I’m excited for Google Stadia and You should be too!
I’m excited for Google Stadia and You should be too!
Now, before I go any further, what is Google Stadia (1)? It is the cloud gaming system created by, you guessed it, Google. All you need is a controller, Google Chromecast or Pixel phone, and a mediocre internet connection.
I see Google Stadia being a fundamental shift in how we play games and it represents the future. The age of the powerful standalone console is over, the time of cloud gaming is at hand!
I know, bold statement. Here is why:
First of all, cost. Google stadia is significantly cheaper than the next competitor. The Stadia Founder’s Edition costs $129 and includes 3 months of the gaming subscription. The gaming subscription will cost $10 per month. Not a terrible amount with the list of games that will be available. The next closest competitor is the Nintendo Switch, which sits at $300 or $200 if you go with the Lite version (2). To compare to a base console, by my estimation the next Xbox, called Project Scarlett, will probably hold a price tag of over $750. That’s pretty steep when you are gaming on a budget. Also, anyone who says “well there’s a monthly subscription,” know that all gaming is moving to the “Netflix” model. Microsoft already has the Game Pass (3), which costs $10 and I expect most gaming will move to this model in the near future.
Second, you can play it anywhere. “Stadia Founder’s Edition lets you instantly enjoy games in up to 4K on your TV (using a Chromecast) without a console. You can also play across laptops, desktops, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3a2 with cross-screen early access starting from day one. (1)” High definition TVs are cheaper than they have ever been in the past and 81% of people already have a smartphone as of Feb 2019 per the Pew Research Center (4). Smartphones have awesome resolution now, even better than most TVs. With a screen that small, even if the resolution is less than a TV, it will be difficult to notice. This gives gamers better control of how and where they play.
For those concerned about internet requirements, I expect both Project Scarlett and the PS5 will require internet access. The advantage Stadia has is that it was built to run in the cloud only, rather than having cloud storage as a mere fallback option. This means everything will be optimized for the cloud. The internet requirements for Stadia are less than I expected for decent game play. 35 Mbps is not very fast to support 4K gaming. I am excited but nervous to see if this really works.
Third, the hardware upkeep is minimal. When you purchase a console system, the performance specifications are locked in forever. Consoles cannot be updated. While PCs can be updated, it is costly to do so. I know when gaming on a budget, updating my PC constantly is not manageable. This is where cloud computing has the advantage! Cloud computing services are constantly being updated and improved without disrupting game play. So, for no more that you are paying now for games, you can have access to a system that is constantly updated with the latest and fastest hardware. That’s a great deal. A lot of these cloud services already exist for businesses and demanding applications (machine learning), so cloud services are primed and ready for gaming. In the words of Agent Smith, “It is Inevitable”. One of the advantages is that cloud services can easily scale (expand) for more graphic-intensive games without impacting the user experience. Imagine that you’re in the middle of a boss battle, you and your entire team are all charging your supers, now all four of you unleash them at once. There is no lag and the graphics are movie quality. The potential here is amazing.
Fourth, you no longer have to wait for updates! Since the game is in the cloud, when a patch is launched, it is automatically updated and you play the new content immediately. No longer will we have to wait for a 4Gb update right after buying the game or not playing for a few weeks. That means less time updating and more time gaming.
Fifth, Stadia is easily portable. The Xbox and Playstation consoles are not easily portable. You have to bring multiple cords, discs, controllers and you have to put it on the XRay belt at the airport (I know from experience). The Switch is easier to transport and probably comparable to Stadia. Stadia, you just throw a Chromecast and controller in your bag and you’re off. You could even play on your phone while waiting for your flight. Sounds like a good life. The only downside is that an internet connection is required, so you won’t be able to play on the airplane. (But that’s why bring both consoles and play on the Switch during the flight.. Haha).
Think of this future… You are speeding down the highway on your way to work. You are in the passenger seat of an autonomous vehicle with no steering wheel. You get the urge to close a new bounty the game developer just launched. You grab your phone and controller. You connect to a blazing fast 5G cellular network and start playing. You glance over to the car next to you and realize they are doing the same thing. You give each over a nod of approval and get back to gaming. Sounds like a pretty awesome commute to me.
