Is Google Launching a New Game Subscription Service?

Mar. 18, 2019

The gaming industry has become the biggest player in the entertainment industry. Even Hollywood has bowed down to its might as the gaming industry is now estimated to be worth over $138 billion dollars. With all the major technology companies having some sort of share of this big pie, it was only a matter of time when Google entered the market. With the announcement of its first-ever keynote at GDC conference in San Francisco scheduled for this week, there is a lot of speculation about Google’s plan for the gaming industry.

The only right play for Google here is to take advantage of its Android platform and focus on the mobile gaming industry. There are over 2.3 billion active Android devices in the world and Google has the advantage of controlling 75% of the smartphone market. Seeing how Google is the most dominant player in the smartphone industry, it only makes sense that it will use its might to offer a service that will be beneficial for not only game developers but also users. And if it can make billions of dollars while doing that who is going to complain.

Google Cloud Gaming

Cloud gaming has a bright future, however, it still hasn’t become a reality as gaming files are not only larger in size but gaming also require real-time input from gamers. To say that the road to cloud gaming has been hard will be an understatement. Companies like Nvidia (GeForce Now) and Sony (PlayStation Now) have been offering limited cloud gaming service for quite a while now but neither them or nor any other such service has succeeded. If Google somehow makes it possible to game on the cloud without any major lag, it might very well become a disrupter in the gaming industry.

The signs of a new cloud game streaming service from Google have been obvious. Just recently, it showcased its game streaming capabilities under Project Stream. The video uploaded on Google’s YouTube channels shows a recorded stream of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The video shows that the game was streamed in 1080p at 60 FPS and looks fabulous. Google said that it partnered with Ubisoft to test its Project Stream and if the video is any indication, it is going to be quite good.

While Google is not going to release a gaming console, it is speculated that it will release gaming accessories. We can say with certainty that a Google-branded gaming controller is coming. Just a week back, a patent reveal showcased that a new Google controller is in the works. Thepatent which is availableat the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s website showcases a controller which looks a futuristic version of Sony’s Play Station controller. Apart from normal controls, Google is offering extra buttons for accessing Google-specific features.

Apart from the controller, Google should also be launching some kind of dongle which will let users access the streaming service. Google already sells Chromecast which allows users to cast media from their phone to their TV. It won’t be surprising if the company launched a Chromecast device for gaming.

At launch, the service will come with very limited games. But before you despair, remember that Nintendo Switch launched only with one big title which was “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”. Also, Google can choose from a huge selection of really good mobile games. Combine these games with one or two AAA titles and I think the game selection will be good enough for the early days of launch.

When it comes to console level games, we already told you that Google has partnered with Ubisoft so we should see Assassin’s Creed launching alongside the streaming service. Id Software, the studio which creates the legendary franchise Doom will also be joining Google for the keynote so we might see Doom as a part of the launch event. At the least, they might announce that Doom will be coming to Google’s streaming service in the near future.

That said, a lot of what we have talked about is still speculations on our part so we don’t know how much of this will actually pan out at this specific event. The only thing we can be sure about is that Google is going to take a crack at the game streaming and cloud gaming services because it’s the only way it can fight against the already established gaming giants.

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