Sony boss Howard Stringer has boldly told Nikkei Electronics that the PlayStation Network is on the brink of opening up to other platforms as part a move that will see the service become an 'open system'.

Thus far, the platform can only be used with the and - to an extent - the PSP, but this could all change according to Stringer.

"We developed brand new, absolutely incredible technology for the PlayStation 3 (PS3), but the cost was high. We've adopted a slightly different approach now, and are evolving the PS3 into a platform for web services," the big cheese explained.

"A lot of people thought Sony's content download service was doomed, but it's in a pretty good place right now in the form of the PlayStation Network, available to PS3 users for network gaming, video, etc. The is based on Marlin, an open scheme developed by consumer electronics companies and other companies.

Stringer says that have already "begun the transition from a closed system to an open one."

He continues: "Next we will be expanding the PlayStation Network to other than the PS3, because the number of PS3 units sold puts a limit on the scale of the network possible. Sony has a vertical structure for each product line, an organisational structure that resists change, so it will take time to achieve this network growth. However, a large number of employees share my opinion on this."

But where will Sony take the PSN next? We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for news.

By Luke Guttridge