Data loss or corruption is not an unfamiliar concept to gamers, which is why the online saving functions introduced by companies like Microsoft, Google and Valve Software are so appealing. Now Sony has plans to make this convenient storage method available to PS3 users—at least those who are subscribed to the PlayStation Plus service. The idea is to be able to access backup data from one of Sony's servers in the unfortunate event that your console's hard drive takes a dive. It has been speculated that players will still be able to save locally, but saves and other data will be copied to one or more secure “cloud” servers for easy access later on.
Another advantage to cloud-based save management is remote access. This means that syncing a PSN account on another console will give you access to the data stored on your own system. This is very handy if you plan to borrow a console, or if you are fragging it up at a friend's house. This functionality has not been officially confirmed, but Sony and Valve Software have already announced that Portal 2 will use Steam-based cloud servers because of the cross-platform design. This technology is not new in itself, but it will offer a more secure way to keep your save data safe; also giving regular users another reason to subscribe to PlayStation Plus!
