Beyond the Console: The Rise of Cloud Gaming and Its Impact on the Industry 

The video game industry has relied on consoles for decades and remains very strong. According to market forecasts, the console games industry is likely to amass USD 24 billion by the end of this year, and it should keep growing until 2028, at least. While consoles like Playstation and Xbox lead the market, big techs and gamers are discovering a new way to play video games: cloud gaming. 

Here’s how it’s already revolutionising the gaming world.

To The Clouds and Beyond

Pixabay

The world has seen Netflix and movie streaming services put the old video stores to sleep, and Spotify offers entire discographies without cluttering your shelves. Cloud gaming is heading the same way, providing top-notch games without needing a console. Instead, you play via online streaming, using Netflix-like platforms, straight on your smart TV, computer or mobile device.

Cloud and online gaming aren’t the same thing, though. Online games require you to join a server to play; consider examples like Call of Duty or PUBG. Cloud gaming platforms won’t require users to install anything, and the content is based off-site. 

Yet, many online gaming platforms like crypto casinos won’t require you to install anything, either. Here are some prime examples of phenomenal crypto casino platforms you can play on your browser. 

Fighting Big Bosses

The global cloud gaming industry was valued at USD 5 billion last year, a shy figure compared to the console gaming industry. Clouds move fast, though, and this segment is likely to grow over 46% yearly, reaching USD 143.4 billion by 2032. It doesn’t mean it’ll be an easy game for developers, though. Meanwhile, cloud-based platforms play at the edge of cost inefficiency, as the current market demand barely meets the high costs of delivering a top-quality service.

Existing platforms still struggle to keep up with the growing number of users, resulting in degraded performance during peak times. Latency is also a common issue, causing delays between the players’ actions and the servers’ response, ruining the gaming experience. Developers still need to find a solution for creating games that can run on different hardware without sacrificing the game’s quality.  

Playing Along

Despite difficulties, “consoleless” playing is gaining traction worldwide. Still, a fight between the console gaming and cloud gaming industries would be a bit like a fight between Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Instead of competing, both industries are more likely to complement each other. 

Gamers can still prefer to play on consoles at home but can continue playing on their mobile devices or another TV while away. The gaming industry wins anyway, and so does the gaming community. Moreover, some of the biggest tech companies worldwide are working to overcome current limitations to ensure market dominance among gamers.

The list of heavy-weight competitors includes Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Meta, Sony, and Tencent. Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming was launched in 2020 with a portfolio of 150 titles and integration with the subscription-based Xbox Game Pass. The platform gathered over 15 million users in less than a year. Google joined efforts with Ubisoft to launch Google Stadia, with games like Watch Dogs Legion and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.

Game Changers

Cloud gaming is already expanding the video game industry’s horizons. Thanks to its innovations, AAA games that were once only playable via expensive hardware can now be played on the go. The most advanced platforms have improved their latency rates considerably, providing seamless gameplay. The biggest platforms constantly update their portfolios to include new games and the latest releases. 

Subscription-based services add more value to the industry, attracting consumers who were unlikely to buy a console but would be up for another streaming service. If the cloud gaming industry lives up to its market projections, it’ll soon become prevalent among gamers.

Next Level

Cloud gaming is considered “the future of gaming,” it can be quite challenging to predict the future of something that’s already “the future.” Yet, its innovations and benefits can already be felt today. Despite technical issues currently clouding this industry, gaming is already much more accessible than it was before. Indeed, existing services aren’t still a match for top-flight consoles, but many big techs are investing top-dollar to level the game. 

Gaming platforms and developers are also likely to strengthen their partnerships to provide better services and more variety of titles. Majd Bakar, Stadia’s Head Engineer, has the ambitious goal of achieving negative latency. 

Cloud-native games are also on the rise. Games that have to be adapted to cloud gaming, like those coming from video games, often lose quality. Cloud-native games, as the name suggests, are developed into the cloud infrastructure. They’re more scalable, have stunning graphics and considerably faster loading times. Soon, downloading new games will be as outdated as rewinding a VHS tape before returning it to the movie store.