Cloud computing must be looking particularly attractive to Sony these days as the company continues deal with damage control in the wake of a security breach that all started with the release of the console's root key by a group of hackers earlier this year. It is being embraced for a new remote save feature that will available to PlayStation Plus subscribers as part of tomorrow's v3.60 firmware update.
With cloud computing, you're basically taking data created in one location and sending it to another, in this case for the purpose of more secure storage. With the new feature, PS Plus subscribers will be given 150MB of disc space that can be used to store up to 1000 save files, according to The PlayStation Blog.
This also includes support for backing up "copy-prohibited" saves. Any saved data may be restored once per 24 hour period. "Most" PS3 games will support the feature when it launches tomorrow as well as all new ones moving forward, but there's no word on which games specifically don't offer remote saves.
Sony is making the right move here, both in embracing cloud saves and in offering consumers further incentive to maintain their subscriptions or sign up for PlayStation Plus. Microsoft has an easy sell with Xbox Live Gold, since a subscription is needed to game online.
That's already a free service on the Sony console. A $50/year Plus subscription gets you exclusive early access to demos, regular free and marked down PlayStation Network content and a subscription to Qore, as well as automatic downloads. While this is all good stuff, the addition of a remote save feature definitely makes a Plus subscription a more attractive proposition.