Streaming from the cloud was meant to change games forever
Once hailed as the future, even the likes of Google, Sony and Microsoft have struggled to make streaming games fun, fast or affordable
TL;DR
- Cloud gaming was introduced with the promise of playing games without consoles or powerful hardware, but has struggled to gain traction.
- Companies like Gaikai (acquired by Sony), OnLive, and Google's Stadia have failed or shut down.
- Sony and Microsoft continue to offer game streaming bundled with their subscription services, primarily to avoid large download sizes.
- Microsoft has introduced monthly time limits for game streaming, raising questions about its commitment to the technology.
- Early issues with input lag have largely been resolved, but the high data consumption required for streaming remains a significant obstacle.
- The increasing cost of data and computing power, partly due to AI demand, makes the cloud gaming model less feasible.
- Nvidia's GeForce Now service is presented as a potentially successful outlier, benefiting from the AI boom.
- The article also touches upon other gaming news, including a positive review of Kingdom Come Deliverance II, details about a Zelda remake, an analysis of Capcom's success, a reflection on player over-investment, and criticism of a White House-produced arcade game.