When the streaming movie and TV service first launched in 2007, not many believed it would replace its predecessor in this way. Today, however, when it comes to the latest TV shows, movies, and music, millions of people around the world use streaming services, with many vying fiercely for subscribers.
According to relevant media reports, the global film and television entertainment market is expected to reach 90 billion US dollars in 2021, which is a huge market. Meanwhile, the global video game market is expected to be $180.3 billion in 2021, which is even bigger. This, then, begs the question: why isn't the video game industry following the example of the TV and film industries and offering streaming games? Why don't game manufacturers take cloud games as their strategic focus?
However, this is not to say that the cloud gaming market has developed slowly in recent years. In 2021, the cloud gaming market was worth more than $1 billion and is still growing, and is expected to exceed $21 billion by 2030. While it may lag behind the TV and film industries, it's reasonable to expect cloud gaming to eventually go mainstream, changing the future of gaming forever.
In our white paper, The Rise of Cloud Gaming: Changing the Dynamic for Data Center Gaming, we explore what cloud gaming is, its use cases and Technical issues to consider when looking to create a cost-effective cloud gaming service.
What is cloud gaming?
Cloud gaming refers to video games that are streamed from a remote server (usually a data center), rendered and run on a local device, and interact with the experience as if it were a physical disc downloaded locally or inserted into a local device.
This eliminates the need to download and install games to PCs, consoles or mobile devices, allowing games to be played on-demand on lower-cost hardware. Of course, to be effective, you need a reliable, powerful, high-speed, low-latency internet connection.
Most of the time, cloud gaming typically requires a monthly or annual subscription fee to access game content. Some services require the purchase of the game in addition to the service access fee, or in some cases, the game is available through a cloud service owned by the same company.
Cloud gaming services typically offer dedicated or web -based applications for streaming games. If you're using a device that doesn't have a controller itself, most devices that can run cloud gaming can connect to a compatible game controller via Bluetooth, or use a standard mouse and keyboard. In some cases, on-screen controls are available if a touch screen is available.
Why cloud gaming is the future of the industry
Cloud gaming offers players many benefits, making it a convenient and affordable way to play.
One of the main reasons why cloud gaming is the future of the industry is its accessibility. Through cloud gaming, consumers can play games that would normally not run on devices with limited hardware capabilities, such as low-end PCs , laptops, smartphones and smart TVs. This means consumers can play their favorite games without investing in expensive or high-end gaming hardware. The number of devices available to consumers makes cloud gaming an attractive option for consumers. Because of this, games can be played anywhere with an internet connection, making gaming on the go possible. This is especially friendly for players who travel frequently or have limited game storage hardware space. Meeting the needs of both casual players and more dedicated players, this flexibility makes cloud gaming an even more ideal choice.
Cloud gaming is also very economical as it does not require buying expensive gaming hardware, and sometimes even the games themselves. All processing power for the game is provided by cloud services. And, with subscription services becoming the norm, players pay a monthly fee to gain access to typically large video game libraries. With the constant release of big-budget games, keeping the latest hardware up to date can quickly become an expensive hobby. Cloud gaming can help reduce these costs. For example, many of its first-party titles are available " one day " through Microsoft's Game Pass service , which includes access through cloud gaming.
When it comes to first-party titles or games created and owned by uncertain companies, cloud gaming allows for greater compatibility between games that would otherwise be limited to a single piece of hardware. This allows you to experience the latest titles on your smartphone or laptop, rather than being limited to exclusive titles such as handhelds.
Cloud gaming provides consumers with a more convenient, flexible, and economical gaming experience. With so many benefits to cloud gaming, it's no surprise that it's become an increasingly popular way to play and the future of our games.
Why cloud gaming isn't everyone's first choice
Cloud gaming, like any technology, has its drawbacks. While it offers benefits, it also has disadvantages that must be considered.
When it comes to cloud gaming, one of the major downsides for many is the reliance on the internet. Cloud gaming relies heavily on a stable and fast internet connection. Not everyone has access to a strong and stable internet connection, and if a player has a poor internet connection, it can lead to lag, stutter, and a poor gaming experience. While 5G network coverage is expanding and superfast internet is becoming more common, that doesn't mean everyone has instant access to those services, and for some, cloud gaming just isn't an option.
Latency also becomes an issue along with potential network connectivity issues. Latency refers to the delay between the player's action and the game's reaction. The distance between the player and the server affects latency, causing delays in player actions and game responsiveness. This can make many games that typically require quick reflexes and reflexes (especially when playing online with others) poor and negatively affect the experience.
Although cloud gaming is growing rapidly, not all games are available on cloud gaming platforms, and some popular games may not be supported at all. This can be frustrating for players who wanted to play a particular game but found that it wasn't available on their platform of choice. With the expected development of cloud gaming, this problem will be solved someday; however, for now, you will be limited to what the service of your choice can do.
Finally, reliance on service providers can also be seen as a drawback of cloud gaming. Consumers are completely dependent on service providers for the availability and quality of games. If a provider experiences technical difficulties or shuts down, players may lose access to their games and progress. Especially when you've invested time and money into a service or a particular game that doesn't technically belong to you, knowing it could be throttled or taken away at any time can be very frustrating.
While cloud gaming does offer many benefits that will continue to be added and improved in the future, it also has several drawbacks that players should be aware of. These effects will depend on the consumer's network connectivity, technical capabilities and personal preferences.
The future belongs to cloud gaming
Cloud gaming has the same potential to change the face of the video game industry in the same way that giants like Netflix and Spotify have changed the film, television and music industries — by changing the way games are delivered, created and consumed.
The cloud game market is unlikely to completely replace terminal device games in a short period of time, but with the growth of Internet connection capabilities, game scalability, GPU improvements, and the improvement of cloud game architecture, there is no reason why cloud games cannot become the first choice for the public way of playing.
For a deeper understanding of cloud gaming and how Imagination 's low-power, high-efficiency and high-performance GPUs are changing the dynamics of cloud gaming, download and read our white paper The Rise of Cloud Gaming.
Download the white paper ↓
https://www.imaginationtech.com/resources/the-rise-of-cloud-gaming-en/
Reference link:
Movies And Entertainment Market Size Report, 2030 (grandviewresearch.com)
The Games Market and Beyond in 2021: The Year in Numbers | Newzoo
Newzoo: Cloud gaming will reach 23.7M paying users and generate $1.6B in 2021 | VentureBeat
Cloud Gaming Market Size, Share | Industry Forecast - 2030 (alliedmarketresearch.com)
Original link: https://blog.imaginationtech.com/the-future-of-gaming-is-in-the-cloud
Disclaimer: This article is an original article, and the author, source and original link must be indicated when reprinting.
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