In November 2019, Google launched Stadia. Its streaming-focused gaming platform was supposed to be an innovative solution that would revolutionize the video game industry.
In January 2023, just 3 years later, the Google Stadia project ended. However, theoretically, the concept had everything to succeed. And above all, it was supposed to be a remedy for the galloping rise in equipment prices that gamers face today!
Video game streaming, understanding the principle
Cloud gaming is a technology that allows you to play streaming video games via the internet on any screen, without the need to download the game or own a powerful machine. The game is run on remote servers located in data centers, and images are transmitted in real time to the user's screen.
Cloud gaming therefore offers several advantages over traditional gaming modes:
- It allows you to play recent, high-performance games on inexpensive and space-saving devices, such as smartphones, tablets or connected TVs.
- It makes games more accessible and easier to use, since there is no need to wait for games to download, install or update.
- It promotes the mobility and flexibility of players, who can access their favorite games from anywhere and anytime, provided they have a stable and sufficient internet connection.
There are many cloud gaming services , which still operate despite the disappearance of Stadia. Some are linked to already existing video game products and services, while others have a more innovative approach or more modest ambitions than Google and its Stadia project.
Who are the current players in cloud gaming?
Cloud gaming is a growing market, which attracts many players from different sectors. We can distinguish three types of actors:
- Video game giants , which offer cloud gaming services linked to their own platforms and game catalogs. This is the case of Sony with PlayStation Now , Microsoft with Xbox Game Pass and xCloud , or even Electronic Arts with Origin Access .
- Web giants , who are seeking to position themselves in the cloud gaming market using their expertise in the field of cloud computing and streaming. Amazon with Luna , or even Nvidia with GeForce Now .
- Innovative startups , which develop original cloud gaming solutions adapted to the needs of players. This is the case of Shadow , a French company which offers a cloud gaming service that is customizable and compatible with all PC games.
What are the advantages of cloud gaming?
Such technology has many advantages. Right off the bat, it significantly reduces the performance you need to play a game. Even if it's the latest titles that are known for their tendency to be resource hungry. That is to say, any computer that can do basic streaming is able to play video games via streaming without much difficulty.
Another advantage relates to the size of video game libraries. By playing via streaming, you no longer need to download games that weigh tens of gigabytes. You can simply connect to virtual machine instances where these games are already available, to initiate a gaming session.
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The constraints of streaming video games
Cloud gaming is not without its flaws. It also has some drawbacks which may slow down its adoption by players. Among them, we can cite:
- Dependence on the internet connection : cloud gaming requires a stable and fast internet connection to ensure good image quality and low latency. However, not all players have such a connection, especially in rural areas or developing countries.
- Loss of control : the player does not really own the games he plays in streaming. It depends on the proper functioning and sustainability of cloud gaming services. They also risk losing their saved data or personalized settings in the event of a technical problem or change of offer.
- Functionality limitations : cloud gaming does not always provide access to all game features, such as local multiplayer, modding or virtual reality. It may also cause compatibility issues with certain devices or software.
- Unfair competition : cloud gaming can create an imbalance between players who use this technology and those who play on their own hardware. Indeed, the former can benefit from a graphic or technical advantage which gives them an edge over the latter.
Obviously, video game streaming technology is not without its drawbacks. Otherwise, platforms like Stadia would not have gone out of business in just a few years. One of the major obstacles put forward by Google to explain the abandonment of the project is the lack of support from users.
Indeed, in an industry where giants like PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo are in perfect hegemony, it is virtually impossible to propose a new concept that can convince. Especially since the absence of a hardware console and the subscription model were already significant barriers. It should be noted that second-hand video games are a very promising secondary industry which would have disappeared with the adoption of video game streaming.
What are the future plans for cloud gaming?
Cloud gaming is still a developing sector, which promises many innovations and developments in the years to come. Future cloud gaming projects include:
- Improving the quality of service, through the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence , machine learning or 5G .
- The expansion of the target audience, thanks to the diversification of offers and content offered by cloud gaming players.
- The creation of new forms of games and interactive entertainment, which could only exist using cloud streaming.
Conclusion
In short, cloud gaming or streaming video games is a promising technology. Of course, it will never be the norm as long as the quality of the internet connection continues to vary greatly from one region to another. But there is no doubt that the concept is viable and that it can influence the future of the video game industry. We can simply conclude that Stadia was a good project that suffered from clumsy execution.
