It’s true, Microsoft and Sony have only really locked horns in the gaming market, managing to stay relatively distant in other areas. However, the rivalry between Xbox and PlayStation as been fierce. In fact, when it comes to matters such as Cross Play for Minecraft the relationship between the companies has been frosty at best. So, we can chalk the new Microsoft/Sony partnership down to another example of Microsoft doing its best to freeze hell over. What’s more amazing is the companies want to work together in the gaming market.
Collaboration
Naturally, this isn’t the companies working on a console, or even Sony fully embracing cross-platform gaming. Instead, this is a cloud-first business partnership that will see the companies collaborate on AI through Microsoft Azure. Sony and Microsoft will co-develop cloud solutions in Azure focused on gaming and entertainment. “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,” said Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida in a statement. “I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.” Nadella waxed lyrical about Sony while stressing the partnership will be good for the gaming community. “Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation,” Nadella said in a statement. “Our partnership brings the power of Azure and Azure AI to Sony to deliver new gaming and entertainment experiences for customers.”
