Sony Corp plans to boost cloud-based gaming by creating a mass-market streaming service similar to Netflix Inc’s as the PlayStation maker tries to rebound from a projected US$2.1 billion annual loss.
The company wants its online game service to also work with Internet-connected TVs made by other manufacturers, Andrew House, president and group chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc, said in an interview at the Tokyo Game Show yesterday.
The company is experimenting with pricing options for rentals and subscriptions, he said.
Gaming remains a bright spot for Sony as it begins to merge online services offering movies, TV shows and software titles and prepares to start console sales in China. The PlayStation Network has more than 50 million active users, and the PS4 has sold more than 10 million units since its release in November, outpacing Microsoft Corp’s Xbox One.
“If you look at other forms of entertainment and the dramatic impact streaming has had on those, that says that there is clearly a strong consumer satisfaction with the instant gratification,” House said. “We think that has a role to play in the future of games as well.”
In 2012, Sony bought Gaikai Inc for US$380 million to acquire cloud gaming technology that allows users to interact with remote applications, enabling gamers to play without having the software installed on their devices. Currently, PlayStation Now is available in North America for streaming content on Sony devices including Bravia TVs.
“It is very important in my view to extend that beyond the console,” House said. “A range of smart TVs would probably be the next target set of devices. Our desire for PlayStation Now is to be manufacturer-agnostic.”
Sony on Wednesday said it would report a wider full-year loss of ￥230 billion (US$2.11 billion) as it writes down the value of its faltering smartphone business. The company does not see the wider loss triggering any major changes in the game division, House said.
“My goal is to build out a very healthy, robust ecosystem based around the PlayStation platform that can be a strong contributor to both the brand and the financial health of the company,” he said.
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