Cloud Gaming! My views and Opinions

There are many game systems out there, but gaming in the cloud has been one of my most recent things lately. Being a Google user, I feel that using cloud game services means that you won't have to download the games, they are installed onto the servers when the game is published. So, naturally, I decided to take the path of least cost, and use Stadia.

Cloud gaming is nothing new, let me tell you. I've heard of it in passing. Sony's offering, PlayStation Now, however, has absolutely no accommodation for free users, requiring a subscription to get on board. And even though nVidia's offering, GeForce Now, does have a free option, that is limited by a time limit last time I checked. I know nothing about Microsoft's xCloud system, but I'd rather use my Xbox to download games as opposed to streaming them, unless Stadia has an app out for Xbox?

From what I seen, Stadia can be easily seen as the gold standard in cloud-based gaming platforms. I'm talking a "holy grail" type thing here, forget all doubt. With the right hardware, you can get a fair experience. Virtually lag-free gaming, coupled with the fact that you can use your existing equipment, makes for a much better deal than the others. I've come to realize this in my nearly seven months of using this platform to play my games.

However, like practically every single gaming platform out there, there are some drawbacks. Firstly, you are at the mercy of your Internet connection, and its speed and stability (or lack thereof in some cases) can make or break your gaming session. Secondly, some phones will be able to run the Stadia app, but others won't. That depends on Google's decisions. Having a phone that Google deems worthy to run their Stadia app means you can use Google Play credits to buy new games. Lastly, the quality of your Stadia experience relies entirely on whatever hardware you can use. But I'm sure the first and last one can be overlooked, as I will mention below.

For the Internet connection, at least a total throughput of 250Mb/sec works for me, even though the VP9 codecs used to stream the video feed run about 2-4 Mb/sec, give or take. As for hardware, you can use a simple dime-store Windows laptop. Having Bluetooth built into it can be a big help, because you'll be able to use PS4 and certain Xbox controllers without hooking them up to USB. And Google Chrome or one of its derivatives will work extremely well. I prefer to use Microsoft Edge (the Google Chrome-based version) myself. But, if you really want to play through a TV, your computer better have an HDMI port, and given that, I hope you have a spare HDMI cable lying around with all the trinkets? And your TV set needs to have a free port for it, too. Or, you can get a Chromecast Ultra and a Stadia controller in a bundle for about $90. Because then you may be able to get your games in up to 4K, depending on network conditions.

Best part about Stadia: Google has thousands of datacenters scattered around the world backing them up, so you could be playing your games on a server in your city. No need for an extra console, because you can use your old equipment, and if you buy a game, there's no waiting. You can play the game you just bought straightaway. All in all, it works for me.

These are my opinions, and they are not sponsored, although if Google decides to use this blog post in their marketing materials for Stadia, all the more power to them.

There. I've said my piece.