Sony’s streaming game service reportedly available in Q3 2014

By Ryan Fleming December 4, 2013

sonys streaming game service reportedly available q3 2014 gaikai — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Gaikai streaming service that is supposed to grant users access to every PlayStation game on any compatible device, will be released during Q3 2014 in North America and 2015 in Europe, according to “trusted sources” speaking to Eurogamer. The report goes on to further state that some developers have been invited to participate in the beta, beginning early next year.

Sony has repeatedly claimed that the Gaikai service would be available sometime in 2014, and it sounds like the service is on track to meet that goal (in North America at least, with Europe and other regions to follow soon after). According to Sony computer Entertainment president Andrew House, the goal is to first have the service up and running on PlayStation 3, PS4, and PS Vita, then eventually have it on a “multitude of network-connected devices.”

Sony initially acquired Gaikai in July 2012 for $380 million. When the PS4 was revealed in February of 2013, Sony confirmed that its plans were to use the Gaikai technology to stream games to Sony devices, beginning with the PS4.

In theory, using the Gaikai technology Sony would be able to make every PS One, PS2, and PS3 game available through the streaming service (and presumably PSP and PS Vita games as well). So far though, Sony has only confirmed that it will launch with a catalog of “critically acclaimed” games. Neither Sony nor Gaikai have released any pricing specifics.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

Gaming

The best PS4 horror games

the best ps4 horror games home sweet

Horror games don't often share the limelight with major AAA titles, despite telling some of the most unique stories in video games. Although you'll find more horror games on PC, the PS4 still offers a treasure trove of spooks and scares. Here are our best PS4 horror games, with everything from Bloodborne to Inside.

Most of the titles below are simply walking simulator games with little in the way of mechanics. Story is the focus for the majority of this guide, so if you're looking for a little more action, make sure to check out our list of the best PS4 games overall.

Gaming

With Bungie purchase, Sony is playing on Microsoft’s level

Destiny 2 character in gold armor holds and gun while looking toward the camera.

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced its intended $3.6 billion acquisition of Destiny developer Bungie on January 31. Less than two weeks after Microsoft's bombshell announcement of its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard, Sony responded by showing that it's willing to compete when it comes to spending lots of money to acquire popular developers. On top of that, Sony seemingly plans to keep Bungie a multiplatform studio.
While Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan told GamesIndustry.biz that "these conversations have been a number of months in gestation, and certainly predate the activity that we have seen this year," it still demonstrates a significant change in Sony's gaming mentality in light of Microsoft's acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.
For years, Sony focused on maintaining a refined and exclusive ecosystem of games and studios, but Microsoft's flurry of acquisitions over the past couple of years pushed Sony out of that comfort zone. After several smaller purchases, Sony has finally indicated that it's ready and willing to play on Microsoft's level and will do whatever it takes to stay on top in the gaming industry.

Taking a king
Sony's Bungie acquisition is just as symbolic as it is sensible from a competitive standpoint. Bungie used to be owned by Microsoft and created its biggest franchise, Halo. It split off to gain independence in 2007 and stayed that way for some time despite close partnerships with Activision and Google.
While it currently seems like Bungie will remain an independent and multiplatform studio, this is still a show of force by Sony. This acquisition means Microsoft can never truly get the developer who made Halo back and gives Sony a presence on Xbox platforms that extends beyond MLB The Show.
And as Ampere Analysis analyst Piers Harding-Rolls pointed out on Twitter, it also prepares Sony for potentially losing Call of Duty by giving it a first-party shooter game that's consistently updated as a live service. Of course, this isn't as direct of a response to the Activision Blizzard acquisition as it may initially seem, as this deal was in the works well before Microsoft's January 18 announcement.
The Bethesda acquisition is likely the deal that spurred Sony to acquire Bungie. Still, the Activision Blizzard deal affirmed why Sony had to make that move in the first place. Currently, the video game industry is on an acquisition spree from the top-down. Microsoft is one of the studio's leading the charge with the biggest and boldest deals.
While Sony may not have as much money to throw around, it still made plenty of smaller acquisitions, like Bluepoint, before the Bungie deal. Sony knows it needs to acquire studios and grow to stay competitive, and this is its first move to indicate that its willing to spend billions. The Bungie deal sends a clear message to Microsoft that Sony is still relevant and a force to be reckoned with.
What's mine is yours
That's not the only message Sony is sending either. It's also playing platform-exclusivity mind games. One of the most nebulous topics of debate with Microsoft's Bethesda and Activision announcements is whether or not the games from acquired studios would be exclusive to Xbox. Microsoft's current approach is to honor existing deals and keep multiplayer titles supported across platforms, but make brand new games like Starfield and Redfall into Xbox console exclusives that will also come to PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming. With Bungie, Sony seems to not be worried about exclusivity for once.
In the past, Sony has always wanted to keep its first-party games on PlayStation for as long as possible. Only recently has it chosen to port games like Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and God of War to PC and been forced to put MLB The Show on competing platforms. But from the get-go, Sony's messaging is that it's OK with Bungie staying creatively independent and multiplatform.

Gaming

MLB The Show 22 is coming to Nintendo Switch and Game Pass

MLB The Show 22 key art shows cover star Shohei Ohtani hitting, pointing, and pitching.

San Diego Studio's baseball sim MLB The Show will launch on April 5. Like last year's entry, MLB The Show 22 will be multiplatform, and Nintendo Switch is joining the console lineup this year.
We haven't seen MLB The Show 22 in action on Nintendo Switch just yet, as the game's reveal trailer simply focuses on live-action footage of cover star Shohei Ohtani. MLB The Show 22's store page confirms that the Switch version will feature cross-play and cross-progression with the PlayStation and Xbox releases.
MLB The Show 22 - Cover Athlete Reveal: Defining A Legend - Nintendo Switch
It also teases MLB The Show 22's new features, like new difficulty options and more elaborate intro presentations. Sony still intends to release the Nintendo Switch port on the same day as the other versions. MLB The Show 22 will cost $60 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. On PS5 and Xbox Series X, it will cost $70.
When Sony renewed its license with the MLB in December 2019, it promised to bring the baseball series to platforms outside of the PlayStation ecosystem. As Sony is usually very protective of its first-party games, this news came as a bit of a surprise. Both Xbox and Nintendo retweeted the announcement when it happened, and now we'll finally see MLB The Show on all three major consoles.
MLB The Show also returns to Xbox Game Pass this year. In 2021, the MLB forced Sony to put the game on the service. That deal was successful enough to repeat this year, so Xbox One and Xbox Series X players can once again expect a Sony game to launch day one on the service.
MLB The Show 22 will be released for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch on April 5.