I think you're speaking to the converted, I have xCloud and Stadia. I've been saying for a ages that a future where streaming plays a significant role is inevitable. I was saying that PS Now is competent technically at streaming and Sony have the first party software pipeline, so if consumer behaviour reaches a point where that model makes more sense, Sony will be able to.
Now having said that, in the meantime Gamepass has a great opportunity to cement it's brand to be synonymous with the Netflix like model. I think it is a very smart move to New making such moves early.
No,
I think you're speaking to the converted, I have xCloud and Stadia. I've been saying for a ages that a future where streaming plays a significant role is inevitable. I was saying that PS Now is competent technically at streaming and Sony have the first party software pipeline, so if consumer behaviour reaches a point where that model makes more sense, Sony will be able to.
Now having said that, in the meantime Gamepass has a great opportunity to cement it's brand to be synonymous with the Netflix like model. I think it is a very smart move to New making such moves early.
No, I get it. If Sony is put into a position where they HAVE to put their 1st party games on PS Now, they will. I agree. But that would be them taking a huge loss in order to grow PS Now into what GP is. They simply cant afford to do that. They are no position to compete in the cloud streaming service either. It takes billions to put something like Azure together. And a service like GP where day and date 1st party games requires being able to stabilize a service with huge funding as a safety net for major losses for a duration of time. This is something they arent willing to do either.
What fundemtally needs to be considered, regardless if Sony gamers want to admit it or not is that PS is Sony's bread and butter! That's their defacto money maker under Sony's umbrella. Thats why they invest so heavily in the in it. If the PS brand takes a hit, Sony could realistically see some huge doors close for the brand - therefore a potential end for Sony. Microsoft isnt in this position. Microsoft is huge. They currently make about $150 million dollars A DAY as a company! Thats insane!
Xbox is just one avenue for the company entirely. If Sony eeks out a win this generation Microsoft will still be in the game because they can afford to do it. Thats not true for Sony. Even with them being the sales leader this generation, they still cant afford the risk of a loss this coming generation. Because as I mentioned, PS is their bread and butter. So now we see them doubling down on locking up third party deals with well known AAA games that were once multi platform. But there's no guarantee the cards their playing will succeed against this new piece of real estate with GP and game streaming -- which Microsoft has been building around Sony for years now. When Microsoft says they will be able to reach 2 billion potential gamers with this new initiative, they arent kidding - especially with Xcloud. Sony just aint there! And if they decide to put their 1st party games on PS Now like Xbox, they will need to take a massive risk and take on huge losses in order to keep their initiative afloat.
If you want to know what business model Sony will invest heavily in, or if you want to understand where they can actually [afford] to invest in and what they cant, read the moves their playing now. It isnt in subscriptions. It isnt in cloud gaming. Hell, if you look at the PS5 you can tell they didnt invest as heavily as Microsoft did, hence why its weaker. Still a powerful machine, mind you. But their investing in their 1st party and locking up 3rd party AAA multi platform games. Again, just more traditional. They arent equipped for where the industry is heading though. And they cant afford to take the risks Microsoft are taking. But Microsoft also doesnt know if their risks and major investments theyve made in the last couple of years will pay off yet, either. We'll just have to see what happens.... But I think what Microsoft is doing is very, very smart.
They are the only company in all of the players that can offer 1st party games day and date (not to mention Xbox legacy games from OG Xbox to Series X games), on a low cost subscription service funneled through a very competent cloud streaming service provided by their own company. No one else, including Google or Amazon, can make such a claim.