So can we finally admit that the "cloud" was PR play now that Xbox doesn't require online?

[Alby_da_Wolf]

Wright said:

Otakumegane said:

Simcity 2.0

Now that M$ isn't requiring the online, what about cloud-based games? Obviously they were lies and PR if they can still be played now on Xbone? I expect people to hack the game's code like Simcity and expose this once the games launch.

Cloud-based games can still exist, you know. We have a Dark Souls system between hands, where the online experience changes things when you play.

Not only this. I'm sceptical about miracles, but I thought immediately of a use that could work, when the player is online, offline games with big worlds could keep alive and active larger parts of them, almost like in a MMOG (exactly like in a MMOG if the number of servers assigned to each console is enough to load and manage the whole gaming world). The same could apply to multiplayer games without persistent worlds, they could nevertheless enjoy larger worlds and levels, with many simultaneous players at a time (although how many can interact with each other and close range at a same given time will alwasy be limited in many ways but the HW resources of each single console).
NB: this isn't a tech that MS only can exclusively apply, but MS' advantage is having the system implemented and working by default and since the start, while Sony may or may not decide to set the infrastructure up (with Gaikai Sony is currently using or planning to use the cloud in a different way) or to let publishers to run their own clouds.