Feature

5 ways Gaikai’s cloud services could make PS Vita the best handheld ever

The latest rumor proved fact is the announcement that Sony is knocking out a deal with Gaikai Inc. to bring cloud gaming to "internet-connected devices." Well, hey: the PlayStation Vita has internet access.

Sony could easily bring the PS Vita to the head of the pack with cloud gaming, and here’s why:

Save game files to a cloud

And why not? The PlayStation 3 already has this great feature, and many PlayStation Plus subscribers love having access to the cloud where they can store data. Having the cloud available on Vita would free up some much needed space on our memory cards.

Full PlayStation 1 game library at the ready

Having a cloud gaming medium would allow Sony to give fans exactly what they want: PS1 games on their PS Vitas. Surely, Sony has held out on this feature, since it’s been part of the homebrew issues that plagued the PlayStation Portable. This, however, will be streaming over the internet, allowing Sony to regulate it accordingly, while giving users instant access.

Playstation 2 titles on a handheld

After having a great time with the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on the PS Vita, the notion of playing every PS2 game on Sony’s handheld really makes the nerd lobe in our brains fire on all cylinders. Give us Dark Cloud, Odin Sphere, and Onimusha, please!

Cross gaming with other mobile devices

Since this feature is coming to multiple devices with internet access, cross platform play could really come to the forefront. Imagine being able to play the same games on both the Vita and, say, the Sony Tablet S, for instance (or even the new HTC phone that’s coming with PlayStation-Certified Status). Consider Angry Birds obsolete.

Full-access Remote Play

The long-awaited feature for all PS Vita owners could be packaged with this great cloud gaming feature. It could allow, using either the PS3 as a medium or streamed directly to the Vita, for games like Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 3, and even the power-hungry Uncharted 3.

Sony is really taking a daring move here, but cloud gaming could hold a lot of potential for the PlayStation brand and many other Sony devices. Do you think these could come with Gaikai’s online service, or are we reaching for the stars on this one?

Speculate for yourselves in the comments below. We’d love to hear your opinions.