250°

How Gaikai and PlayStation Home Will Change Gaming Forever

Microsoft is banking on Xbox Live and Kinect as their game changer; Nintendo is counting on the Wii U GamePad and Nintendo TVii's social aspect as their 1-2 punch. But it seems as though Sony already has all the pieces of the puzzle and it's now just a matter of putting them together.

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gamer-rider.com
GribbleGrunger4212d ago (Edited 4212d ago )

Nice read, but some possibilities were overlooked. You mention HOME on the Vita, which I believe will come in the not too distant future, and as you say, through Gaikai. But what about Vita/PS3 integration? What about walking around HOME on your PS3 using your Vita as a controller. It could be used for chatting, typing, snapping pictures of your friends -- to hang on your apartment wall -- and menu access.

HOME is somewhat clunky, as you rightly point out. But, does it have to be? With Gaikai you would no longer need the HOME App on your hard drive. It could sit there merrily on the servers, utilise a PS3 cluster that enabled it to run smoothly, without load times, and be streamed straight onto your PS3 or Vita. This would allow for seamless integration between the Vita and the PS3 too. Expanding HOME would just be a matter of upgrading it server side and it could be done without a single load time.

Moving HOME wouldn't be so stressful either... (see what I did there?) Gaikai is appearing on many platforms from TVs to Laptops to mobile phones, so why not take HOME there too? In this way, HOME could be just as valuable to Sony as PSMobile.

Cupid_Viper_34212d ago

Funny you mention that, just yesterday I tried to see if I could use my Vita as a keyboard in home, so that would definitely be a welcomed addition.

And I think the somewhat clunky aspect is a major hurdle for Home right now, it makes it feel as though its lacking something. And no it definitely doesn't have to be, which is why I'm wondering if Gaikai can actually improve on that aspect in anyway.

Imagine you check your friend's list and see that your buddy is playing uncharted, you hope into home and go to his appartment and catch a live stream of it, and if he needs help, you just hop in seamlessly in co-op mode... The only thing is that he's on a PS3, you're on the Vita. One can dream right, lol

sikbeta4212d ago

There is nothing about this yet, why people is talking about changing gaming forever IF there is nothing even announced, some people hype things out of proportion with no reason.

Emilio_Estevez4212d ago

Interesting comment and article CV3. The idea of streaming live via PSHome to your friends is quite a fantastical one, but maybe not far off. I love watching people play games, I know I would use that.

hkgamer4209d ago

Agree.

Next generatoion would need to be able to watch live streams of others playing.

@sikbeta
It's just everyones expectations of something, like how some people are talking about the next xbox or PS4 specs.

Godmars2904212d ago

A bit of loading he says...

Though its easy to see where active streaming would make something like Home into a seamless experience. Including all types of game interaction.

Will users have to be pay for it is the question.

GribbleGrunger4212d ago (Edited 4212d ago )

No, it would still be free. HOME makes money from it's micro-transactions, so putting it on more devices would mean more money for Sony, and if it was all streamed from a central cluster (or even a beefed up PC), Access would be exactly the same for everyone at no extra cost to Sony. The only real technicality would be making sure that all the content people had bought from the 'installed' version was there for that user when they switched to the cloud version... but I can't see much of a problem there because the content would be linked to your username anyway.

Like I said, expanding HOME would be easy too. Let's say that one day you enter HOME square and a blue door appears. You walk to the blue door, turn the handle and shove (no load times, no delay). Immediately you are presented with another world to explore... an MMO for instance. This is the possibility of Gaikai and why it's the biggest thing since the invention of the console.

yesmynameissumo4212d ago

Loading is rather speedy for me, but I have 12GB cache enabled. Beauty of being able to put a $100 1TB drive in :)

SonyStyled4212d ago

i got speedy load times too. about 15 seconds and i got my original 60gb hdd in my console. maybe its because im using a wired connection, or maybe its that verizon fios

Ck1x4212d ago

Cloud gaming is definitely a wave of the future, but the infrastructure still seems a ways off from it being accepted as a mainstream way to game right now. Being so reliant upon broadband ISP providers is what will either hinder or help this growth, especially here in the states. Where throttling and data caps seems to be plaguing multi-media efforts in direct digital entertainment. Netflix is one thing, but we kind of eat the quality of the video streaming services, in favor of ease of use and on demand features. What would cloud gaming be like right now if this is anything to go by? I'm not so sure that many people are even comfortable with the idea of having to be connected to the web just to game. Online play is one thing, but what if my internet having problems and I just wanna pass some time away and can't. Now I'm not saying that this is the direction that Sony is going in, but I can see one of the major players releasing a digital only box in the not so distant future here...

4212d ago Replies(1)
chrisarsenalsavart4212d ago

Do you know how many people use home on a daily basis?
About 3 millions.
Not bad for something that STILL EXIST

Platinum_k4212d ago

I'm just saying that if it has improved that much from the last time I was there, then Sony should really advertise their product more.

SirBradders4212d ago

I was thinking the same, but this was a well wrote article. Has me interested now.

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120°

Sony Could Increase Your Game's Difficulty If It Sees You Complain About It

Sony has recently published a new patent that wants to dynamically handle the games' difficulty and gameplay based on the player's emotions.

jznrpg9h ago

This is something I might use. Sometimes I play some good games but they don’t have difficulty option and are a little too easy.

Profchaos9h ago

Souls games will be like that players struggling make it harder

PassNextquestion8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

I think if used correctly it could work well

jambola4h ago

cool idea
cool idea for horror games especially
the way it's explained here sounds like it could never be forced hopefully, so that's ok with me

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280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

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techraptor.net
ChasterMies20d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken20d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga20d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken20d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6420d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long20d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197220d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic20d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 20d ago
DivineHand12520d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91320d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer20d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91319d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit19d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 19d ago
Christopher20d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6919d ago (Edited 19d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit19d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher20d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken20d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197220d ago (Edited 20d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic20d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2320d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218320d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit19d ago (Edited 19d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder20d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts20d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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80°

Sony May Soon Let You Decide How Much NPCs Talk In Games

Sony has patented to add multiple dialogue modes to let players switch between how many conversations with NPCs they want in the game.

blackblades26d ago

Sony is like the only ones outta the 3 that has atuff like like this pop up changing thing in ways.

just_looken26d ago

Sony in the past has always been first at bat with new ideas/tech but in the end never fully use it or just toss it away.

blackblades26d ago

I think they did use some but yeah most usually never happened but at least they thought about it. Sony seeks things like this and other, Nintendo seek different ways of playing going by there different controler designs and console designs.

just_looken26d ago (Edited 26d ago )

some of the other stuff sony want's/owns never used
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://gamerant.com/sony-p...
https://www.eurogamer.net/s...
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03...
https://decrypt.co/114754/s...

monitor/adjust game difficultly as you play
https://www.techradar.com/g...

Sony nfts
https://www.theblock.co/pos...

Pay ai to play the game for you
https://thebusinessofesport...

Oh all the above last 12 months

I just imagine a evil scientist with test subjects when it comes down to sony recent patent reports.

Kaii26d ago

Will we get dialogue options that won't spoil puzzles in a matter of seconds? :p