Microsoft and Sony Join Hands

Microsoft and Sony, the two blue and green tech giants are coming to a partnership. The two companies plan on sharing technology and information going forward and build upon shared infrastructures for some of their future projects. The names Xbox and PlayStation weren’t mentioned but it’s pretty much a given that they will be focusing on entertainment and gaming platforms.

The agreement says that the two will jointly develop future Cloud solutions within Microsoft Azure. It also says that Sony will use Microsoft Azure for its own game and content-streaming services. Even though Sony has PlayStation Now as its primary streaming service, this was not mentioned at all so this could be something new. The agreement also includes a boost to build better tools for content creators. The two are also planning on working together on semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

Sony president Kenichiro Yoshida said in the announcement. “PlayStation itself came about through the integration of creativity and technology. Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere. 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.”

“Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” added Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.”

I don’t think anyone imagined that Sony and Microsoft would ever partner up, but this can’t be anything but good news for the gaming industry and for gamers as a whole.