The introduction of 5G technology has led to an unprecedented telecom revolution. It has been a gift for the gaming industry as well. As 5G penetrates beyond the urban centres, the gaming community has expanded at an exponential scale. Across all the rummy app downloads and casual game engagements, 66% of Indian gamers are now from non-metro cities.
The traditional popularity of a teen patti or rummy game means rural India is lapping up this new form of entertainment. However, this is not the only gift of 5G. Gaming itself is changing gears, thanks in part to the high-speed internet. A concept like cloud gaming would have been difficult to offer in a pre-5G environment.
But now, this combination of emerging technology and quality internet has made cloud gaming the new catchword among the gaming community.
How Cloud Gaming Has Evolved?
As a concept, cloud gaming has been around for a while now. In 2000, a Finnish startup called G-Cluster came up with cloud gaming. Companies like Roblox introduced cloud-native gaming, where the game was partially playable on the cloud with rendering done on the client side. It was only with the introduction of 5G and technologies like edge computing that the true potential of cloud gaming took off.
In its present state, you can simply initiate a cloud game, and a remote server will start processing the game. The server renders the graphics and audio of the game, and the output starts streaming on your device. You can think of it as the gaming version of your favourite OTT platform.
With this seamless gaming experience as the baseline, cloud gaming has grown in popularity among gamers and developers. So much so that it is expected to grow at over 45% CAGR to become a $38+ billion market by 2032.
Cloud Gaming Now
No wonder cloud gaming has attracted all the industry majors like Nvidia, Microsoft and Blacknut. By the beginning of 2020, Microsoft’s Xbox cloud gaming had already accumulated 10 million subscribers. The company now beats the combined subscriber base of Google Stadia Pro, Amazon Luna and Facebook Gaming.
Cumulatively, cloud gaming was estimated to have around 295 million users in 2023. This is expected to be around 493 million by 2027. This indicates a steady upward trajectory in the cloud gaming adoption level among the gaming community.
The strategic moves by the big hitters of the industry indicate a similar optimistic outlook. Microsoft expanded the Xbox cloud gaming library through the acquisition of ZeniMax Media. Nvidia, on the other hand, acquired cloud gaming service CiiNow for $300 million late last year. CiiNow boasts advanced streaming technology, an instrumental factor in quality cloud gaming service.
Cloud gaming service provider, Boosteroid raised $150 million while another company, Shadow, raised a $100 million fund. These funds will go into making high-performance cloud games in the years ahead.
All these market movements indicate that cloud gaming, by all means, is brewing up into a revolution. But how exactly does it shake the present-day gaming experience?
How Gaming Experience Has Improved?
It seems that the success of cloud gaming would depend on the network speed. Besides, there is a dependency on the subscriber base to make cloud gaming a commercial success. Nevertheless, it is bringing some unique advantages to the gaming table.
The dependency on devices is no longer the case with cloud gaming. It can be streamed and played on any internet device. Console and PC gaming problems like game-device incompatibility are not applicable in cloud gaming.
Your PC crashed, and are all the game saves lost? With cloud gaming, everything is stored remotely. There is no need for a backup; you can simply log in and play from anywhere. Besides being saved remotely on secure networks, the data remains safe too.
Traditional gaming requires significant investment for the serious gamer. PCs and consoles, compatible hardware, and the game title itself. However, cloud gaming is priced more conveniently. You can take a monthly or yearly subscription and gain access to the server library with numerous games to choose from. You don’t need to download a gaming app or the latest fantasy sports title. Everything from first-person shooter to poker to rummycould be there in the library. You can enjoy them easily at your convenience and in real time.
Speed and Simplicity
A cloud gaming platform with a centralised server uses a reliable cloud service to transmit the game to your device. As long as you have a good internet connection, every step takes place in milliseconds. Streamed services have already taken centre stage in music and video content. Cloud-based game streaming will become a similarly natural progression, redefining how you play online games.
In a country like India, where 90% of gamers prefer mobile gaming, switching to a cloud gaming service is going to be quite simple. As connectivity becomes less of an issue, smart pricing strategies can make cloud gaming popular among gamers.
