Rumours have been circulating that Sony is looking to buy up an online streaming company – with most assuming it’ll be either Gaikai or OnLive. Well, despite a few nuggets suggesting it might be the former, news published this evening move the pointer back towards OnLive.
The Verge, in a fairly weighty article (and one subsequently pulled) posted the first details of Samsung Cloud Gaming, which is powered by Gaikai. The article was posted ad verbatim on NeoGAFÂ (and picked up elsewhere), along with images of a Samsung TV set showing off the tech.
“It’s a Samsung Smart TV, playing high-end PC games like The Witcher 2 without so much as a set-top box; they’re delivered solely over the internet,” said the report. “More importantly, it’s an existing TV that’s already on sale, with only a firmware update on top.”
So if Samsung have signed with Gaikai, where does that leave Sony? The most obvious answer is OnLive, right?
blast71
I’d b looking forward 2 this if my internet connection wasn’t as flakey as a cadburys flake been eaten by someone with bad dandruff.
kg77
agree
wotta
Would it really make a difference if Samsung & gaikai made a deal? If Sony buys out Gaikai this would be irrelevant I guess. Skype is still on vita even tho MS bought them.
I’m still not sure. Maybe MCV’s source got their wires crossed. Maybe the deal is the one with Samsung. Hence why it may change the way we game?
nofi
That would be two big announcements though, wouldn’t it? Doesn’t make too much sense.
cc_star
Pretty sure deals take a long to to work through, they’re not going to just turn up at Samsung one day… sign a long term deal, then arrange to meet Sony at E3 to ink another deal which calls the first deal off (baring in mind Samsung dominating the TV market & Sony looking to make up ground)
When I spotted this… looking at the URL of the pulled Verge article it clearly links Samsung & Gaikai with an interview with Gaikai’s founder Dave Perry.
wotta
Yeah if you watch that video I posted below they mention they’ve also signed a deal with LG. Still not sure what all this could mean. I’m not even convinced Sony is buying anyone, remember MCV said we’d defo get next gen consoles at this E3 and that was most likely a bust. Maybe their source has it wrong? We’ll see.
wotta
Ture, also in this swear video they show it off working on a TV, can’t remember what tv it was though or if they mention a deal.
http://www.shoptonews.net/2012/05/28/gaikai-and-nvida-keynote-shows-impressive-hawken-footage/
wotta
oh that’s right its an LG TV, think they may have a deal with LG too.
Jakster123x
Pfft, who knows anymore?
doomsday619
The Tv looks like its this one http://ces.cnet.com/8301-33379_1-57353006/samsung-brings-voice-gesture-control-to-tvs/ which has like a built in kinect thingy.
wonkey-willy
onlive gakai who cares surely this is the way forward….
*cleans up top shelf of gaming cabinet*
i’ve ran of room for dvd/bluray cases …
Paranoimia
I really hope this streaming crap isn’t Sony’s “big” announcement for E3. Not unless they’ve come up with some major twists/improvements on it, because it will never replace having a dedicated, local PC or console.
Rascal
“because it will never replace having a dedicated, local PC or console”
Totally appreciate your point. But I think this will almost definitely happen. Without bandwidth and latency issues what would be the problem? Subscription based gaming sounds good to me…assuming the infrastructure and performance is there.
Awayze
So, Bravia TV’s could get OnLive? Probably persuade people from the Panasonic’s.
hazelam
don’t gaikai just pretty much do demos?
how does it benefit samsung if you can only play like half an hour of the game and then get taken to an online store to buy the pc version?
i’ve been checking out gaikai the last few days, i just finished playing a sims 3 medieval demo.
and demos seem to be all they do.
i didn’t do a particularly thorough inspection though.