When domestic gaming consoles were introduced years ago, there was a revolution in how gaming worked and was perceived by the public. Now, we might be experiencing the beginnings of a similar event, currently being spearheaded by remote cloud gaming. You, however, might be caught out of the curve, wondering what cloud gaming is and why it is becoming so popular. The move to the cloud could be a game changer. Cloud infrastructure allows casinos to upgrade their systems without capital investment in local systems. Online casino in Canada already use all the advantages of such a service.
You may have heard of Google cloud gaming. Even if you have an Android phone, you can come across “cloud gaming Android” and have no idea what it’s all about!
So, in order to help you understand this phenomenon, and why so many gamers opt for the best cloud gaming services, we have compiled the quick guide below.
What Is Cloud Gaming?
Cloud gaming is a service that closely follows the model of other streaming services like Netflix and applies it to gaming. Instead of buying a copy of your game and running it on the matching platform, now you subscribe to a monthly service and select items from a library.
However, there is a twist, and these games are not run on your own hardware, but rather on that of the company providing the service. All you need is a screen, internet connection, and a supported controller, be it a joystick or keyboard and mouse pad.
Games as a Service
If you have to take a look at your bank account balance lately, you might have realized the number of monthly service fees you have been paying.
From the movies on Netflix to your playlists on Spotify, most industries have begun to adopt the service model for their businesses. This model is so successful because it relies on making your products economical, in the short term for customers, and in the long term for companies. The gaming industry has been trying to replicate this formula for a while through many patterns like:
- Game Subscription: This service works more closely in line with the Netflix model, giving access to a game library for a monthly fee (Xbox Game Pass for Xbox cloud gaming).
- Monthly Subscriptions: Commonly employed by MMORPGs, where the player pays a monthly fee to play the game. Think of it as a subscription to play your favorite arcade, but online, and with all your gaming friends located anywhere in the world.
- Micro-Transactions: Commonly adopted by free-to-play games like Fortnite, you are offered extra content for a reduced price, enabling the developers to monetize their work while keeping the product free. They allow you to purchase anything from cosmetic items for your in-game characters to so-called “loot” and “coins,” which let you further advance in the game.
- Season Passes: Offer content updates, along with exclusive content for about a year (or a season).
Cloud gaming is a development of these methods, allowing gamers to play their favorite titles on any supporting screen for a fixed fee, or even for free, like at Mr.Bet. If you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure you do, because you don’t want to miss out on this amazing game!
Advantages for Gamers
It’s very easy to explain why something is new; what’s harder is defining what you, as a gamer and customer, stand to gain from cloud gaming.
Besides, you will have a full library of titles at your disposal for a fraction of the price you would spend acquiring each of them individually. Not to mention that you don’t have to actually physically own them or pay the exorbitant fees that often come with having to update them regularly.
There is also the fact that you will not need to bring your gaming hardware with you everywhere you go to take full advantage of it. All it takes is a good internet connection to get you to the server, and you’re set. This also means you will never have to worry about spending money upgrading your system either, as now it won’t be pulling any weight.
After all, technology moves so fast that, unless you have thousands in disposable income, it will soon become pointless to own expensive hardware if you can let a cloud gaming platform do all the work for you.
Cloud Gaming Services
Alright, now that you know what cloud gaming is and what you stand to gain by using it, it’s time to talk about the different providers you can pick from.
After all, not all of them offer the same features and benefits, and figuring out which one better suits your needs as a gamer can be a real hassle.
So, without further ado, these are the cloud gaming services that are most worthy of your attention:
- Shadow Cloud Gaming: The main strength lies not in any extra stuff you may get, but rather in its structure. Instead of having to share a cloud gaming PC with other users, each player receives their own dedicated machine, improving connectivity and performance.
- GeForce Now: The main reasons one may go for GeForce’s cloud gaming service are its wide support for various hardware and the sheer power of its ultra-streaming mode.
- Vortex: Vortex might not be the best when it comes to performance, as many users will tell you, but it more than makes up for it by charging a third of its competition.
- Blacknut: Although its performance capabilities are nothing to write home about, Blacknut passes the accessibility test with flying colors for its simple interface and processes.
- PlayStation Now: If one had to summarize why someone should subscribe to PlayStation now, it would the over 800 free titles in its library that demand no license to play.
- Steam Cloud Play beta: Valve, a gaming giant, has entered the cloud gaming arena with its new steam cloud gaming feature. While still in beta, it’s being touted as a pioneering platform, and the millions of Steam users around the globe are eager for its full release.
If you like to try any of the above, there’s always cloud gaming trial options for you to check out the various available platforms!
Conclusion
Many ask, is cloud gaming the future? The future is uncertain, but it takes one look at the advances of cloud gaming to know we are witnessing the beginnings of the next gaming revolution.
This one will bring a world where owning expensive custom gaming machines and spending a fortune on game copies will be a thing of the past.
Of course, not everything about it is going to be positive, but it’s enough to spark the interest of a large chunk of the gaming community.
What about you, have you got any experiences with cloud gaming? What do you think is the best cloud gaming service? Share it in the comments!
