22 Apr
Google Stadia – How will it impact the gaming industry?
Almost no one was surprised when Google announced that they were planning to enter the gaming arena. This industry was valued at $135 billion in 2018 and is currently too big to ignore for a tech giant such as Google. According to Reuters, gaming is the most profitable tech industry, which means that the first company to crack streaming games will reap the most benefits. Streaming games in the way people stream movies from Netflix isn’t a new idea. There have been many attempts that have seen varying levels of success.
Current players in the market
Streaming services for games are currently offered by many players in the industry. Nvidia launched GeForce Now, while Sony currently supports streaming through their PlayStation Now. Microsoft xCloud is on its way and Amazon might also be gearing up for their own streaming service. There are also several gaming startups which offer to stream on a small scale. All of this means that Google isn’t exactly an early bird to the party. However, none of these large companies or the small gaming startups have managed to fully crack their formula. Most industry experts are in agreement that if there’s any company who can crack video game streaming, it’s going to be Google.
Is Google Stadia too good to be true?
Streaming has the potential to change gaming as we know it by making traditional consoles obsolete. However, many experts believe that it might still be too early for Google Stadia to completely change the industry.
One of the biggest roadblocks that Google Stadia, as well as other videogame streaming services face, is internet speed. Netflix has released statistics which state that a normal HD stream uses about 3GB of data. There are plenty of countries which currently do not have the infrastructure to support massive amounts of data transfer. Streaming videogames aren’t as simple as streaming videos since videogames require bi-directional communication. Your device will have to send commands as well as receive data quickly in order for you to enjoy a smooth experience.
Mobile gaming also faces similar issues that will not be addressed until 5G network technology is implemented on a large scale, which could take years.
There are many other problems related to streaming videogames. However, one of the biggest issues that companies have to work around will always be internet speed. The world’s average internet speed is currently too slow for such a breakthrough. This problem will probably be rectified in the years to come. When that happens, videogame streaming will definitely change today’s landscape forever.
Even with the potential bottlenecks, startups have not been put-off from innovating and creating new technologies for the gaming industry. With such strong potential and big players entering the market, there will be a lot of potential for innovative solutions & better and newer ways of doing things.
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