Sony and Microsoft to explore strategic partnership

Armenius

Armenius

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Better check if hell is freezing over. In a Memorandum of Understanding released today, Sony and Microsoft announced that they will work together in the future to bring cloud-based solutions for game streaming that benefit both companies, along with developing more advanced AI.

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TOKYO and REDMOND, Wash. — May 16, 2019 — Sony Corporation (Sony) and Microsoft Corp. (Microsoft) announced on Thursday that the two companies will partner on new innovations to enhance customer experiences in their direct-to-consumer entertainment platforms and AI solutions.

Under the memorandum of understanding signed by the parties, the two companies will explore joint development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure to support their respective game and content-streaming services. In addition, the two companies will explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services. By working together, the companies aim to deliver more enhanced entertainment experiences for their worldwide customers. These efforts will also include building better development platforms for the content creator community.

As part of the memorandum of understanding, Sony and Microsoft will also explore collaboration in the areas of semiconductors and AI. For semiconductors, this includes potential joint development of new intelligent image sensor solutions. By integrating Sony’s cutting-edge image sensors with Microsoft’s Azure AI technology in a hybrid manner across cloud and edge, as well as solutions that leverage Sony’s semiconductors and Microsoft cloud technology, the companies aim to provide enhanced capabilities for enterprise customers. In terms of AI, the parties will explore incorporation of Microsoft’s advanced AI platform and tools in Sony consumer products, to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences.
 
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clockdogg

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Rumors of PlayBox 6 not totally unfounded.

Also... it's dress-down day in Tokyo and Redmond.
 
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Nunu

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Maybe they're working on a new AR system. Otherwise, I'd want them both staying in their respective lanes.
 
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Lakados

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In terms of Cloud deployment your only real options at this point are Amazon and Microsoft, Google is growing but they aren't there yet and are still a ways off. Microsoft already has their prototype for this running with some games and the reviews are positive, and really Microsoft doesn't care who they get their money from they are pretty reliable that way. If they get a solid partnership going it cuts both their costs while letting them combine resources and makes it easier for developers to adopt speeding development while cutting costs. Microsoft can focus on the back end and Sony could work on the home hardware, probably tie it into their mobile division in some manner. This could play to each of their strengths, so I have hope that it works out and we see a glorious end to the console wars... That or they team up launch something with no viable competitor and steam roll the filthy console plebs while serving up a steaming pile of gilded feces on the Microsoft store as a weak attempt to entice the PC market...

Given the two options I think I would rather hold out hope for the first.
 
lostin3d

lostin3d

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I wonder if this will lead to detente with Sony's lack of cross platform gaming.
 
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BinarySynapse

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Sony will make the hardware and line up third parties. MS will build the OS and manage the network and streaming services.
 
Hornet

Hornet

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Well, next gen consoles may truly be the last of its kind, if these guys are working together to push for cloud gaming.:(
 
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Draax

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Hey I would be happy if they just made cross platform play a reality.
 
auntjemima

auntjemima

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Brian912 said:
Will have to wait to see if there will be any bitter fruits from these two.
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People at that level don't hate each other. They hate making less money. They aren't online blasting the others products because they are at home fucking their mistresses while you guys all fight about which console is "better".

If this makes them more money, they will do it. Surprised they didn't do it behind closed doors, honestly.
 
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Brian912

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auntjemima said:
People at that level don't hate each other. They hate making less money. They aren't online blasting the others products because they are at home fucking their mistresses while you guys all fight about which console is "better".

If this makes them more money, they will do it. Surprised they didn't do it behind closed doors, honestly.
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I do get the making money part, I was thinking more of the actual produt(s) themselves may be more of the bitter fruit since the higher ups don't always see what the market actually is. Windows me, 8, etc. Sometimes seeing nothing but dollar signs and deadlines leads to really garbage products though the planning and original concept where more or less well intentioned. Those 2 companies have a history of really getting it wrong when they are wrong and vise versa.
 
auntjemima

auntjemima

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Brian912 said:
I do get the making money part, I was thinking more of the actual produt(s) themselves may be more of the bitter fruit since the higher ups don't always see what the market actually is. Windows me, 8, etc. Sometimes seeing nothing but dollar signs and deadlines leads to really garbage products though the planning and original concept where more or less well intentioned. Those 2 companies have a history of really getting it wrong when they are wrong and vise versa.
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Reading you loud and clear.
 
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odditory

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auntjemima said:
People at that level don't hate each other. They hate making less money. They aren't online blasting the others products because they are at home fucking their mistresses while you guys all fight about which console is "better".

If this makes them more money, they will do it. Surprised they didn't do it behind closed doors, honestly.
Click to expand...
This is the correct answer
 
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maxz01

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Remember that everyone suffers universally. Nobody is free from pain and life is miserable for everyone. Even to those who have all the wealth, power, fame, money and unlimited access to sex with hot women. The human psyche finds a way to be miserable.
 
auntjemima

auntjemima

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Verge said:
Sony doesn't make hardware. AMD does.
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It's not like AMD can NOT sell their hardware to Sony... They have no choice, financially. So Sony decides what it wants and AMD is pretty near obligated to make it.
 
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Verge

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auntjemima said:
It's not like AMD can NOT sell their hardware to Sony... They have no choice, financially. So Sony decides what it wants and AMD is pretty near obligated to make it.
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Right but why would MS want Sony to "make" the hardware. It's all commodity from AMD. Just doesn't make sense to me.
 
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BinarySynapse

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Verge said:
mmmm

yes you are correct, I'm humbled. Speaking of, who actually makes the boards I wonder.
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Foxconn

Verge said:
Right but why would MS want Sony to "make" the hardware. It's all commodity from AMD. Just doesn't make sense to me.
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AMD supplies the chips, but Sony and MS still have to design the systems around them. There's an enormous cost involved in designing, testing, manufacturing, and supporting hardware. If you can get rid of that burden, you get to keep more of the money that comes in from sales of software and subscription services.
 
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auntjemima

auntjemima

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ryan_975 said:
Foxconn



AMD supplies the chips, but Sony and MS still have to design the systems around them. There's an enormous cost involved in designing, testing, manufacturing, and supporting hardware. If you can get rid of that burden, you get to keep more of the money that comes in from sales of software and subscription services.
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They are basically monopolizing a single console. I have no idea why they didn't do it sooner. Less cross platform bullshit, less cost to each side, no more fan boys grabbing their dicks and squawking at each other.
 
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BinarySynapse

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auntjemima said:
They are basically monopolizing a single console. I have no idea why they didn't do it sooner. Less cross platform bullshit, less cost to each side, no more fan boys grabbing their dicks and squawking at each other.
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Because they each thought they could do better the than the other on their own. But Sony can't handle the software/services side of things, and MS can't win in hardware. There's also the fact that Sony has been burned in the past on console partnerships, and there's a LOT of pride in Japanese business culture.
 
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apcviewer

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Verge said:
Right but why would MS want Sony to "make" the hardware. It's all commodity from AMD. Just doesn't make sense to me.
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Supposedly, the profits from selling hardware are minimal, compared to revenue from software. Plus, the RROD fault did take a good amount of money to resolve. I guess focusing on software only is a very safe bet. Not much invested, compared to costs associated with developing hardware.
 
next-Jin

next-Jin

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ryan_975 said:
Sony will make the hardware and line up third parties. MS will build the OS and manage the network and streaming services.
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I hope MS is no where near the OS unless it’s just kernel and features. Their GUI is a disaster on Xbone.
 
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Verge

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apcviewer said:
Supposedly, the profits from selling hardware are minimal, compared to revenue from software. Plus, the RROD fault did take a good amount of money to resolve. I guess focusing on software only is a very safe bet. Not much invested, compared to costs associated with developing hardware.
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Seems to me this is 100% focused on streaming, that they are forcing down our throats.
 
IdiotInCharge

IdiotInCharge

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Verge said:
Seems to me this is 100% focused on streaming, that they are forcing down our throats.
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I'll add that streaming is better than nothing, and for some games can be acceptable. For others, where user response times are part of the game, it will only really work at all if all clients are streaming and if tick-rates are normalized, and by 'work' I mean there being a more or less even playing field, not that it'd be something that I'd actually want to play.

Now, as with 'hybrid cloud' for enterprises, a 'hybrid game streaming' framework might actually work pretty well. To me, this looks like the next 'computing paradigm', and it's something that's largely happening transparently already.

The basics are, for gaming, software and assets that are needed to provide a responsive user experience are downloaded to the client. This can be cached but doesn't have to be. Then, assets that don't need to stay downloaded such as FMV, audio, etc., can be either streamed directly as in cutscenes or 'pre-streamed' and cached for specific in-game events.

And this assumes that'd you have essentially three gaming tiers:
  1. Top tier would be what we have now, where all data is cached locally and all processing is done locally, with only game-state data being interchanged for multiplayer
  2. Mid-tier would be the 'hybrid streaming', which while perhaps not as quick to load and with perhaps lower quality FMV / assets, would still be as functional as the top
  3. Bottom-tier would be full streaming; Nvidia is already doing this pretty successfully, and this would largely be limited by user hardware
Taking the idea a step further, the ability to play just about any game would be dependent on having access to the game- Steam, Origin, etc-, and a streaming-enabled account if your hardware cannot support a full local install. Additionally for Mid- and Bottom-tier streaming, choice of streaming location could be opened up, just like one can use an Nvidia Shield to stream Steam games (among others) from a PC. This could be a PC / server in the household, however, it could also be a service offered by ISPs in coordination with game services like some cable companies are already doing with Netflix, for example. You could have a mixture of clients from console-like systems that can host the processing locally as well as say Swift-like setups for phones and tables for 'slower' games.

Lots of possibilities here, some suck, some don't- some might even be more convenient than what we have now.
 
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odditory

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clockdogg said:
Rumors of PlayBox 6 not totally unfounded.

Also... it's dress-down day in Tokyo and Redmond.
Click to expand...

This has nothing to do with console hardware though. It's a lot of PR bluster over cloud (infrastructure) rental contracts.

Sony went to Amazon first (AWS is currently kicking Azure's ass up and down the block), but Amazon wasn't willing to go as low as Sony wanted. Microsoft was for obvious reasons -- Nadella's only putting the entirety of the company's eggs in the Azure basket and letting everything else die, so he needs the business.

It's the same reason AMD supplies the console chips instead of Nvidia -- AMD was willing to supply chips for breakeven, Nvidia doesn't need to.
 
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