Sony buys Gaikai for 380 million. Cloud games on your Playstation soon...ish?

[DaveS1138]

I think Vita as a machine is pretty nice. It offers some cool tech at a decent price. Unfortunately like TNPM (I'm trademarking that) said there isn't a compelling reason to own one. It basically has handheld version of the "big boy" games on the ps3. They need to come up with their own IP and new games for it, not just hand me down versions of the console titles.

Not for me. I'm thrilled that I can take a true console experience on the road with me. Why would that be a bad thing?

[weasl]

Not for me. I'm thrilled that I can take a true console experience on the road with me. Why would that be a bad thing?

I agree, I love the idea of a handheld console level experience. It just needs more games honestly.

[Indy_aka_Rex]

First off, there's nothing to say this service will come to the PlayStation console - PS3 or PS4. It could, or Sony could be using it as a way to try and push into F2P and Social games on the PC/Mac front.

SCE bought Gaikai, so that pretty much GUARANTEES it'll come to a Playstation console.

Assuming it does come to the PS4, I don't see how this is a big win for them. MS will just modify the terms on their exclusive deals such that the developers are only making games for the Xbox console, not Xbox and PC. Wii U is going to hang it's hat entirely on Nintnedo first party software, so this doesn't help them at all in that respect. No idea what you are talking about with Vita connectivity.

I don't see how that's an argument, exclusives will always exist, just as they always have. We're talking features and services, not software exclusivity.

Honestly the only advantage I see here is that PS4 owners will potentially have the ability to play some PC exclusives using their console. But they'll still have to deal with lag, no resale value, etc.

And PS1, PS2, PSP and possibly even PS3 games on their PS4 without Sony having to invest on BC hardware or software BC on the PS4.

The lag argument is bunk, some people might experience it, but like I said on the other thread, they often compensate lag by scaling visual quality (in the stream and the actual hardware sets games to lower settings). No resale value? No one said you have to pay full price for the games. It's also an option. It's a known fact Sony won't go Digi-Delivery-Only with the PS4.

Why is smart glass, wii u and the vita's cross platform gaming moot because of this? This is a real question, I have no idea why cloud gaming would cause this.

Because unlike Smart Glass which at best functions as an extension of a game, or limited-range second screen ala WiiU's gamepad, or in the way Vita features cross-platform gaming by allowing gamers to play the "same" game on two different platform and having them communicate save file data so that you could arguably start from the same point you had finished on another platform (or played online with users on another platform), cloud gaming eliminates the limitations imposed by all three of those models.

With this you could arguably "rent" a cloud copy of Uncharted 4 through a Sony device (Bravia, Xperia phone, VAIO or Sony tablet) or any Android device licensed to support the service, get home, play the game through your PS4 and if you have to leave, take your Vita with you and play anywhere (granted that'd require a lot more effort from companies other than Sony) or at a wifi hotspot. No need to buy a second copy of a game, no issues regarding control methods or hardware limitations, the only "real" issue would be lag and your connection.

In theory it doesn't have the limitation of distance that Nintendo imposed on the WiiU, the limitation of input methods imposed by Smart Glass' reliance on tablets and smartphones, or the extra cost of buying a second copy of a game to get "cross-platform" play from a Vita.

And there's also other, neat Smart Glass-esque opportunities involved with it. You could use any licensed device to watch game feeds, or play game-related content.

[thejnc]

I agree, I love the idea of a handheld console level experience. It just needs more games honestly.

They're coming, just much more slowly than I think we anticipated. At least the Assassin's Creed game is looking great and I can't wait for Activision to release some Black Ops Declassified footage.

[CorruptedDragon]

Not for me. I'm thrilled that I can take a true console experience on the road with me. Why would that be a bad thing?

I agree, I love the idea of a handheld console level experience. It just needs more games honestly.

Because apparently that isn't what gamers want, hence the lethargic sales.
They can use existing franchises but do something different with it. A stripped down version does not sell well.

[Dennis M.]

Not for me. I'm thrilled that I can take a true console experience on the road with me. Why would that be a bad thing?

It's not a bad thing, it's just that after the PSP didn't appeal to people it was unlikely that the essentially same concept would succeed just because it has a second stick and better graphics.

Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love to play Uncharted on vacation. Knowing that for the remaining 350 days of the year I won't even switch the thing on stops me.

That being said, the Vita could make a fantastic Gaikai device. Every PS3 game you own on your Vita, anytime anywhere. It would be a lot like remote play, only actually useful.

[DaveS1138]

It's not a bad thing, it's just that after the PSP didn't appeal to people it was unlikely that the essentially same concept would succeed just because it has a second stick and better graphics.

Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love to play Uncharted on vacation. Knowing that for the remaining 350 days of the year I won't even switch the thing on stops me.

That being said, the Vita could make a fantastic Gaikai device. Every PS3 game you own on your Vita, anytime anywhere. It would be a lot like remote play, only actually useful.

Obviously the amount of travel you do is going to have a big effect on your desire for a handheld. If your only using it one week a year it's terrible value.

For me traveling too much it's great to have a real gaming device on the road with me. Something that I can play an Uncharted or Fifa on and have it be so close to a console experience. Throw in the ability to save games on the Vita and continue the game on the PS3 and I'm thrilled (or will be when I get a game I can actually do that with).

So long as sales are high enough to continue games being developed Im happy that Sony made something for people looking for more out of on the road gaming than a $0.99 iPhone game is ever going to deliver.

[DaveS1138]

They're coming, just much more slowly than I think we anticipated. At least the Assassin's Creed game is looking great and I can't wait for Activision to release some Black Ops Declassified footage.

I wonder how much of that is down to the initial large number of good titles on launch. Perhaps perception would be different if they had spread them out more. It would seem odd for people to prefer that though.