Cloud gaming – The future of gaming?
A hotly debated topic: Is cloud gaming the future of gaming? While most services are still quite young – Around 2 years old – Industry giants like Microsoft, Sony, and even Google are all investing heavily into game streaming from the cloud. With notable services like Stadia, Project XCloud and the soon to be released PS Now garnering more and more support, it seems like the sky is the limit!
What is cloud gaming though?
Since the invention of the PC, and subsequently the internet in its publicly available form, we have proven that humanity’s quest for convenience ultimately has no end. After all, what could be more convenient than all the world’s knowledge in the palm of your hand? Cloud Game streaming is looking to solve similar problems that have existed since the conception of video games. To put it simply, Cloud game streaming provides access to video game titles at a moments notice. All that is required is a stable internet connection. The services mostly all work the same way – Your video game is run on a server somewhere else in the world, and then a real-time video feed of that game is sent securely to your internet-enabled device. You can then play that game with surprisingly little latency, all from the comfort of your phone, tablet, or console.
Project XCloud
Cloud gaming delivers quite a valuable service to those that cannot access video game titles natively on their device. Provided you have a solid internet connection, the experience with Cloud gaming is quite fluid. Project XCloud, Microsoft’s premier Cloud game streaming service supports streaming up to 1080p 60FPS at a bitrate of around 15mbp/s. While not particularly impressive to look at on a big screen, XCloud delivers outstanding performance in terms of latency. I was able to play a range of console titles quite comfortably on my iPhone 12, and my Surface Laptop. Playing competitively is still a while away in my opinion – The latency is not quite low enough for high octane FPS Games like Apex Legends and Rainbow 6: Siege, but the service provides a comforting experience while on the go with more relaxed titles.
My thoughts
Cloud gaming, while still in its infancy, is showing amazing potential for the future of gaming. As it stands, I am more than comfortable playing a wide range of titles, and I cannot wait until it becomes more mainstream. I think it is safe to say that with a little bit of time, cloud gaming will mature into a very viable option for both new and old gamers alike.
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