Sony to offer PS2 cloud gaming via Gaikai partnership, says report

A new report fromGames Industry Internationalclaims that inside sources have said Sony is currently working on a deal with cloud gaming company Gaikai to bring backward compatibility to Sony products.

Though details are still shaky, the report suggests that the deal could bring PS2 and PS1 games to all manner of Sony products, not just PS3 and Vita. It even speculates that Sony-branded televisions might get in on the action.

This would offer Sony two key benefits if it turns out to be true. For starters, it would finally allow Sony to make backward compatibility standard across the PS3, as players who purchased the 40GB console still can't play PS2 games. The second benefit, as GI International suggests, is that this would be a wonderful testing ground for the next generation.

This would allow Sony the opportunity to get its feet wet in cloud gaming before committing to it whole-hog with the PS4.

As of now these details remain unconfirmed, however the source speculated that we'll hear all about this at E3, so we'll find out soon enough.

Andrew Groen

Andrew is a freelance video game journalist, writing for sites like Wired and GamesRadar. Andrew has also written a book called EMPIRES OF EVE: A History of the Great Wars of EVE Online.