Cloud gaming is a basic premise: stream games from a server to your laptop or computer. It was originally designed as a streaming service like Netflix, only for video games. The idea is that you connect to a remote server that does all the game's processing and rendering; things like the player input, audio, and graphics and game rendering are all server-side. This allows for two major upsides:
- Any system capable of connecting to the server can play any game the server is offering. This has broad appeal for users of lower-end computers, laptops, and mobile devices, allowing them to play games at graphical fidelity only possible on higher-end systems.
- PC Hardware can be prohibitively expensive in certain countries due to regional pricing (or price hikes due to shortages of components), so cloud gaming services can offer a solution to those who cannot upgrade, be it for stability of their rig or their wallet.
Consoles have also managed to get use cloud streaming in a unique way:
- The PlayStation 4, uses it to implement backwards compatibility without having to design it into the hardware or software of the unit. This cuts down on manufacturing costs, as the hardware's architecture and parts aren't in the console.
- The Nintendo Switch uses it as a way to run games that the handheld cannot run otherwise due to the technical constraints, such as Control and Hitman 3, both games that require more processing power than the Switch can handle; if a native port ever happened, it would bring the Switch's CPU to its knees as it's a notoriously CPU-heavy game, so it leverages cloud streaming to bypass this limitation.
On top of this, these services, if they're not free, run on a subscription based system and that allows you to access all of the content. However, despite all the positives, people were quick to point out its drawbacks:
- When cloud gaming first launched, you needed a really, really good internet connection, and back when OnLive was around in 2009, internet speeds the world over were never consistent enough for the service to be viable. At minimum, a 1.5Mbps connection was needed for Standard Definition streaming, with up to 8Mbps for High Definition streams, on top of being a steady connection with few spikes in the connection. That, and don't live out in the sticks where broadband connections were notoriously bad, though this last part isn't so much of a problem nowadays however, as the US, UK and other respective country initiatives have made a concerted effort to make reliable internet a priority in rural areas.
- If the ping time between you and the server is too high (say, a jump between 15ms and 180ms), it creates jarring input lag for the end user, making the game either frustrating to control, or borderline-unplayable, depending on the game and genre. not surprisingly, multiplayer games tended to not be advertised, and single player games were often the ideal games to sell on cloud gaming services, as they rely less on accurately timed button presses.
- You are at the mercy of the service to provide you the games you want to play. If the service goes defunct, you lose the ability to play those games as well (at least with non-cloud games, you still haver the files on hand, so to speak), though it should be noted that the EU and other nations have consumer protection provisions in place that force companies to either refund users or relocate purchased goods to another service; this happened most famously with Google Stadia, which refunded all hardware and software, and a select few games were imported to more traditional services like Steam or the Rockstar Launcher.
- Finally, the service can often be region-locked, meaning the service is not available in some locales. This can be circumvented with a VPN, although the extent to which this can work depends on the service, as well as the quality of your VPN, among other factors.
If you're looking to play the games you own as a part of more traditional Digital Distribution, you can use a remote play tool. It's the same concept as cloud gaming in that you're having a computer connect to a server to handle all of the game processing. The difference is your computer, or in some cases, game console, is the server, though this itself has similar issues requiring a solid network and minimal interference.
Examples of Cloud Gaming Services
- AntStream Arcade
- A unique service catering to retrogamers, offering thousands of classic arcade and 8-bit computer and console titles (and some 16-bit titles too) legally to stream online. Has a free tier that limits subscribers to several plays a day, and a paid tier which allows unlimited plays.
- OnLive - Now defunct.
- Gaikai - Now owned by Sony.
- PlayStation Now - Formerly Gaikai. For PlayStation family titles. Only available in North America, Europe, Australasia and the Far East.
- Xbox Cloud Gaming - Formerly codenamed Project xCloud, A streaming service for Xbox games. Currently in Beta and open to Gamepass Ultimate holders from West Europe, Australiasia, Far East Asia and North America.
- GeForce Now - Available for PC and mobile devices. As of 2023, the service is available in most countries through partners. But unfortunately, in Asia the partners have control over the pricing and features- in Malaysia for example, the service is far more expensive than the US, and to make things worse, there's a queue and you're only allowed to play games in slots of four hours - meaning, you get disconnected after four hours and have to wait in a queue to reconnect.
- Stadia - A service for Google devices and Chrome. Only available in North America, Nordic Europe and West Europe. Launched in November 2019, it announced its shut-down in September 2022, and went offline in January 2023.
- Amazon Luna - Amazon's attempt to compete with Stadia, launched shortly after Google announced Stadia. Currently in Early Access and only available to mainland United States. Has Twitch integtration so if you're watching a Twitch streamer playing a game that is in the Luna library, you can click on a button to immediately launch the game.
- Netflix has also started enabling streaming games, done through the Netflix app itself. Currently the service is only available in Polandnote and only to Android users. Netflix's current approach is a little different from other services in that they would be mostly offering games they publish themselves and ties in to their original shows and movies.
- Apple Arcade - Launched on September 19, 2019, uses iCloud to sync progress across iOS, iPadOS, macOS and tvOS. Games cannot be ported to other mobile platforms (though they can be ported to PC and console) due to exclusivity agreements with Apple.
Examples of remote play software
- Steam In-Home Streaming
- Parsec
- PS4 Remote Play
- Gaming Anywhere
- Nvidia GameStream also offers remote play functionality built right in to their drivers. In Nvidia's case however, it only works with their Shield TV set top box and their now discontinued Shield handheld and Shield Tablets. As of 2024 Nvidia announced that the functionality has been discontinued and will be removed from the GeForce Experience package in the future.
- AMD Link: Originally launched as a competitor to Nvidia GameStream as part of the Adrenaline driver, but much more lenient in that the client is available for any Android or iOS devices (including Nvidia’s Shield devices). However as of 2024 AMD has also announced the discontinuation of the functionality alongside Nvidia’s discontinuation of GameStream, claiming that Steam In-Home Streaming, Parsec, and Gaming Anywhere delivers a far superior experience, and that the feature will be removed from the driver in the future.
