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Sony CEO Downplays Cloud Gaming Risks Amid Microsoft Acquisition of Activision
Sony’s CEO Kenichiro Yoshida has recently expressed his reservations about cloud gaming, stating that it is “very tricky” from a technical standpoint and that it is still a significant challenge for the gaming industry. Despite this, Sony is reportedly looking into cloud gaming options for their future, possibly utilizing their artificial intelligence agent, GT Sophy. However, the chief executive acknowledges that the biggest obstacle of cloud gaming is latency, which is the fast response time that gamers demand. While cloud gaming has been in development for over a decade, many users still prefer consoles or high-end gaming PCs over streaming games entirely over the internet.
The Challenge of Cloud Gaming
A significant challenge for cloud gaming is latency, which is the time lag between pressing a button and the action occurring in-game. This is due to the time it takes for data to travel back and forth from the cloud server. Gamers demand fast response times, and the issue of latency has yet to be fully resolved.
Sony’s Early Entry into Cloud Gaming
Sony was one of the first big companies to enter the cloud gaming market, acquiring cloud gaming company Gaikai for $380mn in 2012. In 2014, Sony launched a cloud gaming subscription service, which is now integrated with its upgraded and expanded service PS Plus Premium. However, analysts argue that Sony has not capitalized on its early entry to establish itself as a leader in the field.
Cloud Gaming Inefficiencies and GT Sophy’s Role
One challenge with cloud gaming is that servers are idle for much of the day before having to cope with the high levels of traffic of gamers playing during the evening. To address this, Sony has reportedly deployed its artificial intelligence agent, GT Sophy, in the quiet hours to learn how to beat human competitors in the auto-racing simulator game Gran Turismo. Yoshida states that the use of GT Sophy during quiet hours helped to address the issue of inefficiencies in cloud gaming.
Microsoft Acquisition of Activision
Microsoft’s agreed purchase of Activision, the publisher behind popular game franchises such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, will make it the third-biggest gaming company by revenue, behind China’s Tencent and Sony. Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service has reportedly more than 20mn users. There have been concerns that Microsoft might make Activision’s games exclusive to its cloud gaming service, potentially accelerating the shift away from consoles. The UK competition regulator has blocked the acquisition, while EU regulators cleared the purchase with concessions made by Microsoft.
FAQs
What are the technical difficulties with cloud gaming?
One of the main technical difficulties with cloud gaming is latency, which is the time lag between pressing a button and the action occurring in-game. This is due to the time it takes for data to travel back and forth from the cloud server. Gamers demand fast response times, and the issue of latency has yet to be fully resolved.
Why do many users still prefer consoles or high-end gaming PCs over cloud gaming?
Many users prefer consoles or high-end gaming PCs over cloud gaming because of the risk of data lag. The lags that can be caused by slowing internet connectivity and server speeds can be frustrating for gamers.
What is GT Sophy, and how does it help with cloud gaming?
GT Sophy is Sony’s artificial intelligence agent that was deployed during quiet hours to learn how to beat human competitors in the auto-racing simulator game Gran Turismo. Its role helps to address the issue of inefficiencies in cloud gaming where servers are idle for much of the day before having to cope with the high levels of traffic of gamers playing during the evening.
What impact will Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision have on the gaming industry?
If the acquisition goes through, Microsoft will become the third-biggest gaming company by revenue, behind China’s Tencent and Sony. There have been concerns that Microsoft might make Activision’s games exclusive to its cloud gaming service, potentially accelerating the shift away from consoles. The UK competition regulator has blocked the acquisition, while EU regulators cleared the purchase with concessions made by Microsoft.
Conclusion
Sony’s CEO Kenichiro Yoshida acknowledges that cloud gaming is still technically challenging. One of the most significant hurdles for the gaming industry to overcome is latency, which can result in slow response times, frustrating gamers. While Sony is looking into cloud gaming options for their future, many users still prefer consoles or high-end gaming PCs over streaming games entirely over the internet. Additionally, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision has the potential to shift the balance of power in the gaming industry, with concerns over exclusive game titles on Microsoft’s cloud gaming service. Despite these challenges, Sony is optimistic about taking on the challenges surrounding cloud gaming.
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