Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Report: Google Working On Game Streaming Service
Google might be working on a cloud-based streaming service that would function similarly to things like PlayStation Now, according to a report from The Information.
The Information reports that Google has been floating the idea, codenamed Yeti, for two years now and is close to possible hardware. The service could also just stream to Chromecasts, which would offer a built-in install base of 55 million units already, according to the latest figures.
The idea behind the service would not differ from existing cloud-based avenues for gaming, where the hardware exists on the provider end and streams to the end user. Under the perfect conditions, the player doesn't notice a difference from physical hardware, or at least that is the ideal. Sony purchased streaming service Gaikai and leveraged their technology for PlayStation Now.
We speculated last month that Phil Harrison joining Google was likely part of a gaming initiative and, if Google plans to use this for original content and not merely as a portal to the Google Play Store, Harrison is likely the man to help shepherd it.
[Source: The Information]
Our Take
It will be interesting to see what Google has in mind here. It's very easy to dabble in gaming and very difficult to really grab it with both hands, so a light streaming service might be veer more toward the former than the latter.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
