The days of the closed platform are over according to Sony. The era of a PlayStation made by Sony that only plays games approved by Sony (at least out of the box before modders get in the guts) and doesn’t interact with other manufacturers’ devices is at an end. The future is in connectivity and cross-platform functionality.
Speaking with MCV, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe head honcho Jim Ryan discussed how Sony’s place in the entertainment technology market is changing.
“[The] old model of these very siloed platforms is breaking down a bit,” said Ryan, “PS2 was not a connected device. PSP was not really a proper connected device. PS3 is and PS Vita most definitely is. So we have the ability now to have devices talk to each other. We are having to reset a lot of our thinking. And I am enjoying that. But it is a challenge, because we’ve been pushing PS1, PS2, and PS3, basically the same way, and then all of a sudden we are like ‘You have to forget that and think differently.’”
Hence why Sony is transforming its previously closed and segmented game business into something more modern. Dust 514, the first-person shooter based on MMO EVE Online, follows Valve’s Portal 2 in letting console and PC gamers play together. The company also recently acquired cloud-based streaming video game business Gaikai, leading many to believe that the rumored PlayStation 4 will be the first major game console to pursue streaming as a core service. Then there’s PlayStation Mobile, the unified banner for Sony games on both PlayStation Vita and Google Android tablets and phones.
For weary shareholders shocked by Sony’s significant losses, especially those incurred by the PlayStation division, Ryan’s statements should be encouraging. SCE is exploring every possible avenue of expansion.
For game makers though, it’s likely hard to believe the hype. While the era of the traditional closed console, a device that does one thing and one thing only, may be over, the massive popularity of Apple’s iOS devices is spurring a new sort of closed development environment. Microsoft’s Windows 8 is, like the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad, likely going to restrict whose and what products can run on those machines using it. Developers like Valve and Blizzard are upset by what these new closed platforms will do to the games industry.
This is why I’m a Playstation fan. Can’t wait to see mods for Skyrim on my Playstation.
“Microsoft’s Windows 8 is, like the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad, likely going to restrict whose and what products can run on those machines using it.”
This statement only applies to Windows RT on ARM devices. Windows 8 for the PC and Intel-based mobile devices will be able to run desktop applications just like Windows 7 without any restriction.
I’ll wait until I see it. Playstation has always been able to be a good platform on paper, but Sony has made seriously bad judgement calls in the past. This just reminds me of when PS3 had linux support, and they they officially took it away (not saying it’s not still possible, but it’s just another “closed platform” choice they’ve made).
It’s idiotic. First off this ‘cloud’ is just the internet, so just call it that. secondly, its stupid as hell, and sorry but I fail to see how sony can successfully port games to tablets and smartphones those things weren’t designed to play games.
It may make me stodgy or old fashioned, but I still like the physical disc of a game and have never really trusted something cloud based for anything more than the basics. Too many times have I tried to even play something over a gaming network for a multiplayer and just been super frustrated over dumb glitches that simple beta phasing would have fixed.
But I do find the drive to do something different and fix a problem they apparently see inspiring and will keep an eye on what Sony tries to sketch out as the Next Big Thing for them.
I share your concern about the decline of physical media, but there will still be physical discs for future Sony consoles — this just means more fun.