Over the last few years, gaming has evolved to become a sophisticated high-tech industry. Complex interactive games powered by some of the most advanced consoles are now a common thing. However, the future looks much simpler than that. It could be as simple as logging on to an online platform with your phone and playing all the games you want using any device. No need for a powerful console or a high definition TV. Think of it as the Netflix of games that caters to all users.
This reality is not that far away. In fact, some of the major tech companies in the world are already investing big bucks towards the development of cloud-based gaming services. The concept wants to make it possible for people to play any kind of game from anywhere in the world.
Here’s a list of all the major tech companies investing in this industry:
1. Amazon
Amazon is at the moment one of the biggest video game retailers in the world. The e-commerce giant also acquired Twitch, one of the largest live streaming services in the world for games. The company is now working on a streaming service that will allow users to access and play games from anywhere.
Amazon is also negotiating deals with a number of publishers to bring in some of the hottest titles in the market to its platform. The company says that the service will launch in 2020. Amazon looks poised to lead the way in this area for one reason. The company already has a huge cloud infrastructure. This will make it easier for it to deploy the gaming platform without the need for extra investments.
2. Verizon
Verizon is one of the major telecom companies in the US. The company is also working on a gaming platform that will give users access to a large library of games from anywhere in the world. Verizon has already started to test the platform but an official launch date has not been given yet.
3. Apple
Unlike Amazon, Apple is yet to make any significant progress with its gaming platform. Recent reports indicate that the development is actually at a very early stage. However, the smartphone giant has a very distinct advantage. For instance, Apple has a huge number of Apple TVs and set-top boxes in many homes already. Let’s also not forget the millions of iPhone and iPad users. It’s very likely that the platform, when it launches, will target existing Apple customers first.
4. Google
Google just recently confirmed that its gaming platform will launch sometime in 2019. The platform will be known as Stadia. The search engine giant is expected to leverage its existing network of data centers around the world to make it happen. The company has also invested in additional hardware.
5. Microsoft
Microsoft’s “Project xCloud” is arguably the front runner in all this. The platform will launch this year. The company has some advantages too. First of all, its Xbox platform brings in years of experience in the gaming industry. In addition to this, Microsoft also has a huge cloud infrastructure.
