow would be weird, since they're trying to sell PS4's right now. I don't see them doing PS4 games for PSNow.
I'm probably going to stick with PS4/PSVita/PC for a long time if PS5 will be just PSNow. (well I wouldn't need more than that since the PS5 PSNow games should be streamable to PSVita and PS4. It could be pretty amazing to play amazing looking games on PSVita) Maybe occasionally some Nintendo, although Nintendo consoles are only worth renting imo. Got burnt on Nintendo systems too many times.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen anything suggesting this would replace ps5. They want to enhance their back catalog, which would enhance the service. And if they got their pricing right, it most certainly would. This would be added onto the ps5, along with all the other devices.
Am I the only person who like physical media? Don't get me wrong, streaming is cool, and I even like to play games in Steam, for example, but I have a lot of games of PS3 and Vita (as I had of PS2) and I simply like them. It's such a sad thing to think that one day they will be obsolete without consoles to run they.
@keyser_soze
They're already selling pre-payed download cards, so they may just down-size a bit and do that. They still have hardware and accessories too.
They might also focus more on retro consoles, that market won't just up and disappear. Didn't they open a retro-store or section a while back?
Well the retro market isnt something i know alot about if im being hounist, i dont really know much about game stop to know if they done that or not, i can only comment on what i see in the uk, alot of big companies went into administration including "game" i believe as people where getting cheaper deals online for games and other things and how everything is digital the console as a thing may be gone after the ones we have now, u could be right they might start focusing more on retro stuff amd have retro stores etc but i think it makes sence money wise to not have to pay rent on a building and not have to hire as many staff, bravia tv,playstation now it all make to much sence just to ditch consoles in the future, i would miss a console tho and game disks as there something that actualy has phisical presence.
So the future is $5 for 4 hour of gaming ?
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