Sony Still Learning Right Model for Consumers for PlayStation Now

[Strazdas]

There is OnLive. It would be a good competitor if the companies would actually allow them to have thier games in the library. as it is now pretty much every major publisher banned streaming gameplay of thier games. Lets see how much publishers sony can handfist into it. If they suceed it may actually leave to a precedent for actually good streaming services to emerge, ala how Netflix wasnt the first but did the best.

And that's the thing. They could be competition, but they're not and they're unlikely to be. It's more likely we'll see publishers try and pull their own "EA Access" style services, and/or we'll see platform-based services. OnLive has interesting potential, but it looks like virtually nobody wants to play ball with them. Well, at least on a major level.

yep, Online certainly started with big promises but quickly learnt that noone is willing to cooperate. i tried it and its quite ok (in terms of responsiveness, the quality of image is poor, as will be ANY streaming service, because to stream full image 1080p you would need 230+mbit internet, so they compress it to hell, just like youtube and netflix.). the problem is theres nothing to play in the service, just like for decades you were unable to buy music on the internet legally (and you still cant if you want good quality and not shitty 256 kbps itunes quality).

That being siad i highly doubt publishers will play ball with Sony either, so this very likely may turn into first party titles only and indies that want exposure.

However if they suceed in talking publishers into it, and the publishers see it profitable, they would be more willing to play ball with things like OnLive, and thus the next OnLive may just blow PSN out of the water.

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Blockbuster and such died for a reason.

Blockbuster died because it went all in on competing with Netflix and Gamefly and lost. Not only is this not a make-or-break sort of deal for Sony, but the lack of competitive models may in fact save Now even if the consumers are lukewarm to it. Especially since they're not going to allow competitors on their network (say what you want about EA, EA Access was not allowed based on it being competition, not quality).

I was more referring to how its services lost out to like likes of Netflix due to the ease and cost of the later. There was the point I made about whether or not the consumer is savy enough, if it survives then it will only be the idiots who are vested in its stupid pricing scheme that pay for it.

Competition or not I'm glad Sony put the foot down on EA access, I'm already paying for PS+, EA Access is just another layer of stupid on the cake. It wouldn't take long for Ubisoft or Square Enix to follow suite if people fell for that crap.

 

[Something Amyss]

That being siad i highly doubt publishers will play ball with Sony either, so this very likely may turn into first party titles only and indies that want exposure.

I sort of wonder if the pricing wasn't what it was as an attempt to mollify other publishers. I mean, the problem with Netflix streaming is that some of the companies want ALL THE MONEEZ and Netflix isn't playing ball. I have no illusions that this is a solely altruistic move, mind, as previous price changes have bordered on suicide for Netflix, but for whatever reason, they're not making it a 100 dollar a month service or adding ad spam all over the place or tiering off content (side note: screw Hulu).

I have trouble thinking even Sony could come up with this price model on its own, so I suspect mitigating factors. Though I don't know that.

I'm wondering what the next service will look like, because I'm sure one will come.