Google Stadia cloud gaming platform has just been announced and it is coming later this year. Google talked about the future of gaming and it is all very interesting indeed. According to what we have seen so far, users will be able to stream games instantly without downloading any content. Launching a game can be done in a matter of 5 seconds or less. At least that is what Google is promising the users.
This not only centralizes gaming for players but for developers and creators as well. Here we are going to go over the major highlights of the Google Stadia cloud gaming platform.
No More Downloading
From what we can see, you will be able to play games instantly in a few seconds without having to download the game. This can be a major issue keeping in mind how games are getting larger and larger and not everyone has access to fast internet. This is one of the reasons why some people are unable to play the game at launch.
We are not sure how this is going to be possible but if Google can pull this off it would be game changing indeed. We are talking about Google, which has all kinds of resources and if anyone can get this done then it is Google.
Behind The Scenes Hardware
Google did not give us a lot of information regarding how the Google Stadia cloud gaming platform is going to be powered but it did mention that it has partnered with AMD in order to make a custom graphics solution that is able to deliver 10.7 teraflops of computing power.
The graphics solution will have 56 compute units and HBM2 memory. These specifications are similar to the AMD Vega 56 graphics card. It is worth mentioning that the PS4 Pro is capable of 4.2 teraflops while the Xbox One X is capable of delivering 6 teraflops of performance. This is decent for hardware.
Performance
Talking about the performance of the Google Stadia cloud gaming platform, Google has already shown that it can deliver streaming services by letting players stream Assassin’s Creed Oddysy at 1080p 30 FPS but the company claims that the service will be able to deliver 4K 60 FPS at launch with HDR and surround sound and 8K later on.
Google also mentioned that not only can you play games at a higher resolution but you can also live stream your gameplay sessions at the same time, which is very impressive indeed. Doom Eternal is one of the games that has been announced for the platform and it will run at true 4K 60 FPS.
Any Device, Any Controller
You can stream games to pretty much any device. In the demo, Google showed how easy it was to switch from gaming on a PC to a mobile phone to a tablet and to a laptop. You can even stream games to your TV. You can use the controllers that you already have and even use mouse and keyboard. Google goes have its own controller that looks similar to the Xbox One controller but it also has some interesting features. You can check it out below:
Stadia Controller
This controller connects directly to the game via WiFi and is able to know which device you are running the game on. It also has a capture button which will allow you to capture moments in video games. Other than that the controller has a Google assistant button and a microphone for voice commands.
Reliable Connectivity
Streaming services have failed in the past due to unreliable internet but Google is bypassing that by connecting users to its very own data centers. Doing this decreases latency and will give the user a better experience.
Play With Creators
Google also talked about how it will be possible to join a game that a streamer or content creator is playing and those creators will have a lot of control over such features. This is a very interesting feature indeed and could be a way of competing with Twitch.
Release Window And Pricing
While there is no release date for Stadia, Google has confirmed that it will be released later this year so stay tuned for more information and news regarding the cloud gaming platform and what it is capable of.
Google has not talked about pricing yet and it will most likely be a monthly subscription service. If I was to take a guess I would say that developers and businesses will be expected to pay more compared to gamers and creators but we will have to wait and see.
The Future Of Gaming
This is a major step in the future of gaming and you have to wonder what all this means for consoles like the current PS4 and Xbox One as well as the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Scarlett. All things considered, we have loads of questions. What will happen to Steam? What will happen to gaming consoles? What kinds of internet connection do you need?
All this will be answered in due time. One thing that I can say for sure is that when the Google Stadia cloud gaming platform is released to the public, it has to be smooth, it cannot be laggy because people will not put up with it.
I am sure that some people are going to be skeptical about all this and you should be. Google has released products in the past that have not done too well. Not to mention multiple players have had a go at streaming but it is possible that Google will be the one to crack game streaming. A few years back streaming video at 4K seemed impossible too but Google has been able to pull it off.
If you think about it, gaming is a huge market and Google does not have a piece of the pie. Google has a platform where people come to watch games so it makes sense that the company now wants a larger share of the market and wants to actively enter into this space.
Let us know what you think about the Google Stadia cloud gaming platform and whether or not this is something that you are interested in.
