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Sony Acquires Virtual Game Station

Posted by timothy on from the all-the-money-in-the-world dept.

Silverhammer writes: "You were wondering what the terms of the Sony/Connectix lawsuit may be? Well, MacCentral is reporting that they're actually entering a "joint technology agreement" which "can lead to improved development tools, innovative consumer products and productive enterprise solutions." If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Funkengruven points to the announcement itself.

4 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Re:hm by jandrese · · Score: 4

    Sounds like the Commodore business model, only you also have to fire all your marketing and sales people and hire only South American tree monkeys to fill the positions, and hire criminally stupid management to keep it all together.

    Down that path lies madness. On the other hand, the road to hell is paved with melting snowballs.

    --

    I read the internet for the articles.
  2. Maybe sony has wised up by Twid · · Score: 4

    Maybe sony has wised up to the value that emulation might bring to them. Look at Sega's decision to get out of the hardware market and focus on software. The money is not in the razors (the consoles) it is in the blades (the games). Although you could argue that Sony is now making boatloads of cash on the PSone (which probably by now costs them $20 to make), I think that's more by accident than by design. Yes, there is value in owning a console platform, but there is value in leveraging your software library too.

    Working with Connectix so that they have the option of putting a virtual playstation on anything has a lot of value to Sony in the future. X-Box emulators, and emulators for other sorts of devices could be a huge source of revenue. Just the revenue from a single 10-in-one CD with a bunch of top playstation titles for the XBox (similar to the Sega Arcade CD for Dreamcast) could pay for this arrangement with Connectix.

    I saw an interview with the Sega america's president (in ODCM print, couldn't find it online) where he said that PDA's are getting to the point where they can run Sega's immense 16-bit library in emulation. Could Sony be looking at the same thing for their PSone library?

    Tony Hawk on your iPaq, anyone?

    - Twid

    --
    - "When you want something with all your heart, the entire universe conspires to give it to you" -Paulo Coelho
  3. So, what will the effects be? by Kreeblah · · Score: 5

    This will have one of two effects (unless I'm forgetting something). Sony will either:

    1. Rewrite VGS so as to optimize the subroutines and maximize compatibility (which then would be something I'd pay for)

    or

    2. Kill it off after June 30 (per the acquisition agreement) and hope people forget about it.

    Personally, I don't really see any benefit for Sony to kill off the emulation project. Sony can't be making much money, if any, on their console sales. Because they would be increasing the potential market for their real cash cow (software; i.e. games), they can only stand to gain from improving the software.

    This does raise an interesting question, however. How will this affect other PSX emulation projects? Will Sony try to kill them off because then they *would* then be infringing on Sony's business, will they be acquired also, or will they be suffocated and die (the commercial ones, anyway; the others are labors of love)?

  4. Re:a victory for consumers and corporations by Bingo+Foo · · Score: 5
    Am I being overly optimistic, or does everyone win with this deal?

    It turns out that Martin Phillips, age 47, of Canton, OH does not win with this deal, but he's the only one.

    Bingo Foo

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    taken! (by Davidleeroth) Thanks Bingo Foo!