Microsoft And Sony Join Hands For Cloud Gaming Service

Microsoft has yet to give out any set specifications or details regarding its new cloud gaming service, xCloud. The software developing company has been testing the service with its employees as of late, letting them stream Xbox games anywhere. Microsoft is currently in the process of setting up multiple servers required for xCloud across the world.

The company revealed today that the service is capable of streaming more than 3500 game titles all without ever needing their respective developers to make any optimisations. Capcom and Paradox are one of the game developers that are testing their games on xCloud. Microsoft has confirmed that it has sent Project xCloud to data centres encompassing 13 Azure regions, focusing on a few key locations in the world, not just the US, for its launch. The public trials are set to start later this year.

The service has prompted many game developers to tweak their games for smaller displays in compact devices (namely text sizes and fonts) and to add the ability to host multiplayer games. More information on xCloud is claimed to go public at E3 2019 in the following month. The service will face Google’s Stadia and Sony’s PlayStation Now head on. Interestingly enough, Sony is working in conjunction with Microsoft for future cloud game streaming services.

Microsoft and Sony in a groundbreaking new move shook hands for collaboration, something that the gaming community thought was impossible. The companies would still operate separate services for their respective Xbox and PlayStation customers, but Sony has reached out to Microsoft for their Azure Services. Sony lacks an integral part of the service which is cloud computing.

Azure by Microsoft is a cloud computing service that allows first and third-party developers to put out their proprietary services through Microsoft’s data centres around the globe. Sony and its PlayStation Now is severely underequipped in comparison to either Google or Microsoft. Sony has never taken stream service into account as its PS4 Remote Play only supports limited devices that are streamed through the consumer’s PlayStation console. PlayStation Now so far is only confirmed to be able to stream to PC and PlayStation.

Also Read: Google Trained Its AI To Learn Depth Perception From YouTube’s Mannequin Challenge

Cloud game-streaming is not intent on overthrowing the console or PC markets. Many would claim that it would ‘kill’ the hardware breed as cloud-based service does eliminate the need for a console or PC, but most forget it is not a zero-sum game. Sony assured that the PlayStation brand is here to stay and the company will take it forward for the foreseeable future.

Sony with Microsoft Azure’s technology showcase a healthier trend of business rivalry, this benefits both in the long run. Cross-Play in consoles comes to mind when talking about healthy relations, that may arrive soon maybe with the launch of the new generation consoles.