Recent rumors indicate that Sony, the company behind the popular PlayStation 3 and the more recent PlayStation Vita, is preparing to announce a cloud gaming deal during the Sony press conference on June 4, at the E3 show. The rumored deal would allow Gaikai or OnLive games to be streamed on Sony's PlayStation hardware.
As Tom's Guide points out, an E3 preview piece indicates a "partnership deal between PlayStation and a leading cloud gaming service," but offers no additional details. Earlier this week, however, SCEE PlayStation Plus Content Manager Ross McGrath suggested that the service may require PlayStation Plus. "If you don't have a PS+ subscription, now it's time to get one," tweeted McGrath, as cited by Tom's Guide. "For real. Just get 3 months if you aren't sure. Trust me."
OnLive seems a more likely candidate for partnership than Gaikai. Last year, OnLive Vice President of Engineering Joe Bentley said the company was in talks with both Microsoft and Sony to bring its cloud gaming service, as well as support for its OnLive Wireless Controller, to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
"Absolutely, they would make great consoled," Bentley reportedly said. "Our controller is a hybrid between a PS3 controller and an Xbox controller. It's all compatible, it would just work. There are OnLive guys chatting [Sony and Microsoft], but we'll see where it goes. But it would absolutely work, we're ready to work with everybody."
OnLive offers either a subscription-based cloud gaming offer, or the ability to rent or buy games that can be streamed to desktop PCs, tablets, and compatible smartphones. Gamers, however, may need to pay extra for OnLive if they need a PlayStation Plus account, a condition that seems more in line with Microsoft's practices than with OnLive's.
Both potential partners, OnLive and Gaikai, will reach Smart HDTV's this year. Gaikai, however, does not offer a subscription service; it just streams games that consumers buy from publishers or digital distributors. The fact that for now Gaikai is just streaming videos to sites, including Facebook, makes OnLive appear as a more likely candidate.
A partnership with OnLive, who is considered an industry leader when it comes to cloud gaming service, could be a great step forward for Sony and the struggling PlayStation Vita. The service is already available on portable devices such as the iPad, so there is precedent. If OnLive Desktop could be streamed on the PlayStation 3 as well, Sony fans may be in for quite a treat. For now, however, this is just a rumor, but the E3 conference is just around the corner.
