Developers can integrate cloud computing on PS4

PS4 developers will be able to offload some computing calculations to remote servers through the cloud, Sony’s worldwide studios president has said.

Much like the cloud capabilities that have been touted by Microsoft for the Xbox One, Shuhei Yoshida confirmed to Polygon that developers can offload certain processes usually handled by the hardware itself, such as AI and physics calculations.

He added however that, while many computations such as linking and matchmaking were already being done on the cloud side, there will limitations to what processes could be handled by the cloud due to latency and bandwidth.

Yoshida also said that, despite not requiring always-on functionality, he did not foresee there being an issue of adoption for cloud features by developers.

"We don’t believe every title needs that,” said Yoshida.

"But if your title needs [an] online connection to provide some online features: Go for it."

During E3, Sony announced that its cloud streaming service Gaikai would start allowing the streaming of a select number of PS3 games on the PS4 from the start of 2014.

Sony forked out £380 million for Gaikai last year, with its cloud streaming tech set to eventually play an integral role in the future of the PS4.