Stadia, Google Game Streaming platform [2019-2021]

Maybe, instead of keeping all game processing on the server-side, they can create stronger local hardware that runs their games offline right at the person's home, out of a Blu-ray disk or maybe a cartridge. They could call it "console" or some such.
Investors want to see growth, and the console vendors are already well entrenched in homes. So at least they're trying something to expand their revenue streams rather than being so closed minded as this. Is it the right time bearing in mind the hurdles of internet connections? Maybe not yet, or maybe it just needs another push from someone as big as Google (who is also big on fibre connectivity and those data centers). The streaming gig has been done for years, but it's probably just a matter of time and perseverence as connectivity grows.

This sort of snark isn't particularly productive for thoughtful discussion.
 
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Due to the many questions about profitability these subscription services place, I wonder if anyone has had the ideia of a platform agnostic service based on tradicional sales, but with a lot lower prices due to the more extensive market reached, that serves you the game you bought via streaming on any system you want that has a controller?

I could see such a service beeing a success, and above all without many of the questions that haunt subscriptions profitability, specially when exclusives are available on day one.
 
How does that benefit Sony?

That question needs to be answered if you want to see their titles on Stadia.
 
Not even sure 4K60 HDR should even be their main target.

They'll probably get more subscribers by aiming for a 1080p60 portable device. Maybe run on phones but with support for physical controllers which would attach to the phone or cradle it.

Then make a dock to connect to UHD HDR TVs as either an option or bundled.

IOW, the Switch on steroids.
streaming is limited, though. Switch and a physical console can achieve things like this, streaming can't.

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Imho convinience is the main word here, nobody can tell if their bet is going to pay but I would not hide behind technicalities in the face of something as powerful as a "Play Now" button on many YOUTUBE videos.
They need more than news games though, they need to get a lot of PC game running on that thing. Back catalog is important no matter the device you play on.
 
They need more than news games though, they need to get a lot of PC game running on that thing.
This is Google's weakest point. They are using a platform that no-one writes games for. Who's going to do the porting? What's in it for the devs, because at first glance you're looking at all that effort to port only to make zero money when no-one's using the service because there are no games on it and you only get a small cut from a small subscription fee.

Google need a couple of (in house) killer games, only playable on Stadia, shown on top streamers' channels with a 'play now' button. So...uh...buy Respawn and make Apex Stadia only. ;)
 
This is Google's weakest point. They are using a platform that no-one writes games for. Who's going to do the porting? What's in it for the devs, because at first glance you're looking at all that effort to port only to make zero money when no-one's using the service because there are no games on it and you only get a small cut from a small subscription fee.

Google need a couple of (in house) killer games, only playable on Stadia, shown on top streamers' channels with a 'play now' button. So...uh...buy Respawn and make Apex Stadia only. ;)
Without any back catalog they are fighting an up hill battle but on the plus side depending on their business model the buy-in price for players to get a couple games could really low compared to PC and consoles. For example my ALienware Alpha i3 is fine for what I would start to show its age if I were to play demanding game. UPgrading the CPÜ is still a good 115€ (for a use quad core). With online service I can kee p a lot of old game running locally and accves new game with 0 investment. It may even allow ma Windows PC to stealthily acces Andoird app (if Google want it). I'm displeased with windows marketstore.
MSFT has done great thing with BC and I suspect it could translate to a cloud architecture. Mapping Xbox 1s virtual machne on top of servers would allow them to run lots of games down to the 360 era. It would make sense for MSFT to target a more basic experience than Google as it matches their hardware, it somehow also reduce computing, bandwidth requirement.
 
Impressions don't inspire confidence to say the least, so we have heavy compression, input lag, stuttering and lengthy loading thus far and not even getting into 4k/60fps yet. Not to mention macroblocking could potentially kill immersion and affect gameplay critically. Imagine watching an emotional cutscene, key element revealing sequences interrupted by nasty pixelation, turning a sharp corner in a racer but road is distorted by weird squares. That's just the tip of the iceberg in the long running soon to be discovered bag full of issues.
 
Impressions I got from the trial that happened was positive.
So I'm not taking much away from this one way or the other.
At best /worst it's one all.
 
so doom3, which you were lucky to hit 30fps was not doom?
i take his point though
So do I, but it's only running at 1080p30 at moment, not what they plan for launch.

I'm not saying I'm expecting it to be perfect at all. Just saying heard good things from the trial, bad things from conference floor.
So not going to dig it's grave just yet for what kind of games and circumstances it will work ok in.
 
This is Google's weakest point. They are using a platform that no-one writes games for. Who's going to do the porting?
Yeah, Linux and Vulkan are really bad choices, maybe not Vulkan, but lower level API in general demand much more involvement from the developer. Windows and DX11 should result in a faster porting process.
Google need a couple of (in house) killer games, only playable on Stadia, shown on top streamers' channels with a 'play now' button. So...uh...buy Respawn and make Apex Stadia only. ;)
Not sure even this would be enough, it will just mean that Stadia is a platform for some battle royale titles, just like Battle.Net is a platform for OverWatch and Destiny 2. Or Epic Store was a platform for Fortnite. People will still buy consoles and PCs to play the majority of titles, past, present and future.
 
I don't know why they are demoing games that are running at 30fps. They already use beefy hardware, 60fps should not be out of reach, and that would lower the lag.
 
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