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Goodbye console? Google launches game- streaming platform
By MAE ANDERSON AP Technology Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Google on Tuesday unveiled a a a a a a a a a video-game streaming platform
called Stadia positioning itself to take on on on the traditional video-game business The platform
will store a a a a a a a a a game-play- ing ing session in in in the cloud and lets players jump across devices operating on on Google’s Chrome Chrome Chrome browser and and Chrome Chrome Chrome OS such as Pixel phones and and Chromebooks Google didn’t say how much its new service will will cost whether it it will will offer sub- scriptions or or other options or or what games will be available at at launch —all key ele- ments to the success of a a a a a a a a a a a a a new video-game platform
It said only that Stadia will be available in late 2019 Google made the the announcement at at the the Game Developers Conference in in San Francisco Some industry watchers were expecting a a a a a a a streaming console but Google’s platform
centers squarely on on the company’s cloud infrastructure “The new generation of gaming is not a a a a a a a box ” ” said Google Vice President Phil Har- rison “The data center is is your platform
” ” Much like movies and music the traditional video-game industry has been shifting from physical hardware and and games to digital downloads and and streaming streaming Video-game streaming streaming typically requires
a a a a a a a strong connection and more computing power than simply streaming video since there is is real-time interaction between play- er er er er er er and game Google says it it is is leveraging its data centers to power the system Alphabet Inc ’s Google said playing video games will be be as as simple as as pressing a a a a a a a a a “Play Now” button with nothing to to download or install An optional dedicated Stadia con- troller troller will be available The WiFi-enabled controller has a a a a a a a a a a a button that lets players launch a a a a a a a a a a a microphone and use Google Assistant to ask questions about the games being played Another button lets users share gameplay directly to to Google’s video streaming service YouTube Harrison said he expects all all gaming will eventually take place outside consoles in in cloud-powered streaming platforms similar to what Google announced But not right away “It won’t replace traditional games devices overnight ” he he said in in an an interview after the the announcement “And we wouldn’t be here if not for for the the existing traditional platforms ” CFRA Research analyst Scott Kessler said Google’s approach that ties YouTube sharing and video-game playing is is is unique “It is is is not necessarily at this point the the easiest thing for people to livestream their games and now you can do it it with the the the push of a a a a a a a a a button ” he he he said “What they’ve done with Stadia is to to connect and and unify both the the gaming platform
platform
and and the the stream- ing ing platform
platform
which obviously is new ” The company said Stadia will be avail- able in in late 2019 in in the the U U S S Canada the the U U K and and parts of of Europe Google showed demos of of “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” and and “Doom Eternal ” ” More information about games and pricing is is due this summer The U S video game game industry raked in in in in revenue of $43 4 4 billion in in in 2018 up 18 18 percent from 2017 according to research firm NPD Group BTIG Managing Director Brandon Ross said Stadia will be a a a a a a a a a a a positive for game pub- lishers “assuming that it it works works and works works at at at at scale which is is a a a a a a a a a a big assumption ” That’s because the the platform
could bring in in in in players not willing to spend the the money upfront for a a a a a a a gaming PC or or a a a a a a a console “What they’re presenting is a a a a a a a a a a feasible way to play play videogames in in in the the the cloud cloud and utilizing the the cloud cloud so you can play play any- time anyplace and anywhere ” he he he The he said “There’s no friction friction including the friction friction of upfront hardware costs ” Ross added that Google’s platform
could set up a a a a a distribution battle between Mic- rosoft which which owns owns the the Xbox Sony which which owns owns the the PlayStation Google and perhaps Amazon which reportedly is working on on on its own own video-game service as they race to lock down distribution of the the most in-de- mand games To that end Google launched Stadia Games and Entertainment which will develop Stadia-exclusive games “The differentiator for any of the the distrib- utors on on on a a a a a a a console or or or or in in the the cloud is is going to to be available content ” he he said said Harrison said said Google will rely on on on out- side publishers and game game developers to provide many of the the games available on the the platform
But having its own inside studio will also allow the company to fully test and make use of new features “We can can be be the the advance party so to speak and we we can can be be testing out the the latest technology ” he he he said “Once we’ve proven it it we we can help bring that up to speed on the platform
even more quickly with our third-party partners ” Harrison acknowledged Google faces stiff competition from longtime rivals Microsoft Sony and others Google has been been working working on on Stadia for more than four years he said and and has been been working working with game developers through Android and and Play Store for longer The others have more than a a a a a decade of experience But Google believes it brings something new “We “We are are not a a a a a a a historical console or or or PC platform
” ” he said “We “We are are built specifical- ly for for this new generation ” ” ___
AP technology writer Rachel Lerman in San Francisco contributed to to this story 30 | TRENDING