I think what they mean is that MS has been building their network from the ground up and buying things like skype and other tech companies. It hasn't been really introduced for this Gen. Sony brought Gaikai to counteract this. The PSN leaves a bit to be desired so we'll see. To me all of MS's services seem to flow right into each other and that's what what Sony sees. They know MS is building the next gen of LIVE and no not want to be in a bad position. Sony has to make Gaikai work into PSN not a simple addition.You'll see next Gen. We as gamers are going to get spoiled. But you do know that Sony will have to get a pay for subscription service. They will lose money waiting for the browsers to buy something. In their minds is if people are going to browse, charge them for being in the store.

My prediction: XBL will look better than steam, run all of Xbox 1 and 360 game, games for windows, kinect 2.0 friendly, and have some new cooler gimmick. Also since windows phone, surface, smart glass, and the PC will all run windows8, look for MS to be the new business mobile like what blackberry used to be, and trying to shoehorn familiarity with everything you touch to fit in with their plans including streaming games.

Sony is playing catch up but look for cross chat, streaming games a  subscription service, and a big push for well roundedness. Look for more Japanese centered things like Manga, tv shows and a big push to gauge the us markets to see what we like to do. I see them getting closer to evening the ground of the current XBL...next gen? Who knows....

Nintendo? More Mario.

Xbox 720 will be called Microsoft Balls confirmed!
You heard it hear first, folks

People keep saying that, but I honestly don't see it.

I think MS just got owned.

let the ball bashing commence

can someone give me an answer? why don't i need to open threads anymore to know which persons will post and what they post? i swear i saw like 10 people posting here and when i read the name i knew what the post will be^^

fight for "your" companies guys, fight for it!

I completely agree with the title. People tend to forget that MS and Sony are more than just gaming companies.

First point, I am not sure that Sony acquisition of Gaikai has anything todo with its console gaming. Sure it might get there eventually but not in this console gen, I think its more to compete with Google/apple/samsung/ TV's (dont forget sony makes Tv's too) and xbox for your house entertainment center.
Because right now cloud gaming is not mature enough for the majority of the players, or it will make no sense to build such a strong PS4 when anything can run a browser will fit...
So I think that they either gearing up for next cycle of consoles or working on expanding their portfolio.

Second Point, I think that MS is long since there, while they dont have GAME streaming service and I doubt that they will introduce it soon(same arguments as before). They dont need to buy OnLive (which was recently bought for 2billion) they gave the tech, software, infrastructure(all of which they have been running for years) and probably more importantly an array of services they are going to integrate with it. (those who still think that xbox720 will be about gaming rather than digital hub are fools).

If I had to guess MS is building a huge interconnected platform that will be slowly introduced with xbox720, Win8, cloud service (including gaming),

@the bolded: how is that even related here? Sony have done well in the implimentation of cloud where it has mattered to 'them' as a company. These are two very different companies with multiple areas of focus but not many of them overlap. Sure MS have done work with cloud in other areas but that does not matter to sony. To them cloud in music, games, and movies are what's important. No way are they playing catch up to MS in that regard now are they? It's all about perspective and the OP article is full of PR spin. Fact of the matter is Sony have made the first major move into cloud console gaming with gaikai. MS have not.

@Criss: yep and I guessed exactly what your post will be like as well :P Typical

that's possible, now what i the bigger joke? i still believe wondering about that is better than being one of the "fighters" (but yeah, always wondering about it is stupid as well)

but when i read just as example that:

i wonder why you have to even say that? andrespetmonkey asked a question and that guy answered it, why do you think "omg now i have to say sony has it as well for a long time because...no clue..."

as if he was saying something against sony, he just asnwered a question.

then in the same post, you are talking about pr nonsense and i wonder why an analyst and the guy from ukie and mastertronic talking about it is pr nonsense? maybe it is nonsense which i can't say because i donÄt know if microsoft has something they could use to stream games but it i no pr.

it's like you would say pachter talking about sony deal yesterday and saying it is a good deal is pr nonsense. no , it is just what an analyst thinks.

The thing I love most about this thread is the fact that people call the responses of two different analysts a poor PR response by MS.

you drunk or something? Your first part of the reply is a bunch of jibberish

as for part two

facepalm. At least try to comprehend what you read. My response was to show that even THAT use of cloud has been done before by Sony, hence the whole catch up scenario does not apply to them. 

I did not attack the guy, I just pointed something out. Me and thranx, and me and sales, none of us are fighting here. It has been a perfectly reasonable discussion from different points of view. If you are so narrow minded and have nothing contribute, please just buzz off. And if you do have something to say to someone, stop being a chicken and say so upfront without snarky ambiguous comments. 

I do not care what your opinion about me, or anyone else is. Just stop jumping to conclusions based on your preconcieved notions. It makes for a rather stupid set of comments. The only reason I even bothered to reply to you is because this is not the first time you did this.