Sony never to release a PS4?

[Dodece]

@PlaystationGamer

I think you are misunderstanding the implications. Were Sony to move into the role of a streaming provider. The sad truth is they would be leaving the hardware provider market. They could no longer be exclusive in nature. The reality is that streaming doesn't require dedicated hardware, and if you are making dedicated hardware why would you be in the market of being a streaming provider. It is profoundly illogical to do both technically speaking, and even more illogical to do it commercially speaking.

Were Sony to become a cloud provider their primary focus would be to gain entrance to as many platforms as is feasible. Being a dedicated manufacturer would hamper that greatly. If their competitors are staying in the market as dedicated hardware providers. Then it is fully in Sony's best interest to leave that market so they could be in the position to be a viable third party content provider. Were they to stay it is unlikely that the other players seeing them as a rival would allow access to Sony's service on their device. Especially since Sony would likely withhold their exclusive content. Instead their rivals would create their own services, or invite another service onto their platforms.

So if Sony wants to get into the cloud in a big way it is paramount for them to not be a hardware manufacturer. Not only would staying be counter productive to their goal, but it would strengthen other providers of similar services. Basically to capture the streaming market. Sony must concede the console market. Which in a real twist of irony could be a golden opportunity. They could leverage exclusivity contracts out of their rivals before they leave, or force a bidding war over their current exclusive content.

So if you haven't gotten the gist of what I am saying here it is in a nutshell. If this comes to pass Sony will have to leave the hardware market. Which will be good for Sony as a company. They will not make a new console, and to be perfectly honest they will probably wind down their current hardware. The PS3 could be off of shelves before the end of the year, and the game sections will disappear shortly after that. Since Sony would be streaming their content, and if they decide to still use physical media. Those games would come to the other platforms, or even to one exclusively.

This all would basically mean the end of the Playstation platform, but then again Sony has a uncanny knack for having the ability to turn a winning proposition into a complete disaster. If there is a way for Sony to lose Billions on this I have faith that they will find it before anyone else does. Personally I am not a big advocate for streaming, when it comes to gaming. If Sony does go this route I hope they include some option for downloading.