Here’s the twist: Sony and Microsoft have entered into a strategic partnership. Companies that are direct competitors will take care of the future of cloud gaming together.

Sony and Microsoft will jointly develop the Azure cloud platform created by the latter company. By the way, Microsoft’s streaming service, Project xCloud, is working on its capacities. Based on Azure and the artificial intelligence of the same name, both companies will develop new technologies to improve their streaming services.

Also, working with Microsoft Azure will allow Sony to launch the PlayStation Now streaming service in previously inaccessible regions. Including, probably, in Russia.

It’s no secret that Sony, as the holder of the PlayStation console line, and Microsoft, which owns the Xbox, compete with each other. Last year, Microsoft even “made friends” against Sony with another of its competitors — Nintendo. Together they launched an advertising campaign for the Minecraft update.

But now Microsoft and Sony are aiming for fruitful collaboration, reports Gamesindustry.biz . Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida noted that Microsoft has always been a “key business partner” for the Japanese company, even though they competed in various industries.

I believe that our joint work on cloud solutions of the future will greatly contribute to the development of the interactive content market.

Kenichiro Yoshida

Sony CEO

We should add that recently another digital giant — Google — announced the imminent launch of its streaming service Stadia. In this regard, the unexpected partnership between Sony and Microsoft means a new round of competition in the field of cloud gaming.

Also on the topic:

Tags: