Sony readying updated hardware to better support PlayStation Now - report

Sony is readying a new PS3 with a custom OS to better support PlayStation Now's streaming services, according to a Digital Foundry report.

According to the report, the machines match the power of eight custom built consoles in one, single-server unit.

Digital Foundry, citing "sources who have been briefed on the project," states that Sony experimented with PS3 systems currently available at retail, but found it worked better when "shrinking the equivalent of eight PS3s onto a single motherboard, housed in a slimline server cabinet."

The report goes on to state that the hardware manufacturer found that current PS3 units using PlayStation Now would cause current space at its data centers to full quickly, not to mention the electricity requirements.

It's also reported that HDMI could be axed and replaced with hardware video encoder and that the Gaikai team have the advantage of "complete access to the PS3 design and the engineers that created it."

Unknown measures are also purportedly in the work to reduce latency.

PlayStation Now is currently slated to release during Q3 2014 in the US, and in Asia during Q4. Europe isn't expected to receive the service until Q1 2015.

Thanks, MCV.