At this year’s E3 Nintendo will be talking Wii U, Microsoft may be focused on things of little interest to core gamers, and Sony will reportedly be talking cloud gaming. VG247 reports Sony will announce the details of a could gaming deal it has secured during its E3 press conference next month. There were no details made available, including whom the deal is with — it’s said to be either Gaikai or OnLive.
That detail makes a significant difference. While they are both streaming game companies, there is a fundamental difference in how each operates. Gaikai mainly brings game trials/demos to browsers, making them playable directly on retailer websites, Facebook, and so on. OnLive allows gamers to sample titles, but it is mainly focused on selling them through apps on computers and other devices, like tablets, in addition to its OnLive Game System (designed to bring the service to TVs). OnLive games can be purchased and played in their entirety, which is the major distinction between them and the more try-before-you-buy nature of Gaikai.
