The old pre-E3 rumor has returned from the dead to be proven correct. Sony announced tonight that they have acquired cloud gaming streaming service Gaikai for approximately $380 million, the deal having been closed on June 30th. The acquisition had been a point of speculation since late May, before being shot down by Gaikai’s CEO David Perry during E3. It is currently unclear how this deal will affect Gaikai’s existing partnerships with companies like Samsung.
Sony’s Worldwide Studio head Shuhei Yoshida admitted during E3 that the electronics firm was looking at what rival streaming company OnLive was doing, but had never spoken in relation to Gaikai acquisition rumors prior to tonight. The $380 million figure is lower than the $500 million Gaikai was rumored to have been seeking.
“By combining Gaikai’s resources including its technological strength and engineering talent with SCE’s extensive game platform knowledge and experience, SCE will provide users with unparalleled cloud entertainment experiences,” said Andrew House, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, “SCE will deliver a world-class cloud-streaming service that allows users to instantly enjoy a broad array of content ranging from immersive core games with rich graphics to casual content anytime, anywhere on a variety of internet-connected devices.”
“SCE has built an incredible brand with PlayStation and has earned the respect of countless millions of gamers worldwide.” David Perry adds, “We’re honoured to be able to help SCE rapidly harness the power of the interactive cloud and to continue to grow their ecosystem, to empower developers with new capabilities, to dramatically improve the reach of exciting content and to bring breathtaking new experiences to users worldwide.”
(via MCV)