Tech Giants Want in on Cloud Gaming

The future of gaming is streaming, as two more companies are set to create cloud gaming services.

With Google, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, having already teased their streaming plans, two more companies have staked a claim in the streaming sphere.

Amazon, who own Twitch, are reportedly set to start their own cloud-based streaming service. Following up from an initial report on The Information, The Verge found job listings from Amazon, calling for engineers to work on cloud-based games. There is also a listing for a “Lead Cross Platform Game Engineer.”

Amazon Games does already exist (although it has done very little) so they already have the infrastructure in place for game development. Their infrastructure is perhaps what makes Amazon one of the more viable success stories in cloud gaming. The more servers you have around the world, the wider the audience your service will function for, as proximity does make a difference to quality.  

They join telecommunication giant Verizon, whose streaming service is already functioning on the Nvidia Shield TV box and is set to come to Android phones. According to The Verge, the service is being shipped out to testers for a trail period running up until the end of January. It seems to be controlled by an Xbox One controller, and screenshots show an unbelievable array of games, including PS4 exclusive God of War, and the console only Red Dead Redemption 2. As exciting as that sounds, this is very early days for the service, and these are likely placeholders.

Look out for more details on these services, and perhaps for more names to step forward with streaming services as the race for dominance in this burgeoning market continues.