November has been a busy month for the entertainment world as not only have we seen the release of Disney Plus, but also gaming platform Google Stadia in some parts of the world.
Talked of as the ‘Netflix’ of gaming, Google has invested heavily in bringing ready-to-play games that require no downloads or installations with everything processed through Google servers meaning all you need is an internet connection and a device to play on. Smart stuff indeed but will it change the face of online gaming as we know it?
A New Type of Gaming?
The ability to play a vast array of high-quality and modern games anywhere with no downloading required is a step forward in the online gaming world but the truth is in the short term this may only appeal to real hardcore gamers – especially as it comes at a price and right now a limited game pool.
That will grow but the truth is we have been spoilt this millennium with instant entertainment all at the touch of a button. One industry that looks set to be unaffected by Google Stadia is online casinos.
Ever since 1996 when the first online casino was established, online gambling has grown exponentially year on year with no signs of slowing down. It’s not hard to see why either with sites such as Jackpot City NZ operating for over twenty years and providing the latest pokies and even live casino gaming.
The attraction of winning real money has ridden the wave of gaming consoles, online gaming platforms such as Steam, and even the addition of other forms of online entertainment such as YouTube and now smart TVs. It seems the online casino world is bulletproof in the entertainment industry, and it benefits from years of experience and also providing the latest pokies all with just an internet connection.
Google Stadia aims to follow suit in ease of access but has a few more USPs up to its sleeve other than the aforementioned wiping out of installations. If your internet connection allows it, you will be able to stream full HD resolution at 60 frames per second on any device. This of course also eradicates the need to buy an expensive console, that you have you thinking the likes of PlayStation a little worried but actually Sony has already done a form of Google Stadia.
Not As New As You Would Expect…
Playstation 4 consoles have a feature called Remote Play which allows users to stream any of their downloaded PS4 games to a PC, laptop, phone, and even iPad. Sure, it may not look as streamlined as Google Stadia, but does that really matter when you have already invested heavily something that was the top of the tech tree upon release? Probably not.
It is still early days for Stadia, and it is unlikely many of the 100-million-plus PS4 gamers are going to jump ship anytime soon. However, Google Stadia does now offer an alternative and as the pool of high-quality games improves, as will the global interest. It will be interesting to see how it affects sales of the next launches of consoles and whether Google has pulled off a masterstroke. Only time will tell, but for now, you have been warned!