Due this fall, the PlayStation TV is to be sold stand-alone or in a bundle. Credit: Sony.
Set-top box makers are adding more games to their systems. At E3, Sony (SONY -2.01%) responded by unveiling PlayStation TV for gamers who want access to high-quality games as well as streaming services and Sony's library of original TV and movies. Should Amazon.com (AMZN -1.35%) and Apple (AAPL -2.19%) investors be nervous?
Fool analysts Nathan Alderman and Tim Beyers address this question in this week's episode of 1-Up On Wall Street, The Motley Fool's web show in which we talk about the big-money names behind your favorite movies, toys, video games, comics, and more.
Tim says the PlayStation TV should help Sony in two ways. First, it allows Sony to appeal to casual gamers who might not want to pay hundreds of dollars for a full console. Second, the microconsole offers about as much access to streaming services as Apple TV and Fire TV while also offering a new, low-cost entry to Sony's forthcoming PlayStation Now streamed gaming service as well as original PlayStation programming, including the forthcoming live-action adaptation of Powers.
Nathan agrees, arguing that the new PlayStation TV is a present-day look at the sorts of cutting-edge consoles we can expect to see next year and in the years following. A future where even low-end boxes serve every sort of entertainment need. For Sony, which can lean on a huge existing library of beloved games and hit TV and movies to sell its devices, that's a huge potential win.
Now it's your turn to weigh in using the comments box below. Which side would you bet on in the war between console makers and set-top box suppliers? Click the video to watch as Nathan and Tim discuss the developments, and then be sure to follow us on Twitter for more segments and regular geek news updates!
