Japanese publishing giant SEGA has partnered with Microsoft in a joint initiative to explore the prospect of bringing cloud gaming to the public. In a recent press release, both parties have revealed the strategy to be a mid- to a long-term affair.
Sega’s next generation development strategy will be utilizing Microsoft’s Azure cloud network infrastructure, which will help in achieving the developer’s “Super Game” vision.
Sega COO and president Yukio Sugino said, “We are very pleased to announce today that we are considering a strategic alliance with Microsoft to help develop SEGA’s new ‘Super Game’ initiative, and build a next-generation game development environment. By considering a strategic partnership with Microsoft, we seek to further advance our game development so that our titles can be enjoyed by fans all over the world; in this regard, we aim to build an alliance that utilizes both Sega’s powerful game development capabilities and Microsoft’s cutting-edge technology and development environment.”
CVP of Microsoft, Sarah Bonds stated, “Sega has played such an iconic role in the gaming industry and has been a tremendous partner over the years. We look forward to working together as they explore new ways to create unique gaming experiences for the future using Microsoft cloud technologies. Together we will reimagine how games get built, hosted, and operated, with a goal of adding more value to players and Sega alike.”
It’s still unclear when fans will get to see the fruit of this collaboration, although the prospect is certainly enticing. Microsoft has been leading the charge in cloud gaming, with Xbox Cloud Gaming also being available with every Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription in supported regions. Microsoft has already completed its Xbox Series X server blades upgrades for the cloud service as well, allowing subscribers to play games via the internet with even better performance.
