Google announced its new cloud-gaming service named Stadia at the GDC recently. Google`s entry into game streaming service isn’t something uncalled for, as more and more companies try to enter this fierce less market. This directly competes with Microsoft XCloud project which also is expected to launch sometime later this year.
Stadia and XCloud platforms are geared towards streaming games across any device regardless of the specs it packs. Both employ their own cloud expertise, with Google having its Google Cloud and Microsoft with its Azure. Gaming community will take the centre stage of both companies with all the ecosystem titbits in place to entice the users.
This theoretical idea of cloud-based gaming seemed too farfetched due to the required infrastructure and expertise, not to mention the efforts in terms of the cost that companies would need to pour to turn it into reality. However recent development in processors and efficient data centres has made this idea viable as data transfer rates has drastically cut down the latency time.
Google`s recent announcement leverages its omnipresence over its services in form of YouTube to redirect user right inside the game within a matter of seconds.
The launch also saw the arrival of a dedicated controller to seamlessly switch between several screens using the Wi-Fi controller that directly connects to Google`s gaming server database.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has an established Xbox gaming ecosystem in place to make the transition easier from offline to cloud-based system.
This war of cloud gaming is set to intensify and we could home to see some big announcement and launched before the end of the year. However, an infrastructure like this comes at a serious cost, and this won’t be pennies just yet. No one has disclosed anything remotely related to the pricing model.
