Sony Europe Announces Sky Deal For PSP Video On Demand

Officials from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and television provider BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting) have announced the formation of a joint venture company to deliver on-demand video content to the PSP in the UK and Ireland. The so far unnamed new company with feature equal board level representation from BSkyB and SCEE and will focus on delivering video content exclusively to the PSP – with no indication of support for the PlayStation 3. The Rupert Murdoch owned BSkyB operates the UK’s leading subscription television service, as well as owning several TV channels and producing its own television content. The company boasts around 21 million viewers in 8.6 million households in the UK and Ireland. Despite a promise of both video and film content no further details of the proposed services have been given, with additional announcements scheduled for the Leipzig Games Convention on August 22nd. However, the two companies have already indicated they are in discussions with providers across Continental Europe to introduce similar services there. A similar service for Xbox 360, featuring both TV and movie content, has already been established in North America but is not currently available in Europe. Sony Computer Entertainment America marketing boss Peter Dille also recently spoke of plans for a similar service, implied to also include the U.S., for the PSP, in an in-depth Gamasutra interview, noting simply that "...we're working on it."