Why Sony decided to jump into streaming video, and where it’s going next

Streaming services are all starting to look the same: a bundle of channels -- some you want, some you don't -- slightly slimmer and cheaper than what you get from cable. But during the week of July 10, Sony started to break the mold by offering something consumers have long clamored for: an easy way to subscribe to channels on an a la carte basis. Sony's offering the deal through PlayStation Vue, its somewhat unlikely addition to the many streaming services out on the market. Game consoles, of course, are a major way that consumers watch streaming video.

But it's hard for some to discern why, exactly, the company would want to start its own video service and jump into what's become a highly competitive business. The user interface is intuitive to people who know their way around a PlayStation controller, and designed so you can quickly mark your favorite shows and channels. Sony's banking on that convenience and simplicity to help make its pitch to its current target market: gamers and the people who love them. The move isn't totally out of the blue. Eric Lempel, vice president at the Sony Entertainment Network, said that Sony sees this as a natural extension of trends it's already gleaned from PlayStation users. Games started and remain at the core of what the PlayStation does, but Sony began branching out in 2006, when it added non-gaming services. That eventually expanded to include video services such as Netflix and Hulu as a next logical step -- the console's plugged into the TV, after all -- then onto music, whether for ambient background or to provide a soundtrack to back up your playing.