Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming, sometimes called gaming on demand, is a type of online gaming. Currently there are two main types of cloud gaming: cloud gaming based on video streaming and cloud gaming based on file streaming. Cloud gaming aims to provide end users frictionless and direct play-ability of games across various devices.
Contents
1 History
2 Types
3 Cloud gaming services (Gaming as a Service (GaaS))
4 Game streaming systems
5 P2P gaming services
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
History
In 2000, G-cluster demonstrated cloud gaming technology at E3. The original offering was cloud gaming service over Wi-Fi to handheld devices.[1] Video game developer Crytek began research on a cloud gaming system in 2005 for Crysis, but halted development in 2007 to wait until the infrastructure and cable Internet providers were up for the task.[2]OnLive officially launched in March 2010, and its game service began in June with the sale of its OnLive microconsole.[3][4] On April 2, 2015, it was announced that Sony Computer Entertainment had acquired OnLive's patents, and OnLive closed its doors. In November 2010, SFR launched a commercial cloud gaming service on IPTV in France, powered by G-cluster technology.[5][6] And the following year Orange France unveiled its gaming service on IPTV based on G-cluster technology.
GeForce NOW is a cloud-based game-streaming service offered by NVIDIA that launched on October 1, 2015.
Nvidia GRID is a recent creation by Nvidia that is targeted specifically towards cloud gaming. The Nvidia GRID includes both graphics processing and video encoding into a single device which is able to decrease the input to display latency of cloud base video game streaming.[7] This is important due to the impact that latency will have between what the user does and when the action shows on their screen.
The Blade SAS Group launched Shadow, their flagship cloud gaming service in France in November 2011.[8] By October 2018, Shadow announced that it was live in 19 states across the east and west coast of the US, with further plans to expand nationwide.[9]
LOUDPLAY announced expansion of its cloud gaming service to Ukraine, Belarus and few other Eastern Europe locations on May 18, 2018.[10] On November 21, 2018 LOUDPLAY in partnership with Rostelecom and Huawei has demonstrated first 5G cloud gaming showcase in Europe[11] (in Innopolis).
Electronic Arts acquired cloud gaming startup Gamefly on May 22, 2018.[12] A few months later, on October 29, 2018 Electronic Arts has announced a cloud gaming Project Atlas.[13]
Google unveiled Project Stream on October 1, 2018.[14] The project was formally announced at the 2019 Game Developers Conference on March 19, 2019 as Stadia.[15]
Microsoft unveiled Project xCloud on October 8, 2018.[16]
Types
Cloud gaming is an umbrella term used to describe a form of online game distribution. The most common methods of cloud gaming currently are video (or pixel) streaming and file streaming.
"Cloud gaming", also in some cases called "gaming on demand", is a type of online gaming that allows direct and on-demand video streaming of games onto computers, consoles and mobile devices, similar to video on demand, through the use of a thin client. The actual game is stored, executed, and rendered on the remote operator's or game company's server and the video results are streamed directly to a consumer's computers over the internet.[7] This allows access to games without the need of a console and largely makes the capability of the user's computer unimportant, as the server is the system that is running the processing needs.[17][18] The controls and button presses from the user are transmitted directly to the server, where they are recorded, and the server then sends back the game's response to the input controls. Companies that use this type of cloud gaming include NVIDIA (GeForce NOW), LOUDPLAY, Playkey, PlayGiga, CiiNOW, Ubitus.
Gaming on demand is a game service which takes advantage of a broadband connection, large server clusters, encryption and compression to stream game content to a subscriber's device. Users can play games without downloading or installing the actual game. Game content is not stored on the user's hard drive and game code execution occurs primarily at the server cluster, so the subscriber can use a less powerful computer to play the game than the game would normally require, since the server does all performance-intensive operations usually done by the end user's computer.[19][20] Most cloud gaming platforms are closed and proprietary; the first open-source cloud gaming platform was only released in April, 2013.[21]
P2P cloudless gaming – a type of cloud gaming, where remote computers for game execution represented by community of individuals. Critical difference from cloud gaming is that game is executed on actual PC and it is streamed on one-to-one basis. The actual game is stored, executed, and rendered on the remote computer station and the video results are streamed directly to a consumer's computer over the Internet.
P2P cloudless gaming allows closing latency gap: remote computer could be located within one internet provider. Network protocol in P2P cloud gaming smartly chooses the best fit between remote computer and consumer's device.
Cloud gaming based on file streaming, also known as progressive downloading, deploys a thin client in which the actual game is run on the user's gaming device such as a mobile device, a PC or a console. A small part of a game, usually less than 5% of the total game size, is downloaded initially so that the gamer can start playing quickly. The remaining game content is downloaded to the end user's device while playing. This allows instant access to games with low bandwidth Internet connections without lag. The cloud is used for providing a scalable way of streaming the game content and big data analysis. Cloud gaming based on file streaming requires a device that has the hardware capabilities to operate the game. Often, downloaded game content is stored on the end user's device where it is cached. Companies that use this type of cloud gaming include Kalydo, Approxy and SpawnApps.[22]
Cloud gaming services (Gaming as a Service (GaaS))
Name | Company | Access status | Development status | Coverage | Bring your own games (BYOG) | Platforms | License | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PLAYCLOUD[23] | PlayCloud.Inc[24] | Active | Active | Russia, England United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and other CIS countries, Poland, Baltics | Yes (cloud computing: full computer in the cloud) | Windows, macOS, Android, Linux | Proprietary | starting from $2,25 per usage day |
Shadow[25] | Blade SAS | Active | Active | Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, UK, USA (selected locations) | Yes (cloud computing: full computer in the cloud) | Windows, macOS, Android, Ubuntu (beta), iOS (beta) | Proprietary | €44,95/month (1 month subscription) €34,95/month (3 month subscription) €29,95/month (12 month subscription) |
LOUDPLAY[26] | Loudplay.io[27] | Active | Active | Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries, Poland, Baltics | Yes (cloud computing: full computer in the cloud) | Windows, macOS, Android, Linux | Proprietary | starting from €0.2 per usage hour |
Vortex Cloud Gaming[28] | RemoteMyApp sp. z o.o. | Active | Active | Data centers in France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Canada, United States (New York, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles), Mexico, Brazil, Russia | No, existing library. For some you need additionally a license, e.g. at Steam | Windows, Chrome, Android, Android TV, XBox One | Proprietary | US$9.99/month |
GeForce NOW | Nvidia | In closed beta | Active | n/a | No, existing library. For some you need additionally a license, e.g. at Steam | Shield, Windows, macOS | Proprietary | Free during beta[29] |
PlayStation Now | Sony | Active | Active | n/a | No, existing library from Sony (more than 500 games) | PlayStation 4, Windows | Proprietary | US$19.99 (Monthly subscription) US$44.99 (3-Month subscription) US$99.99 (Annual subscription) |
Stadia (formerly Project Stream[30]) | In closed beta | Active | USA (selected locations) | Until now only Assassin's Creed Odyssey | Chrome | N/A | N/A | |
Project xCloud | Microsoft | In closed beta | Active | n/a | Unknown so far | PCs, consoles, mobile devices | N/A | N/A |
Project Atlas | EA | In development | Active | n/a | Unknown so far | Unknown so far | N/A | N/A |
Elastic Virtualization Engine [31] | Mixedtek.com | Active | Active | US, Japan, UK, Germany, Singapore and other countries | Yes (cloud computing: Full computer in the cloud) | Windows, Android, STBs, SmartTV, OTT Box | Proprietary | Depends on operator services |
Wiztivi Gaming | Active | Active | n/a | Unknown so far | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, STBs, Orange, SFR | Proprietary | Depends on operator services | |
Blacknut[32] | Active | Active | n/a | No, existing library from Sony (more than 500 games) | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV | Proprietary | £12.99/month | |
GameCloud | Cloudzen | Active | Active | n/a | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, SmartTV, OTT, Chrome | Proprietary | N/A | |
Gaming: Solved. | Active | Active | n/a | Windows, macOS | Proprietary | US$1.49 per usage hour | ||
GLOUD | Active | Active | Argentina, Chile | Windows, macOS | Proprietary | ARS$299.90/month CLP$7735/month | ||
Utomik (ex-Kalydo)[33] | Active | Active | n/a | Windows | Proprietary | N/A | ||
PixelStellar[34] | Active | Active | n/a | Windows | Proprietary | €1 per usage hour | ||
WADE[35] | Active | Active | Spain | No, existing library from Sony (more than 500 games) | Windows, macOS | Proprietary | €9,99/month | |
PlayKey[36] | Active | Active | CIS countries, Germany, UK | No, existing library. For some you need additionally a license, e.g. at Steam | Windows, macOS | Proprietary | €24,90/month | |
Turbo.net[37] | Active | Active | n/a | Windows, macOS, iPad | Proprietary | Free access | ||
Hatch[38] | Active | Active | Nordics, Baltics, UK, Germany, France, Portugal | No, existing library. More than 100 games | Android | Proprietary | Ad supported | |
Dalongyun[39] | Active | Active | China | Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Android, Android TV | Proprietary | ¥3/4 per usage hour | ||
LiquidSky[40] | LiquidSky | Discontinued[41] | Discontinued[41] | USA, UK, Central Europe, | Yes | Windows, Android | Proprietary | US$14.99/month (One-Time) US$24.99-29.99/month (Monthly) |
Snoost.com | Probably discontinued, the Alpha has ended | Unknown | No | Yes | Windows, macOS, Linux | Proprietary | €12,95/month (480p) €25,90/month (720p) €38,85/month (1080p) | |
GameFly Streaming | Discontinued | No | No | Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, LG WebOs 3.0 Smart TV | Proprietary | US$9.99/month | ||
Leap Computing | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone | Proprietary | N/A | ||
Big Fish Games | Discontinued [42] | Discontinued | No | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 | Proprietary | N/A | ||
G-cluster | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | G-cluster, Orange, SFR, NTT Plala, VNPT | Proprietary | N/A | ||
Gaikai | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 | Proprietary | N/A | ||
Gface | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 | Proprietary | N/A | ||
InstantAction | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 | Proprietary | N/A | ||
OnLive | Discontinued [43] | Discontinued | Partial [44] | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, macOS, Android, OnLive MicroConsole | Proprietary | N/A | ||
Playcast Media Systems | Discontinued [45] | Discontinued [46] | No | Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV | Proprietary | N/A | ||
Ubitus GameNow | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | LG Smart TV, Google TV, Verizon, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS | Proprietary | N/A |
Game streaming systems
Name | Access status | Development status | Source code available? | Platforms | License | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GamingAnywhere | Active | Active | Yes; Free and open-source software | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Linux Client; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Android 4.1+,[47]Linux | BSD 3-Clause License[48] | Free |
Cloudzen - GameCloud | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Client; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Smart TVs, AndroidTV, STBs, Smartphones, Android, iOS | Proprietary | N/A |
LOUDPLAY | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Linux Client; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Linux | Proprietary | N/A |
Steam In-Home Streaming | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Client; Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, SteamOS, Linux | Proprietary | Freeware |
Remote Play | Active | Active | No | Server; PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 Client; PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation TV, Sony Xperia, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS[49] | Proprietary | Freeware |
Cloud Gaming eXtreme | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 Client; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Android, iOS | Proprietary | $0.30 per hour on Amazon Web Services |
Ubitus GameCloud | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 Client; Smart TVs, Google TV, STBs, Smartphones, Tablets, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS | Proprietary | N/A |
Rainway | Active | Active | No | Server; Server 2016, Windows 10[50] Client; Google Chrome, Firefox, Windows, macOS, Linux | Proprietary | Freeware |
Parsec | Active | Active | No | Server; Server 2012, Server 2016, Windows 8.1, Windows 10[51] Client; Windows, macOS, Linux | Proprietary | Freeware |
Nvidia GameStream | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 with GeForce Kepler GTX-class GPU or later[52] Client; Shield Android TV, Shield Tablet, Shield Portable | Proprietary | Freeware |
Moonlight Game Streaming | Active | Active | Open-source client, but relies on proprietary server | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 with GeForce Kepler GTX-class GPU or later Client; Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Raspberry Pi, PlayStation Vita, ChromeOS[53] | Server; Proprietary Client; GPLv3 | Free |
PlayGiga | Active | Active | No | Client; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, macOS, STBs, Android | Proprietary | N/A |
Remotr Game Streaming | Active | Active | No | Server; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Client; Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Smart TVs, AndroidTV, STBs, Smartphones, Android, iOS | Proprietary | Standard; Freeware No ads: $2.99 per month |
G-cluster | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Server; Windows 7, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008R2, Windows Server 2012R2 Client; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Smart TVs, AndroidTV, STBs, Smartphones | Proprietary | N/A |
StreamMyGame | Discontinued | Discontinued | No | Server; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 Client; Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Linux | Proprietary | Standard; Freeware Premium; $9.99 per year Unlimited; $19.99 per year |
P2P gaming services
Name | Company | Access status | Development status | Source code available? | Bring your own games (BYOG) | Platforms | License | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Playkey | Playkey | Active | No | Windows | Proprietary | n/a | ||
DROVA | DROVA | Active | Active | No | Yes | Windows | Proprietary | €0.8 per hour |
See also
- Cloud computing
Remote mobile virtualization for mobile gaming as a service
References
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[1]
External links
- Article by Paul Hyman on MSN.com
- Article by Parth Singh on LiquidSky: The Future Of Cloud Gaming.
- Article by Jeff Norman / Cloud Gaming: Making the Joystick Airborne - CloudTweaks.com
^ "GamingAnywhere - An Open Source Cloud Gaming System". gaminganywhere.org. Retrieved 2018-12-24.