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Nope, you read that headline correctly. Rivals Microsoft and Sony have announced that they are to 'explore a strategic partnership' that will see them work together on 'new cloud-based solutions for gaming experiences and AI solutions'.
While this doesn't mean we'll be getting the PlayBox 320 or seeing Nathan Drake crop up in Halo any time soon, the announcement made on Microsoft's website states that the companies are to collaborate on cloud-based services to 'explore the use of current Microsoft Azure datacenter-based solutions for Sony’s game and content-streaming services' with a view to 'building better development platforms for the content creator community.'
The announcement also states that the two companies will collaborate in the areas of 'semiconductors and AI' with the mention of 'incorporation of Microsoft’s advanced AI platform and tools in Sony consumer products, to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences'
The companies are, expectedly, very complimentary of each other in the press release, with Sony president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida saying 'For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas. I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.'
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, meanwhile, said: 'Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation.' 'Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.'
It looks like it could be an interesting time ahead, especially compared to the recent cross-platform play saga.
