Game Streaming Platforms and Technology (xCloud, PSNow, GeforceNow, Luna) (Rip: Stadia)

So would Amazon and Google. As a customer wanting cloud services, Sony will their business to whichever service is best for their business. The MoU only committed both companies to explore using Azure. I think most folks at the time felt it was rather intangible announcement.
Maybe Google offers Sony their whole Stadia build out instead of shit canning it (if/when that happens).
 
Netflix runs on AWS...which is impressive when you think of the scale it requires. Sony could do something similar but they would be restricted to Amazon's hardware. I believe their graphics compute instances use Nvidia.
 
Netflix runs on AWS...which is impressive when you think of the scale it requires. Sony could do something similar but they would be restricted to Amazon's hardware. I believe their graphics compute instances use Nvidia.
Netflix and game streaming is a little different though. Game streaming much more involved. But I agree; Sony is with AWS already, it would just be a continuation.
 
Netflix and game streaming is a little different though. Game streaming much more involved. But I agree; Sony is with AWS already, it would just be a continuation.

It's different but the major hurdle is the data center/network infrastructure that can handle scale...which AWS solves.

Sony is with AWS? In what capacity? PS Now?
 
It's different but the major hurdle is the data center/network infrastructure that can handle scale...which AWS solves.

Sony is with AWS? In what capacity? PS Now?
I think their PS network if I understand it correctly.
 
It's different but the major hurdle is the data center/network infrastructure that can handle scale...which AWS solves.

Sony is with AWS? In what capacity? PS Now?
I would say the biggest hurdle with game streaming is less to do with just scale but where and how many data centers (nodes) are.

Unlike normal streaming where latency isn't as big an issue. You could have a huge data center in the middle of nowhere.
 
I would say the biggest hurdle with game streaming is less to do with just scale but where and how many data centers (nodes) are.

Unlike normal streaming where latency isn't as big an issue. You could have a huge data center in the middle of nowhere.

True I guess for game streaming in particular ideally you'd have many smaller data centers spread around as opposed to a few large data centers covering a large area.

I still don't know if a company like Sony would have the capital/ambition to pull that off.
 
True I guess for game steaming in particular ideally you'd have many smaller data centers spread around as opposed to a few larger ones covering a large area.

I still don't know if a company like Sony would have the capital/ambition to pull that off.
Wouldn't make any sense Sony trying to roll out their own data centers if that was what was being proposed.
Using Amazon, Google or/and MS and getting their hardware hosted is the only real viable route.
Wonder if they could sell back usage by running a vm Linux on it, when usage is low. Its where MS probably has a good opportunity to offset costs in comparison.
 
It sure is a relief not caring about cloud game streaming or Activision-Blizzard. If they want to leverage their catalog to secure special deals with certain cloud streaming services and restrict the ways their existing customers can access their games, then go for it. This added business friction is only going to make selling people on this new distribution model harder. The industry needs the equivalent of an itunes or Netflix that works as a universally approved proof-of-concept before everyone starts trying to carve things up.
 
This is my biggest issue with trusting any cloud service with my gaming library. My library is not in their control. I could sign up when it looks good but it could look abysmal in three months time.

It's more of an issue with GeForce Now... the service and the stores are de-coupled.
 
It's more of an issue with GeForce Now... the service and the stores are de-coupled.
At least you still own and can play your game you bought for full price. Just not in their cloud.
 
Google imo seems more likely at this point . Hope that Activision sees a consequence from loss of future sales.
 
Activision likely wants some sort of revenue from being used in virtual cafe environments, I imagine.
 
In a way publisher's are leaning towards control over the hardware environment you decide to use for your "purchased" games.
Nvidia’s service doesn’t sell you games directly. Instead, it basically rents you a gaming PC in the cloud, and you sign into gaming platforms like Steam, the Epic Game Store, and (formerly) Battle.net to play games you already own. Nvidia doesn’t take an extra cut. By giving you access to more powerful hardware than you might already own, GeForce Now effectively encourages you to buy more games through existing storefronts. It feels like a win-win for everybody involved.
...
Fingers crossed that Activision Blizzard and other holdout publishers like EA decide to play nice with GeForce Now—and again, Nvidia’s service only lets you play games you already own and paid for on other platforms. It’s not an all-you-can-eat-buffet subscription like Netflix or Hulu. Activision isn’t losing out even if the company decides to start its own rival cloud gaming service.

GeForce Now is more like playing a game you already own on another PC, just one in the cloud. If you’re as bummed about this decision as we are, your best course of action is reaching out directly to Activision Blizzard’s support and letting them know it, especially if the decision prevents you from playing games you’ve purchased.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/352...ulled-its-games-from-nvidias-geforce-now.html
 
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If I was a publisher & I had a choice where my games were played I'm sure I would be picky too. Especially if I didn't own my own hardware or cloud platform. Different platforms could have different performance or user experiences. You might get better deals pitting one cloud platform against another. One would hope that publishers want the best for their customers, but ultimately they're a business looking after their bottom line.

Tommy McClain
 
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