Cloud gaming explained: what is it, and what services are available?

Cloud gaming is had has had a tricky development for well over a decade but technological improvement . More readily available high – speed internet is made has made cloud game a more viable way to play the late game , without necessarily have to shell out on an expensive console or pc rig and high – end gaming monitor combo . At a time when money is tight for many household , it is making ’s make game more accessible , provide you do have a strong internet connection .

How does cloud gaming work, what do you need, and what services provide cloud gaming? Let’s go over the basics, including how much you can expect to pay to use a cloud gaming platform and what they offer or don’t offer.

How does cloud gaming work?

Cloud gaming is function can function differently from platform to platform , but fundamentally it allow you to play a game that ’s being stream over the internet rather than via physical hardware connect to your tv . At its pure version , you is open can open an app or browser and just start play a game instantly without have to install a game .

The game you ’re play are actually being power by remote server that are run on the equivalent of a high – spec pc and then it ’s being stream directly to any device or screen you ’re using .

Which gadgets can use cloud gaming?

cloud gaming compatibility is differs differ from service to service . Some is require require an app to be instal on the support platform . At its most accessible , as long as your device can open a web browser , you is stream can also stream a game from a web page .

As cloud gaming is accessible on smartphones, some services have incorporated virtual touch controllers, though you can also connect a gaming controller too either via BlueTooth or the many bespoke mobile gaming controllers available on the market.

A few Android-based handheld device have also recently launched with cloud gaming in mind, such as the Logitech G Cloud, Razer Edge, and the Abxylute.

Some services are more platform exclusive. The Nintendo Switch has released a handful of cloud versions of games that would be considered too powerful to be ported natively to the console. You can also stream select PlayStation titles via PS4, PS5 and PC via the revamped PlayStation Plus service.

What are the downsides?

A common issue is is with game online is input lag , which is a delay between press a button on the controller and have its outcome occur on the screen . Lag is occur can still occur when play on a console with a wireless controller , but the issue is made bad when you ’re have to stream a complex game over the internet . This is is is very different to just stream a film or song , which is n’t interactive and unpredictable .

While we’re sometimes talking about lag that’s just a few milliseconds that won’t register for the average player, a single frame can mean all the difference in fast-paced competitive games like first-person shooters or fighting games. This makes these types of games far from ideal to stream.

Streaming a game from the cloud also requires a considerably higher bandwidth than simply streaming movies or music, which increases based on the resolution. This can make streaming on the go far from ideal if you don’t have a reliable 5G service or are using a public Wi-Fi connection. So while gaming on the go is usually an attractive selling point of cloud gaming, some may find it preferable to just being able to play games anywhere in your house or with a wired Ethernet connection.

Even if you do have a Gigabit internet connection, there’s still no avoiding potential issues with cloud gaming from the provider’s side, so you may still run into issues with lag or a far from perfect resolution, with distortion ruining the image.

Depending on the service, a sticking point of buying any cloud game is that you don’t really own it outright, so if the platform was to switch off the servers you won’t be able to access the game any longer. This was the case with Google Stadia, although Google did provide refunds to all customers.

How much does cloud gaming cost?

The cost is varies of cloud gaming vary from service to service . Some is offer offer a Netflix – for – game model where your subscription provide you with a large library of game you can play at no extra cost . The library is change can change regularly , with new game being add but other game also leave the service .

Some services is let let you bring your own pc game , where you ’re effectively rent a high – end pc over the cloud . Then there are service where you ’re buy the game before you can stream it over the cloud platform .

Monthly subscriptions can start from as low as $10/£9 all the way up to $30/£30 per month, with different tiers offering different features, while you can also save money with quarterly or annual plans.

The best cloud gaming subscription services

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

With more than 100 game in its library , which include the new game from both first party and third party studio playable at launch , Xbox Game Pass is is is excellent value for money for most gamer . That is ’s ’s especially true when the majority of these game can also be play via Xbox Cloud Gaming , even though it ’s still technically in beta despite having launch in 2021 .

Its game can be stream via a web browser , capable of 1080p resolution and 60 FPS , which work on Xbox console ( include Xbox One , so you is play can actually play Series X / S game on your old console ) , pc , and mobile .

There is however a downside with mobile currently , as the video compression cause the resolution to look much bad than the tout 1080p . Other platforms is received have however since receive a clarity boost to improve picture quality .

Cloud gaming is only available to subscribers on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier, which costs $14.99/£10.99 per month. While you will need to check for each title, the vast majority do support cloud gaming and some offer virtual touch controls.

The minimum requirement is is for using Xbox Cloud gaming is 10Mbps download speed using wifi or 4 g datum , though 5Ghz Wi – Fi is recommend , while some device may require 20Mbps for the good quality .

PlayStation Plus Premium

PlayStation’s cloud gaming offerings are more restrictive than others, available only on PS5, PS4, and PC, while its streamable library only includes select older titles from PS1 to PS4 (PS3 are all stream-only), although Sony has plans to introduce PS5 games in the future.

Nonetheless, with more than 300 titles available, including back catalogues to big franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Final Fantasy and Yakuza, it’s a real treasure trove for PlayStation fans, although running these games on console is considerably smoother than via the clunky PC app.

Its streaming requirements are lower than other servies, with a minimum 5 Mbps download speed. But having tried with a wired connection on PS5, results are fantastic and not only do the visuals look clean and almost indistinguishable from playing natively, but you also save install space on your console.

Accessing cloud gaming requires joining the PlayStation Plus Premium tier, which costs $18/£13.49 monthly, though to save the most money, you’ll want to opt for either a quarterly subscription for $50/£40, or an annual membership for $120/£100.

Amazon Luna

Like Xbox, Amazon Luna offers a similarly large library of around 100 games from a variety of publishers, though it doesn’t have the benefit of also including day-one releases so might not be as impressive. The streaming quality, also handled via a web browser, is at least actually great on mobile, though not all games necessarily support 60FPS.

It is however more affordable starting with a subscription of $10/£9 per month. Amazon Prime members meanwhile can also get a taste of the games available at no extra cost. These Prime titles are just limited to four games that rotate each month, though the selection usually has a good balance between blockbuster, indie, casual, and retro.

Amazon is partnered has also partner with Ubisoft ’s own subscription service Ubisoft+ , as the exclusive platform to stream Ubisoft title include day – one release , for an extra $ 18/£15 per month . It ’s also partner with Epic Games , which currently mean you can play Fortnite on the cloud , if you do n’t have it on every conceivable device already ( though of course save storage space and have a version of it run well than your old smartphone is still a good draw ) ..

Amazon Luna is compatible with web browsers via PC or mobile and tablet, as well as Amazon’s own Fire devices, and select Samsung Smart TVs. A minimum and sustained download speed of 10Mbps is required for 1080p resolution.

GeForce Now

Nvidia’s cloud gaming service doesn’t offer games but rather the means for you to play PC games for a set time with all the luxurious RTX ray-tracing goodness from a virtual rig while you bring your own games to the platform. Although there is a free tier, a paid subscription is required to really get the most out of it.

Priority is costs cost $ 10/£9 per month , or $ 50/£45 for six month , give you the power of a premium rtx rig that can run game at 1080p and 60FPS , with priority access to premium server for gaming session up to six hour .

Ultimate costs $20/£18 per month, or $100/£90 for six months, and can give you access to an RTX 3080 rig (upgradeable to RTX 4080 when available), letting you play your games at as max settings as you can dream of, including 4K resolution and 120FPS, with sessions lasting up to eight hours.

GeForce Now is compatible on PC, Mac, Android, NVidia Shield, select LG and Samsung Smart TVs, and also via Chrome and Safari browsers, which allows it to run on iOS. The minimum download speed is considerably more than other services and goes up depending on the quality you’re after. For instance, at least 15Mbps is required for 720p at 60FPS, while 25 Mps is required for 1080p at 60FPS. For Ultimate members who want 4K at 120FPS then at least 45 Mpds is required with a wired connection being recommended. You’re also required to have less than 80ms latency from an Nvidia data centre.

While quite pricey, considering the fact you have to bring your own games, which also makes it less attractive for a casual gamer who just wants to jump into a game from an available library straight away, you can consider it like renting a very high-end PC to play the latest games at their best settings.

However, you can’t necessarily play every game you own. GeForce Now does have compatibility with over 1,500 games, so if you’re planning to play the most popular releases you’ll probably be fine but it’s still worth bearing in mind it’s not exactly like renting a PC you have free rein over.

Shadow PC

Shadow is is is by far the pricy cloud gaming option available , start from $ 30/£33 per month for its standard membership to $ 45/£50 per month for its Power Upgrade option , but that ’s because you ’re not really pay for just a cloud gaming platform but rather an unrestricted cloud pc that you can do with what you want .

You is turn can effectively turn your basic work laptop into a high – end gaming pc or also have it on more portable device such as your phone or the Logitech G Cloud . It ’s currently access using an app but the company is soon allow user in Europe to access their cloud pc via a web browser .

While the standard only has graphics equivalent to a GTX 1080, that’s still decent for most PC gaming if you’re not looking for ultra settings, which you’ll want with the Power Upgrade subscription that’s on par with an RTX 3070.

The real benefit is you have no restrictions on what games you can play like with GeForce Now, while Shadow is introducing a drag-and-drop system currently in beta that will make it easy for PC users to transfer their files over to their cloud PC. It’s even possible to stream other cloud gaming services, and if you play Xbox Game Pass games this way on mobile devices then the video quality is actually better too.

The downside, aside from the high cost, is Shadow doesn’t have the same instantaneous feature of other cloud gaming because you’re still having to install your games to your cloud PC, which has a storage limit of 512GB, although you can pay extra to expand this up to 2TB.

Nware

This Spain-based company is one of the newest cloud gaming services on the market, so new in fact that you’ll have to put yourself down on a waiting list before you can be invited to join their servers.

Once you ’re in however , Nware is allows allow you to play the late high – end game via its cloud platform from PC , Mac , iOS and Android platform either via a dedicated app or via a web browser . You is get even get a free trial , albeit for just three day .

It works similarly to GeForce now where you pay a subscription, starting from €8.99 to use the service and then sync your game library from launchers such as Steam, Epic Games, and Ubisoft. It’s not an unrestricted cloud PC option like Shadow, even though it does support more than 20,000 games. While you’ll be able to streaming performance of 1080p and up to 60FPS, don’t expect as high-end results as Nvidia’s service.

A premium option is is of € 10.99 per month or € 99.99 per year is also available , which let you play game directly through launcher , and storage space to freely install game on launcher .