The writing was on the wall – so large you could see it from space – and now, it seems that Amazon are finally going to put their giant server farms towards cloud gaming.
It’s been a known quantity for years, literally. Most gamers and common folk have a tendency to think of Amazon as the online shopping service, but its the gargantuan heft of Amazon Web Services that competes with Microsoft and Google to power the majority of the internet’s traffic — and after Amazon outbid Google to buy Twitch, the expectation has always been that Amazon would eventually make a more direct play in the gaming space.
Now, that seems to be happening. Two sources have told CNET that the Bezos-run giant will formally announce its streaming service next year, having recruited staff from rivals like Microsoft to run the show. Amazon are still forging ahead with its own game engine, with job ads looking for documentation writers and dev engineers.
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/01/amazon-applies-for-a-patent-that-lets-you-stream-and-buy-games/” thumb=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/01/2017-01-30_143324-410×231.jpg” title=”Amazon Applies For A Patent That Lets You Stream And Buy Games” excerpt=”Amazon has filed an application for a patent which would, if granted and brought to fruition, would allow people to spectate video games with an attached storefront.”]
Apart from the gaming industry.)
It’s hard not to see Amazon taking a similar approach to Google with this. Given that they own Twitch, the obvious appeal is to further monetise the interaction viewers have with their streamers, incorporating some kind of connection that lets people go directly from watching gameplay to jumping right into gameplay, if not the same spot, then the same save or some feature that emulates what they were just watching. Google’s version of this is called Stream Connect, which will supposedly launch in one game before Christmas, and it’d be nuts if Amazon didn’t do something similar.
Of course, the kicker is that Amazon has the exact same problem as Google: content. The Stadia experience, which is still leagues above PlayStation Now and OnLive in years prior, is so sub-par and modelled so badly that it’s impossible to recommend. The fact that it works is great, but the content library is so thin and the value proposition remains horrific compared to buying a game via any other way. And given that Amazon’s internal development efforts haven’t gotten off to the best start, it’s hard to see them getting around the content problem, which is ultimately what people want from their games.
But while Microsoft has a definite advantage in this area, Amazon also has virtually unlimited buckets of money. Google does as well, and given that the two companies have no compulsion in solving a problem with literal billions, it should make for some interesting competition for gamers. And, with a little bit of luck, it might actually make cloud gaming available and enjoyable in countries like Australia before the end of the decade. After all, if there’s anyone in the world who can make it work, it was always going to be: Microsoft, Google and Amazon.
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/03/if-anyone-can-make-cloud-gaming-work-in-australia-its-google-and-microsoft/” thumb=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/03/project-xcloud-1-410×231.jpg” title=”If Anyone Can Make Cloud Gaming Work In Australia, It’s Google And Microsoft” excerpt=”Historically, Australian internet is hot garbage. There might be small pockets of the country with something approximating a modern broadband connection, but for the most part, we’re behind the curve. It’s why Aussies have never really taken cloud gaming seriously, and why the companies that have offered it have never seriously expanded into Australia: it’s a service for countries that don’t treat modern infrastructure like a political football.
But eventually progress brings everyone forward. And while previous attempts to introduce cloud gaming to Australians has been forgettable, the upcoming launches of Microsoft’s Project xCloud and Google’s Project Stream will finally give us a workable glimpse into the future.”]
Comments
3 responses to “Get Ready For Amazon’s Cloud Gaming Service”
Content is not the problem, that will grow over time. The problem is the fact that the infrastructure just isn’t there yet so while a few people (relatively speaking) can enjoy a problem free, perfect experience, the majority of the world won’t or can’t at all.
It’s not something that Google, Amazon, Microsoft and whoever else can solve on their own either unless they take over the broadband infrastructure of nations. Although there is Google Fiber and Amazon planning their own broadband networks their reach and power is limited. Of course, given the state of our own NBN maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have corporately owned broadband networks.
No one can do this as a pure cloud play, the only solutions that will thrive will have some sort of hardware element.
Chalk Amazon up to yet another service that will sit and languish.
Well, I for one can’t wait for the stories about mistreatment and poor working conditions for the staff tasked with executing Amazon’s new venture.