[AlexWest]

So, assuming that certain details might have been changed "to protect the identities of those involved," it may in fact have been Gaikai, a video-game streaming startup acquired by Sony for 380 million in 2012.

Check out this article, http://www.cnet.com/news/sony-to-buy-cloud-gaming-firm-gaika... , in which the CEO denies two weeks before that there is any deal with Sony, and reportedly "expected well in excess of 500 million" for the company. Incidentally, Gaikai has an office in Berlin, according to https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/gaikai and their main office is in Orange County, just outside of LA.

EDIT: Gaikai's CTO, Andrew Gault departed some time in the same year as Sony takeover.

EDIT 2: The CEO of Gaikai said in an interview,“To give you my real take on it, I honestly can’t think of a future for the console companies that don’t include cloud gaming at some point. They can hold out as long as they want to, but at some point, you don’t want to be the console that can’t do this. To some extent, I expect all three of them will have this. But we have to stay Switzerland – we can’t end up competing with anyone. I would like to see all of them use Gaikai, that’s my fantasy, right? It would be cool.” Source: http://www.vg247.com/2012/06/07/dave-perry-shoots-down-gaika...