What Does Google Stadia Mean for the Future of Gaming?
What Does Google Stadia Mean for the Future of Gaming? As one of the standouts of this year’s E3, anticipation is high for Google Stadia. While some expect this system to crash and burn, others are eager to get hands-on experience for themselves. Whatever state Stadia arrives in, however, there is no doubt that the technology behind it will prove crucial to the future of all gaming.
In case you aren’t up to date, Stadia itself is a service, and not a console or device. In effect, it operates as a game-based version of a platform like YouTube. With Stadia, games are hosted and run offsite, and then sent directly to a person’s device for play.
This might seem initially simple, but the implications of this technology are far too profound to ignore.
Fundamentally, this comes down to the advantages offered by its convenience. It is difficult to draw a traditional video game parallel to this development; however, the same cannot be said for online casino games.
Take, for example, the Paddy Power slots. These are appealing through their base appeal as slot games and winnings, true, but also their convenience, which brings them to the next level, Many of these games can be played over desktop and mobile devices; anywhere where an internet connection is possible.
Professional-level products offering such continuous levels of quality are rare, and this is exactly what Stadia aims to imitate.
Whether at home on your computer, or out and about with your mobile, Stadia will allow players the same opportunities. This means the same highest possible settings, the same games, the same save files, and the same level of engagement. Not even the Nintendo Switch can manage this, and it was built with similar concepts in mind.
One of the biggest hurdles for gaming, especially in the PC space, is cost. Each new generation costs hundreds of pounds, and upgrades every few years require players to drop huge lump sums. Stadia ditches this idea, instead charging a monthly fee starting at £8.99. While this price doesn’t include games, it is obviously significantly cheaper than any console or PC platform.
Aside from these costs, most players will only really have to worry about getting a controller. As for the host device, most home computers or mobile devices, which are already ubiquitous, so long as they are relatively modern, should handle Stadia without issue.
Of course, issues with bandwidth and latency, and cost are still at the forefront; however, these are issues that are continually lessened with each new year of technological progress.
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What Does Google Stadia Mean for the Future of Gaming? It may not be viable for everyone straight away, but the advantages of these systems, the quality at which they can run games, and the convenience of playing anywhere, will only become more pronounced over time. There are already questions as to whether the next generation of consoles might be the last, and it is developments such as Stadia that help make this idea all the more likely.
Just as streaming has done for video content, expect game streaming to take eventually take a huge dent out of traditional means of access. It won’t eliminate the methods we already love, but it will reshape the landscape. It may take a few years, but this one’s going to be a game-changer.