Microsoft recently announced Project xCloud as the next big thing in gaming and it has generated a lot of buzzes since. It’s all about streaming video games over the internet, which is quite different from playing directly from a console or PC. The interesting thing with streaming games is the fact that it gives the player the ability to play games on any device. In most cases, it wouldn’t matter how powerful the device is, just as long as it comes with a screen.
As it stands, then, folks could play their games on a computer from eight years ago, or even a smartphone. Once the internet connection is powerful and stable enough, then there should be little problems going forward.
Will Project xCloud compete with traditional gaming hardware?
That’s the concern many seem to have right now, and it’s not a bad one. However, we have to say that such won’t be the case for a very long time because despite how great streaming sounds, it will have issues with latency.
So far, there isn’t a single video game streaming platform that works without hiccups, and we see no reasons for Microsoft’s Project xCloud to be any different. Therefore, we expect video game consoles and PCs to continue being the default option for gamers.
Still, fans should expect a huge change in the coming years as internet connections become faster worldwide. Not to mention, 5G is right around the corner, and it promises to give home broadband connections some serious competition where speed is concerned.
When this happens, we believe there’s going to be a slow shift away from traditional hardware due to cost. If a player can pay a small fee per month to play countless video games via streaming, then he or she will likely decide to choose the cheaper option that doesn’t require an additional device that cost $400 to $500.
Netflix and other streaming platforms are a testament to what the video game industry will look like in the future. Movies and TV shows on Netflix are not of the same quality when compared to the same content on Blu-Ray, but consumers do not care.
The rise of Google Project Stream and others
In the past, we’ve heard a lot about Google’s plan to launch a video game console. Many of us knew there was no way for Google to compete on the same level with the Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.
With that in mind, it should have come as no surprise when we realize that the search giant is actually working on a video game streaming service, and unlike Project xCloud, it’s already in beta.
Sony has been active for quite some time with PSNow, and Nintendo is testing its own streaming option in Japan today.
Clearly, things are moving in the direction of streaming, which means once these platforms begin to make a lot of money, the likes of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will view making power hardware as a liability.
The future is streaming, and it’s going to change the way we consume video games in the next decade as technology improves.
