Google Stadia
 

Basically a box to stream games. Info just coming out now during the presser.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Re: Google Stadia
 

This thing will sell like <strike>hotcakes</strike> Ouya's.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Re: Google Stadia
 

isn't Microsoft already going to do this but with proven games, proven online platform and proven controllers?

Re: Google Stadia
 

It works well (Assassin's Creed looked fantastic in the Chrome version) but it's certainly an uphill battle. Don't like the controller.

This all said, "The company said that if someone is watching a video of a game on YouTube, they could hit a button that says "play now" and jump right into playing the game themselves in as fast as five seconds." is a great angle to sell it.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Yeah, the fact that you don't have to buy into an expensive device to play these games is most likely the draw (though you will need sufficient internet speeds, obviously, and that will probably be the huge caveat). It's definitely not an Ouya. I'm sure they're taking advantage of their CDNs and Google Cloud Platform, which makes me wonder why Amazon didn't beat them to the punch.

Re: Google Stadia
 

I guess my question is how are devices that weren't really designed to run games, especially ones that are graphically intensive able to run them without being crippled? I guess I don't competely understand the tech behind it. I don't think I'd buy into a gaming streaming service personally.

Re: Google Stadia
 

All the processing is being done elsewhere, the device you're using is basically just streaming the video from there. That's why input lag and stuttering are going to be important to minimize.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Yep. Yeah this is nothing new, at all. None have caught on in the past ten years, not sure this will either. But integration into YouTube is smart.

Playstation Now is kind of laggy from time to time, I haven't used GeForce Now.

Sample from the earlier beta:

Re: Google Stadia
 

Google and / or Apple could take over the industry anytime they wanted too. They have enough capital to do it. That being said, while streaming & cloud processing is the future.....we aren't there yet.

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I have unlimited data, but that's fucking nuts

Re: Google Stadia
 

That'd make it what, 45mbps?

Re: Google Stadia
 

I have unlimited bandwidth and a 150mbps connection, and I still wouldn't do this.

Streaming shows/movies is fine, but there's no way I'd rely on a constant internet connection for every second of gameplay.
I'm using cable, so if just a few homes in my neighborhood are doing this at the same time as me - there'd be huge latency issues and dropped frames, etc.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Re: Google Stadia
 

I have fiber and dug the beta so I'll definitely give it a shot. I imagine it'll be used primarily for demos and a subscription service.

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I have a hard data cap on my Internet. This will be a PASS for me

Re: Google Stadia
 

So is this going to be something like a console we will have to buy and hook up to our TV or PC to play? Does anyone think the big game developers will bring their games to this?

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I'd be fine with streaming games - but we need better internet infrastructure, and ISPs need to be better regulated as well. Or heck, regulated at all.

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Presumably since it will be streaming off of servers, it will be available on most PCs that have an internet connection, ie: even low powered chromebooks. So you can play it as a platform on your existing PC, or presumably buy a pretty cheap streaming box akin to a chromecast and a controller. If the platform is viable and especially if google invests in game companies, games will come.

In theory that should be the big draw, you don't need to invest in expensive hardware up front to play top of the line games. But you need great internet.

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AT&T has a data cap too. So I think this will be a pass for their customers. No way you can stream games and play HD and 4K video and not hit it.

I have Spectrum and there's no cap, but my Internet doesn't have consistent or fast enough downloads to support something like this.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Pass...

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This looks and sounds terrible.

Cloud based streaming appears to be the holy grail that all companies want, but it doesn't seem like it's what consumers want.

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AT&T Fiber Gig has no cap (here at least), all other tiers are +$30/mo for unlimited which makes it the same price as Gig. It's weird. It's also Unlimited if you get a tv service from them.

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Yup, that's my experience too.
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The problem is, you guys only have unlimited until they decide they don't want to offer it anymore. Also, isn't there still an issue with throttling over a certain amount? I know my AT&T fiber is unlimited only because I'm grandfathered in.

Re: Google Stadia
 

Thank you for explaining that to me. Makes sense.

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The great unknown (besides data usage) will be pricing. Will you pay a lump sum monthly for access like Playstation Now? Will you pay per game as a weekly rental? Will you "buy" a game to "own" on their service?

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I'm just astounded at the reaction to this as if it's some sort of revolutionary thing that hasn't been tried again and again over the last ten years (probably more).

I think the best way to do this is some sort of hybrid model, where the gameplay streams, but the hud (and possibly some other elements) are rendered locally. That way even if the screen blurs on bandwidth dips you can still tell what's going on.

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I have gig speed unlimited...but I live in Oklahoma. There has always been and will always be lag (input delay) in online streaming games where I live, no matter my speed. My nearest hub is always Dallas, and Google is not going to fix that anytime soon....

Also, can we get over the idea that 200 bucks for a console is expensive? What does this offer me that I don't already get with my ps4 pro? Better graphics but with lag and artifacts? No thanks...

Re: Google Stadia
 

? What consoles are 200 bucks?

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Xbox One is constantly on sale for under $200. Just check out Slickdeals.

PS4 hits that price every now and then, but usually around Christmas and other holiday sales.

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Yeah, I have AT&T Gigabit and there's no cap.

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I didn't have one with Cox Cable and Internet, until they changed their policy and then I did. I got dinged only once, after I got my XBX and it automatically downloaded dozens of 4K patches.
Not having a cap doesn't mean you never will.

Re: Google Stadia
 

The guy asked what this could do that his PS4 pro couldn't, so I was hoping there was some way to buy a PS4 pro for 200 bucks... :)

It took years and special sales for the hardware to come down in price. What are the next generation of hardware going to start at? That's what you have to consider, whether that cost is a barrier to entry. It absolutely is. Same as having a high end computer with a great graphics card. The draw here is that you don't have to keep up with your personal hardware, that the servers will be kept up, and this should also allow specs to ramp up without having to replace anything.

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No throttling, and that's true of any service, hopefully we'd just be grandfathered in (in the future, should they get rid of the +$30/unlimited data/included with gig setup)

Anyway, Google likes to bury their projects pretty quick. I love the idea of a high bandwidth version of one of these services, but am doubtful it'll last very long. I'll give it a shot as long as it's subscription based and not purchase based.

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If you are paying 50-60 bucks a game, you can afford a 200-400 console. If you can't then you shouldn't be gaming in the first place. I also can't see companies that are used to making a decent share of the 60 price tag per new release taking a hit in their profit margin.

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Internet, IPTV, Netflix, VR, 4K, games,... in a few years, I fully expect data caps to be a thing of the past. Currently, data caps just keep moving higher and higher, so "unlimited" is just the next logical step.

Re: Google Stadia