Gaming
Games
Here are the ways Google's Stadia can change the game for consoles
Google are teasing a 4K gaming experience through Google Chrome, but how is this going to impact the console market? We take a look.
The future of gaming is here. Google have taken the ambitious, next-level step of introducing the Stadia, a cloud-based service capable of providing 4K, 60 fps gaming. There's no special hardware required, and no downloads necessary. It's as easy as opening Google Chrome on your browser, which, for a fee, will grant you unlimited access to a library of games.
Gaming has been evolving in this direction for years. Plenty of games now require a persistent online connection to play them, even in a single-player campaign. Sony's Playstation Now service launched in 2014, and offers streaming access to PS2, PS3, and PS4 games. Many other streaming services have also started and failed, like OnLive, but Google has the servers (not to mention the finances) to support this in a way that other companies couldn't.
The service is rolling out sometime in 2019, so how could Stadia impact the currently existing console market? Here are some of our thoughts.
1. Will the developers play ball?
Sony and Microsoft's consoles have been in direct competition for years, trying to offer perks and unique touches that their opposing console hasn't. Both also share hundreds of games in common, which places a marketing emphasis on their exclusives. It's easy to imagine that console exclusives will keep these companies afloat in the near future against Stadia, especially if major development studios maintain their exclusive partnerships.
The companies don't even have to be exslusive to one console. Imagine if Rockstar decided to make a hypothetical Grand Theft Auto VI, and they only offered it as a downloadable game for multiple platforms, but not as a streaming experience. Customers have loyalty to game franchises in addition to console brands.
Just because Google are first, it doesn't mean they'll be the last to offer a premium streaming game service. If Sony announce something similar to Stadia, far evolved beyond Playstation Now, Google will face stiff competition, only without the fallback of Sony's established game franchises and legacy.
The Big N has the portability and exclusive franchises to survive its rival
© Nintendo
2. Mario goes, and people follow
Google's exclusivity problems are doubly true for Nintendo, who are historically protective of their creative properties.
Nintendo could partner with Google, and might create a game exclusively for the Stadia service, similar to how they created Super Mario Run for mobile. It's highly improbable that the core Mario series, or core Zelda series, or core Metroid series, would ever be offered on a non-Nintendo platform, though. And Nintendo have enough capital to weather Google's initial sales push.
3. The rural option
It's important to remember that a high-speed Internet connection is not a guarantee in many parts of the world. In major metropolitan areas, yes, but what about more rural areas?
Every area, regardless of population density, might also struggle with data caps and overage fees. Stadia sounds like a great way for cable companies to upsell service to customers – there's little to stop them from taking advantage of the adjustment period.
Rural areas will catch up, eventually, but it's going to require decades of ripping up and rebuilding to make a country as big as the United States high-speed capable. Consoles and downloadable media will continue to serve a purpose for those who can't stream games, for reasons of sheer practicality. This isn't like a movie or TV show, where if the picture freezes or skips a few seconds, it's mildly annoying, but you can continue watching as normally. In a game, especially one based on twitch reflexes, it can mean certain death.
4. Specialised for esports and fighting games
Consider esports and specifically, 1-on-1 fighting game competitions, like Evo, which continue to grow in popularity and mainstream acceptance. At the highest levels of play, frames of animation matter, especially when you're trying to punish an opponent's attack, react to a low attack, or connect with an optimal damage combo.
Input delays, even slight ones, have real consequences, and in the pursuit of creating the most fair and balanced experience possible, tournament organisers and players may prefer the hardware, and the ability to hold tournaments outside of Google's direct involvement. If esports continues to grow, the demand for consoles may be enough to warrant their production. If not, the console market may not entirely die, but instead become more niche and specialised.
5. The big picture
Google had a big, colourful presentation for Stadia, but they still have many questions to answer, and until they can, consoles won't be going anywhere in the immediate future. It's more likely that we'll see hybrid consoles moving forward, which are optimised for streaming and downloadable gameplay. Like a blu-ray purchase that includes a blu-ray disc, a DVD, and downloadable movie code, they can hit all bases to please everyone.
Google have done little to change the main conversation surrounding gaming: consoles were always going to become outmoded. We've been moving towards a streaming service for years. But what Google have done is speed up the process. They've forced the console companies to adapt more quickly to the changes they knew were on the horizon.
Google may not have struck at the right time, though. The technology for streaming gaming is still developing and inconsistent. It's not where it would needs to be to win this war outright.
The future begins now, but there will be lots of growing pains, pushback, and compromise before gamers can embrace it entirely.
