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Rumor: PS3 Rentals Via PlayStation Now To Cost About $5?

Ben-Dutka 27 Comments

Okay, so it might be just a mock-up but if so, why bother listing any prices?

VG24/7 spotted a telling image in the history section of Gaikai's website . As you can see, it may give us a clue as to the cost of renting PS3 games on the PS4.

As you can see, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception has a $5 rental price tag, and Far Cry 3 can be played for $6. If accurate, a standard five-dollar rental charge may be quite attractive for those who missed some great last-gen games. Gaikai is the cloud service Sony purchased back in 2012 for $380 million, and it will power PlayStation Now, the Netflix-like subscription service coming to Sony's new console. However, that image doesn't give us any idea how long we can have the rental for.

We won't have much longer to wait, though, as PlayStation Now should roll out in North America this summer for the PS4 and PS3. The Vita, smartphones, tablets and Bravia TVs will also support the new service.

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Sources: Gaikai On Track To Launch For PS4 In Q3 2014

John-Shepard 8 Comments

Looks like you'll have to wait a bit before Gaikai becomes functional on the PlayStation 4.

According to what "trusted sources" told Eurogamer , game streaming on PS4 powered by Gaikai will launch in Q3 2014 in North America, with a European release slated for some time in 2015.

Developers have been briefed on Gaikai and evidently, some have even been asked to participate in a beta for the cloud service, which will begin early next year. Streaming should come to the PS4 first and then will arrive for the PS3 and Vita at a later date. We're not sure which titles might be compatible with the service, but Sony has promised a catalog of "critically acclaimed" games. SCE president Andrew House says they intend to really push Gaikai:

"We think there's a great opportunity to broaden the market, because you essentially remove the need to make the console purchase in order to have access to that experience. It may sound counter-intuitive, because, aren't you replacing a business that is your bread and butter? But part of being an innovative company is being a pioneer in new forms of distribution of content, and we would like to be there first and take a leadership role."

Sony picked up Gaikai in mid-2012 for $380 million. Here's hoping it turns out to be a lucrative investment.

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PlayStation 4 Info: Gaikai, YouTube, And Social Networking

Ben-Dutka 31 Comments

Sony should announce the PlayStation 4 in less than 48 hours, at which time all of this might just become official.

The latest round of information can be found at the Wall Street Journal , where they talk about the various features we'll find in the new PlayStation.

This includes Gaikai's cloud streaming service; Sony purchased Gaikai in July of last year for $380 million, and it seems this will allow PS3 games to be played on the PS4. This would obviously make a "broader array of titles available at the outset," according to sources. The PS4 is also expected to play new games stored on optical discs. In addition, the new machine will be more in tune with the various social services, such as allowing direct video upload to YouTube, which we have heard about before.

"The new PlayStation also will allow players to share achievements on social networks through smoother links to Facebook or Twitter, while also enabling aspects such as sharing footage of game play online through YouTube, people familiar with Sony’s plans said. Sony’s new console may also allow users to compete against others using different hardware, such as smartphones and other portable devices, those people said."

On the flip side, WSJ says Microsoft is taking a slightly different route. Rather than putting an emphasis on cloud gaming, the new Xbox will interact with mobile devices like Apple's iPad, and they're also planning to create new interactive TV content that will be played on the console. …see, me, I just care about the games , but whatever.

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PSXE Poll Update: PlayStation Fans Iffy On Gaikai Acquisition

Ben-Dutka 9 Comments

The analysts loved it, as did other industry veterans.

But what do the gamers think? Well, while a slim majority agree; they love Sony's acquisition of the Gaikai cloud service, a great many aren't convinced…they wanna wait and see what happens.

Cloud gaming is definitely a part of our future, despite what the traditionalists may want. The only question left is just how big it will get; the digital world will undoubtedly dominate the industry at some point, but how exactly it'll dominate remains to be seen. We're not about to make any grand predictions. In this industry, it's a bad idea to guess at the future, even if it's only the near future. For my part, I just want my physical library and the rest can go take a long walk off a short pier. But I'm old-fashioned.

This week, we wanna get a sneak peek at this year's EA/Activision shooter face-off: Which will you be getting, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops II or EA's Medal of Honor: Warfighter ? Getting both? Or neither? There's no doubt that BOII will outsell DICE's new effort but that doesn't mean it'll be better …or does it?

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PSXE Poll Update: Most Gamers Totally Against Microtransactions

Ben-Dutka 23 Comments

While the experts say microtransactions will undoubtedly become a major part of the video game industry in the years to come, the fans aren't too thrilled.

According to our latest poll, the vast majority of readers say microtransactions should be kept at a minimum or they shouldn't exist at all (the assumed response when someone says "I really hate them"). The idea behind microtransactions is complex, but it's supposed to be better for both publishers and developers, and some are already primed to accept free-to-play and microtransactions for the future. For instance, that's the route Crytek has chosen.

In other news this past week, Sony purchased cloud service Gaikai for $380 million, a move most analysts applauded . Do you agree? Remember that Sony has clarified, saying they intend to stick with retail for quite some time, so it's not like cloud gaming will take over tomorrow. Do you still think it's a good plan for the next generation, though?

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Analysts: Sony’s Gaikai Purchase Is All About The Future

John-Shepard 11 Comments

Sony has acquired Gaikai for $380 million, and quite a few analysts say that it was a solid idea. One even called it a "genius move."

According to GamesIndustry.biz , which posted up several analyst responses to the purchase, industry insiders are applauding Sony. Here's what EEDAR boss Jesse Divnich had to say:

"Without a doubt this was a genius move by Sony. Although they've been doing quite well in video games, as a company Sony has been struggling. What the acquisition of Gaikai really does is it helps to future proof Sony, because no matter where the industry transitions, whether we're getting entertainment through Wi-Fi, through a Blu-ray player or discs at the store, it doesn't matter because no matter where technology goes over the next 10 years, they will be able to utilize Gaikai and its technologies to deliver entertainment straight to the consumer."

It really is all about the future, as other analysts went on to say. You shouldn't expect the Gaikai purchase to have a tremendous impact on the current console; rather, it'll likely be reserved for the PS4, which will undoubtedly focus more on digital and streaming entertainment. As IDC Research Manager Lewis Ward said:

"I think this is ultimately more about the PS4 platform than PS3, although I wouldn't be surprised to see some streaming game demos at least surface in Home and in the PS Store within the next year. I think Sony will hold off on the streaming of AAA games until the PS4 arrives and they can offer some interesting subscription levels.
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Many are expecting an all-digital future, and that includes console manufacturers and game publishers. That being said, you shouldn't expect regular retail products to disappear any time soon, cloud or no cloud.

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