fbpx
Games

Stadia: Google vows to kill off X-Box, PlayStation and every other console gaming system.

So, Google has vowed to kill off X-Box, PlayStation and every other console gaming system with their new streaming game service.

SFcrowsnest checked in with Phil Harrison, Google’s Head of Stadia, to discover just what Google’s major new streaming gaming concept is all about.

So, in a nut-shell, exactly what is Stadia?

“Stadia is a new video game platform, delivering instant access to your favourite games on any type of screen—whether it’s  a TV, laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile phone. Our goal is to make those games available in resolutions up to 4K and 60 frames per second with HDR and surround sound. We’ll be launching later this year in select countries including the U.S., Canada, U.K. and much of Europe.”

And why should Google, of all organisations, enter the gaming market?

“Using our globally connected network of Google data centers, Stadia will free players from the limitations of traditional consoles and PCs.”

“When players use Stadia, they’ll be able to access their games at all times, and on virtually any screen. And developers will have access to nearly unlimited resources to create the games they’ve always dreamed of. It’s a powerful hardware stack combining server class GPU, CPU, memory and storage, and with the power of Google’s data center infrastructure, Stadia can evolve as quickly as the imagination of game creators. ”

What resources can you bring to bear on this monumental task?

“Data centers make Stadia possible, but what sets the system apart is how it works with other Google services. In a world where there are more than 200 million people watching game-related content daily on YouTube, Stadia makes many of those games playable with the press of a button. If you watch one of your favorite creators playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, simply click the “play now” button. Seconds later, you’ll be running around ancient Greece in your own game/on your own adventure—no downloads, no updates, no patches and no installs.”

Won’t all of us X-Box fans miss our dedicated game controllers, though?

“What’s a gaming platform without its own dedicated controller?”

“When we designed the Stadia controller, we listened to gamers about what they wanted in a controller. First, we made sure to develop a direct connection from Stadia controller to our data center through Wi-Fi for the best possible gaming performance. The controller also includes a button for instant capture, saving and sharing gameplay in up to 4k of stunning resolution. And it comes equipped with a Google Assistant button and built-in microphone.”

Stadia: Google vows to kill off X-Box, PlayStation and every other console gaming system.
Stadia: Google vows to kill off X-Box, PlayStation and every other console gaming system.

How serious is Google about winning this market from X-box, PlayStation and all us dedicated PC gamers with our AlienWare kit?

“Using Google’s vast experience, reach and decades of investment we’re making Stadia a powerful gaming platform for players, developers and YouTube content creators—of all sizes. ”

So, can Google make paying many hundreds for a dedicated gaming console a thing of the past, replacing it with their Gaming Cloud on Steroids?

Given it’s a market bigger than the movie business at the moment, we suspect at SFcrowsnest they’ll be be giving this their very best shot.

ColonelFrog

Colonel Frog is a long time science fiction and fantasy fan. He loves reading novels in the field, and he also enjoys watching movies (as well as reading lots of other genre books).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.