A couple of months ago, console gaming giants Sony and Microsoft stunned the entire industry when it was announced that both companies would be partnering on cloud gaming and streaming. While nothing concrete has come out of this newfound friendship, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed that Sony was the one who sought out Microsoft for the partnership.
Speaking to Fortune magazine, Nadella acknowledged the industry's shock when chief competitors Sony and Microsoft, decided to come together, all in the name of innovation. "It's a beginning for us," Nadella said. "First of all, it's all driven by Sony. They looked at who are all their partners that they can trust. In fact, it turns out, even though we've competed, we've also partnered."
Microsoft's CEO went on to say that although Sony was the one that made the first move, the collaboration between the two goes both ways. It is no secret that Sony is already building its new streaming service that is powered by Microsoft Azure. While no details were released as to how Sony is contributing to the partnership, the company's many technological advances in the entertainment industry could surely benefit Microsoft in some ways.
While Sony is yet to react on Microsoft's latest statement, the company's PlayStation unit, which is the specific division directly competing with Microsoft's Xbox, previously claimed that they were blindsided by the deal. Reports revealed that Sony's senior management began negotiations with Microsoft without the involvement of PlayStation.
Although the PlayStation team wasn't too thrilled with the idea of working with Microsoft, it appears that Xbox's Phil Spencer sees the partnership in a more positive light. Immediately after the initial announcement of Sony and Microsoft's partnership, Spencer revealed in a tweet that he is "excited about the opportunities ahead with Sony."
While the thought of a partnership between two of the biggest names in console gaming is shocking, it also makes sense for both companies to band together especially with the changing landscape that is constantly pushing to go all-digital. But will the collaboration between the two affect the development of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett? Probably not, but no one really knows what the partnership will result to, and it is unlikely that we'll be hearing anything anytime soon.