Cloud gaming or game streaming involves playing video games online on a server in a data center . Cloud gaming is also known as gaming on demand or gaming as a service, and it is based on the idea of being able to play the latest games available from a range of devices: as long as you have a good internet connection and a subscription to a Cloud gaming provider.
Cloud gaming has been around since the late 2000s and has struggled to compete with physical hardware, desktop and console gaming. But with technological advancements and increasing internet speeds, it has resurfaced in recent years and is now catching up with the service’s ambitions.
Cloud gaming services often provide an app or web browser to stream games once you sign up. You can then play with the controller of your choice (most are compatible via Bluetooth) and you can even use the touch screen of your phone via certain providers.
There are a handful of providers that have recently emerged on the scene. Nvidia® announced GeForce NOW in 2015. It’s now one of the most popular choices with over 500 games ready to play instantly and over 14 million subscribers (although many of them are free accounts ).
Stadia™ * is Google’s vision of the cloud gaming phenomenon. Regardless of operating system, it is accessible in multiple formats, from Chromecast Ultra™ and Android™ TV devices, to Chrome OS™ tablets and PCs with the Google Chrome™ browser, to supported Android phones with the Stadia mobile app ™. After undergoing some restructuring in response to criticism following its release in 2019, it gained a base of 2 million subscriptions. The big console makers have also been trying to get their share of the pie.
PlayStation™ Now, Sony’s cloud gaming platform, offers new and old gaming functionality that lets you play games from PS2. It predates GeForce NOW , having launched in 2014. After some teething problems, it gained 3.2 million subscribers with cloud gaming services for PS2™, PS3™ and PS4™ games, as well as download options for PS2 and PS4 games. In total, 800 games are available for streaming, including 300 downloadable games.
Xbox® Cloud Gaming, released in 2019, is Microsoft’s answer to PlayStation Now, a feature of Xbox® Game Pass. With Xbox Cloud Gaming, you can play on a variety of devices, even mobile. Its library features over 270 games, providing backwards compatibility with the previous library of Xbox® titles. Xbox® Game Pass has an incredible 25 million subscribers, making it the business model for many services to emulate.
There are many other cloud gaming services available that we haven’t mentioned. While there is a provider to suit every player’s needs, you just have to choose what interests you, the user, the most!
There are a multitude of advantages and disadvantages that could change a user’s mind about choosing between a computer system or a Cloud gaming provider:
On the other hand, it is not necessary to have high or low skills for this level of play. The Cloud server allows users to play on any device at any time under the providers’ conditions. As long as a stable high-speed connection to the server is available, you should be able to connect from anywhere in the world. So, streaming from an outsourced server will require even more data than the standard system download, so if you don’t have excellent bandwidth, you might struggle with this method.
Subscribing to play has its advantages. Once purchased, you are presented with a vast catalog of games from which you can choose. Having the freedom to choose what you want to play appeals to many players, but others should take into consideration the cost of having a good connection and the cost of the subscription.
Video compression largely explains why a large majority of people prefer a PC Gaming rather than Cloud gaming. Just like on YouTube and other streaming providers, videos are compressed to consume less bandwidth. This means that gameplay won’t be as high resolution compared to a disc or direct download.
Currently, cloud gaming is in a transition period. It has yet to eclipse the traditional buy-and-play-at-home model. However, services such as the highly successful Xbox Game Pass, with its Xbox Cloud Gaming element, serve to normalize a new way of gaming. The service’s technical limitations mean that in some parts of the world, cloud gaming simply isn’t viable for many of the high-demand, high-speed AAA titles on the market, but ruling it out completely would be a mistake. Technology is evolving all the time, so at some point, standard broadband bandwidth might be more than adequate for this way of gaming. The speed and graphics of gaming hardware provide a strong argument when making a decision between hardware and cloud gaming.
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